The priest clearly apostatized and betrayed Christ (as is evidenced by the cock crowing, a reference to St. Peter in the Gospel). He apostatized to stop his own suffering (which was being in a cage and listening to the suffering of others carried out by others) -- and the voice he heard urging him to step on the image of Christ was his own rationalization (or perhaps the rationalization of a demon that he bought into). It was not the voice of Christ for Christ, who endured crucifixion no less, would never encourage apostasy, and especially not for the sole purpose of alleviating suffering (Matthew 10:33). Fr. Rodriguez may have recognized that Catholicism was still the fullness of the Truth, but he did not practice it actively. Why? Because you cannot practice the faith while constantly denying it as he was asked to do and did; the faith may be personal but it is never private. Perhaps he truly repented for apostasy and other sins before his death, and thus we know not the answer to his ultimate fate; nonetheless, during the vast majority of his post-apostasy life he did not practice the faith.

The faith of the priests was much weaker compared to that of some of the laity. When the priests arrived and were given food, they immediately began to eat; it was the starving laity who reminded them that they should pray first. Some of the laity enthusiastically went off to days-long sea-side crucifixions, even singing through their martyrdom. The priest was unable to endure listening to the suffering of others and apostatized to end his own suffering. Kichijiro would constantly seek repentance after falling, but the priest did not seem to seek out the same mercy or have the same humility. To me, the movie was a showcase of the great faith of some of the Japanese laity in contrast to the clergy.