A Catholic bishop said lasting accountability among priests depends less on stricter regulations than on personal integrity and a well-formed conscience.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos said Church rules remain necessary but cannot substitute for the interior conversion needed to live the priesthood faithfully.
“Perhaps the deepest challenge is not simply having more regulations, but cultivating hearts so converted that integrity, simplicity, accountability, and pastoral charity become our natural way of life,” Alminaza said.
The bishop made the remarks in response to ongoing discussions about priestly accountability and safeguarding measures within the Church.
The former chairman of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Seminaries said regulations are most effective when they reinforce a deep commitment to faithful and transparent ministry, serving primarily as reminders of a priest’s vocation rather than corrective measures after failures.
“Rules have their place, but they can never replace formation of conscience,” he said.
Alminaza said the healthiest dioceses are those where accountability flows not from fear of sanctions but from a shared commitment to live the priestly vocation with integrity, simplicity and fidelity to Christ.
Such a culture, he said, encourages priests to take responsibility willingly rather than simply complying with rules to avoid punishment.
Alminaza said authentic reform in the Church ultimately begins with the conversion of hearts, arguing that no regulatory framework can replace a conscience formed by the Gospel and sustained by a genuine commitment to pastoral service.
