A retired Catholic priest, the Rev. Bertrand Poussard, was revealed Wednesday as the source of hateful and insulting letters send to Danielle Ramon, the teenager who accused former Lewiston Mayor Lionel Guay of inappropriate sexual contact. Guay was exonerated of those charges in October.

The letters arrived at Ramon’s home following Guay’s acquittal, and contained several spiteful sexual slurs. It looked like an adolescent’s crass attempt at humor, as the screed seemed from a practiced hand that’s scrawled on many a bathroom wall. The words “lezzie” and “bitch” are in the lexicon of the ignorant.

Imagine our surprise and dismay when a respected priest was identified by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland as the author. Auburn police ordered him to cease his unwanted correspondence, a light punishment for his transgressions. The diocese has also taken action against him, both public and private.

Poussard should be ashamed for putting his poison pen to paper. There was no justification. The laws of man deemed Guay innocent, and the laws of God make no provision for gleeful vengeance. Even Jesus forgave those who betrayed him.

Let’s hope Poussard hasn’t forgotten to repent. His actions have eroded any good faith he earned from his decades of service to Catholic parishes around Maine, and penance for his sin is deserved.

The Catholic diocese deserves accolades for helping identify Poussard. According to a release issued by the diocese on Wednesday, information received by the church hinting at Poussard’s guilt was turned over to Auburn police, who investigated and linked the priest to the letters.

Scandals involving Catholic clergy have forever tarnished the church’s reputation. For years, church leaders fiercely protected the horrible secrets contained in their ranks, and elected to ignore problems rather than expose the priests to secular judgment for their terrible acts.

The willingness with which the diocese of Portland exposed Poussard, and co-operated with police, seems to signal a harsh lesson has been learned.

And in a gracious statement, Bishop Richard Malone apologized to the Ramon family personally.

“This is not behavior that is acceptable by any priest or any Christian,” Malone said. “This was obviously the work of a troubled soul and so it is important to act in a Christian manner with [Poussard] as well.”

Poussard has forfeited his privilege to celebrate Mass, a censure which seems mild for a man who purportedly devoted his life to preaching tolerance.

Secular authorities should consider further serious rebukes for this retired priest, who has so obviously strayed from his appointed path.