The purpose of the Church on Earth is the salvation of souls. If the visible Church hierarchy, priests, lead souls on another road, it is good for nothing. This is rare in history, but it has happened before many times:

Saint John Eudes  wrote in "The Priest, His Dignity and Obligations":

“The most evident mark of God’s anger and the most terrible castigation He can inflict upon the world are manifested when He permits His people to fall into the hands of clergy who are priests more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than charity and affection of devoted shepherds ...

“When God permits such things, it is a very positive proof that He is thoroughly angry with His people, and is visiting His most dreadful anger upon them. That is why He cries unceasingly to Christians, ‘Return O ye revolting children ... and I will give you pastors according to My own heart’. (Jer. 3:14,15) Thus, irregularities in the lives of priests constitute a scourge upon the people in consequence of sin.”

Good Catholics get what they pray for. What St. John Eudes describes above is what we are living today. The chosen chastisement for our times is no noticeable physical chastisement. God has abandoned even Catholics to their own desires, even to the point of providing them with clergy that confirm them in whatever sin they desire. Scarcely can you find a Catholic that thinks anything but that we are living in the best of times. Truly we are living in the time described in 2 Timothy:

For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears (2 Tim 4:3)

What can one do in these times of bad priests to save their souls?

The answer is that we must more than ever before, FULLY LIVE the Catholic faith. Even if the SSPX and your local priest abandon you, God provides us with the graces to save our souls without any help from priests (we only need the sacraments from valid priests, which we still can find if we seek.) , but today, we must listen very intently to Him. We must be perpetually on guard that we do not heap to ourselves teachers according to our own desires, according to what we want to do.

The salvation of your immediate family, your spouse and children, are today your responsibility and there is no one else to catch them if you shirk your responsibility. The safety net of Catholic priests and schools no longer exists. The family is the fort of salvation.

Parents, and specially Fathers:

You must build an impenetrable fort with four high thick walls with strong gates and no openings. You must be continually on guard for the new tactics of the devil and his cohorts in the World.

- If you build a castle with three walls - (Example) the wife goes to SSPX mass on Sundays with the children, but the husband does not go to mass, the family will be lost, the children and all of your grandchildren and great grandchildren will be lost

- If you build a castle with four walls but leave the gate open- (Example) The parents go to mass even during the week, they are always teaching others about the faith, they are on forums teaching others, but they are not watching after their children.

I can make many such examples for the devil has many ways to "skin the cat":

- Mothers dress provocatively "traditional" - they wear long dresses, and long sleeve tops, but everything is skin tight and revealing. They wear jeans and shorts when not in Church or around church people. The daughters will eventually do the same, and also use the same tactic to attract a spouse. All the children and grandchildren will lose the faith do to a mothers error.

- Allowing the world free entry into your home via television, the internet, books, sending your children to public schools.

The parents are responsible for generations of lost souls, they are in the same boat as priests, but they are responsible only for their family and those that God puts in their command:

St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church:

I do not speak rashly, but as I feel and think., I do not think that many priests are saved but that those that perish are far more numerous. The reason is that the office requires a great soul. For there are many things to make a priest swerve from rectitude, and he requires great vigilance on every side. Do you not perceive how many qualities a bishop must have that he may be apt to teach; patient towards the wicked, firm and faithful in teaching the Word? How many difficulties herein.

Moreover the loss of others is imputed to him. I need say no more. If but one dies without baptism, does it not entirely endanger his salvation? For the loss of one soul is so great an evil as no man can understand. If the salvation of one soul is of such importance that, for its sake, the Son of God became man and suffered so much, think of the penalty the loss of one soul will entail. (Third Homily, Acts of the Apostles)