Last week, the bishop of Maine, Richard Malone, kicked off Catholic Schools Week with a visit to Trinity Catholic Schools in Lewiston. This newspaper published an image of the smiling Malone surrounded by schoolchildren, all amused because the bishop let a child wear his coveted purple zucchetto, or skullcap.

Days before, the bishop stood before the media in Bangor and revealed the names of Maine priests who had allegedly perpetuated sexual crimes against children. Malone hoped his announcement would ensure these purported men of God would be unable to offend again.

In doing so, Malone surpassed the Vatican’s timetable for revelation. It was a bold announcement for which the bishop deserves strong accolades, as concealment and cover-up have stained the church for far too long.

There’s nothing wrong with faith. The giddiness on the faces of schoolchildren at Trinity Catholic Schools is proof positive.

It’s heartening to see, given the trying consolidation of the Holy Cross, St. Joseph’s and St. Peter’s/Sacred Heart schools last year to create Trinity. Malone said he’s delighted with the new situation, and the devoted parents and students of L-A appear to be making the best of it.

Yet the church, nationwide, has an image problem. The abuse scandal has twisted the noun “priest” into a derisive adjective, frequently invoked to illustrate descriptions of sexual aggression or pedophilia. In the opinion of many, a devout sense of piety is enough to raise suspicion of perversion.

Church leaders shoulder the blame for this, as their recalcitrance in policing their ranks worsened the situation. If more leaders like Malone had acted on the inherent danger of allowing alleged abusers to roam unpunished or unidentified, perhaps the resulting outrage would have been tempered.

They didn’t, and the church deserved the censure it received. Malone, however, should regain some lost trust through his bucking of the Vatican’s schedule.

He has acted like a bishop cognizant of his duties to the religious and secular populations of Maine, and as a leader who knew when it was time to act.

“You have to do something that says, ‘We’re here to stay. We’re strong,’ ” Malone told the Sun Journal about the Trinity consolidation. “We’re taking action to be sure we’re strong.”

Revealing the records of the accused priests also does just that.