This relationship’s legality is murky; its morality is not.

In the era of #MeToo and #ChurchToo, when new revelations of clergy abuse seem to arise daily, we can’t afford to make excuses for faith leaders. In fact, those who care for our souls should be held to the highest moral standard.

But that’s not what happened in Houston last week. A grand jury declined to indict Monsignor Frank Rossi, who admitted to having an inappropriate sexual relationship with parishioner Laura Pontikes.

Rossi was formerly the vicar general to Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, the Catholic archbishop of Galveston-Houston and president of the U.S. bishops conference who has been leading the U.S. hierarchy’s response to the ongoing sexual abuse scandal. Pontikes claims that DiNardo hasn’t adequately responded to her complaint against Rossi.

Pontikes alleges that Rossi manipulated her into a sexual relationship while also serving as her confessor and spiritual adviser, even as…