Alberto Cutie, 'Father Oprah,' Leaves Catholic Church, Joins Epsicopal Church After Being Photographed Kissing His Girlfriend

MIAMI — A popular priest known as "Father Oprah" has left the Roman Catholic Church and joined the Episcopal Church less than a month after a tabloid published photos of him cavorting on the beach with his girlfriend in a scandal that rocked South Florida's Spanish-speaking community.

On Thursday, as thunder boomed outside and paparazzi cameras flashed, the Rev. Alberto Cutie (KOO'-tee-ay) held a news conference at the pulpit of the Episcopal Church's Trinity Cathedral. Standing behind him: the Episcopal bishop, a half-dozen Episcopal priests and his girlfriend.

He did not talk about his relationship with the woman, who has been identified in local media as 35-year-old divorcee Ruhama Buni Canellis, or if he has plans to marry her. He did say in a statement that he "began to have spiritual and deep ideological struggles" and "has seen the ways that many of my brothers serve God as married men, with the blessing of forming a family."

Cutie was removed from his Miami Beach Catholic church after photos of him smooching and embracing a woman appeared in the pages of a Spanish-language magazine earlier this month. With his leading man good looks, appearances in local newspapers' social pages and as the host of a TV show, Cutie is one of South Florida's most recognizable characters.

Cutie is scheduled to deliver a sermon this Sunday at his new church, which received him in a ceremony Thursday, but must complete other requirements before serving as an Episcopal priest.

The Episcopal Church allows its priests to marry and date. The Catholic Church requires them to be celibate.

Cutie thanked supporters and asked the media to respect his privacy. He said his decision did not come quickly.

"I have searched my soul and sought God's guidance for a long time," he said.

Story continues below

He said his struggle "should in no way tarnish the commitment of so many brother priests who are celibate and faithful to their promise."

That struggle was news to Archbishop John Favalora, who said he met with Cutie on May 5, after the photos were published, and that the priest didn't indicate he was wrestling with such thoughts. In a statement, he admonished the 40-year-old Cutie and Episcopal leaders in Miami.

"He has never told me that he was considering joining the Episcopal Church," Favalora said. "(The Episcopal Bishop) has never spoken to me about his position on this delicate matter or what actions he was contemplating. This truly is a serious setback for ecumenical relations and cooperation between us."

Added Favalora: "It's unsettling to the faith, that's why it's a scandal. But the church has been through scandals before _ the church will survive."

Cutie headed the archdiocese's Radio Paz and Radio Peace broadcasts, heard throughout the Americas and in Spain, and earned the nickname "Father Oprah" for his relationship advice. Since the scandal broke, bloggers have commented on his "dreamy" blue eyes.

The Cuban-American priest was born in Puerto Rico and previously hosted shows on Telemundo, the second-largest Spanish-language network in the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere. He is also a syndicated Spanish-language columnist and author of the book "Real Life, Real Love: 7 Paths to a Strong, Lasting Relationship."

Earlier this month, Cutie told CBS he has been romantically involved with the woman in the photos for about two years after being friends for much longer.

"I believe that I've fallen in love and I believe that I've struggled with that, between my love for God, and my love for the church and my love for service," Cutie said. Cutie maintains that he supports the Catholic Church's stand that priests should be celibate and does not want to become the "anti-celibacy priest."

After the scandal, more than 100 people gathered outside Cutie's former parish in Miami Beach, waving posters and chanting their forgiveness of the popular cleric. On Thursday, news of Cutie's religious switch inundated Spanish-language talk radio.

Cutie, during his brief statement to the media on Thursday, said he was "humbled" by the tsunami of support. His girlfriend _ dressed in a gray suit and pink lipstick _ said nothing. When Cutie was finished speaking, a TV reporter shouted in Spanish, "Father Alberto, we are live," and Cutie, and the woman, smiled and walked away from the pulpit.

Comments

[viko]

The misuse of love was the problem of the fall of man. Satan seduced Eve then Eve seduced Adam and that was the fall of man. The first fall spiritual second fall physical. Yes two fall's of man. There was two people involved in the fall of man so i'm sure it would take two people to restore Man back to his original position before the fall. God said dont eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil for if you do you would die. Ok,Ok,Ok, Nobody died. So death must mean to be seperate from Gods love. The commandment was not a choice between good and evil because evil did not exist at that time. The commandment was a gift of proctection as we grew in free will into perfect creativity and charactar of heart. The Bible is a love letter asking us all to come on home. Male and female he made us. Eve was seduced beguiled and lied to. Jesus came as a second Adam and we killed him There is no Freedom without responsibility. I'm sure if we had free will we would chosen not to fall but live. Love is more powerful than life Love is the problem. I always wonder is the Pope Cacholic.

[fcsakes]

Who cares - the Catholic church is a joke. Not allowing priests to marry should have gone the way of eating fish on Friday. Religion and the far right, will they never tire of telling people how to live their lives?

[kappa08]

zzzzzzzzzz

[JKPHILLY]

This is an example of a Catholic priest making the right decision....he leaves and likes women.....not children and gets protected by the Catholic church.

[SEQUOIABISON]

You would think by now the Catholic Church would get it right and change its ways, asking their priests and nuns to go against the laws of nature and suppress their desires is just not working.

[witz]

Agreed.

But that would get in the way of creating inhuman humans, a dream from the dark ages that can not be transformed.

[redkim]

Inhuman humans? Apparently you don't know any parish priests.

[lucite]

I am glad he left. Any guy that hot should be on the open market

[redkim]

Ha! One of the best comments on the thread. Unfortunately, if he marries his girlfriend, he'll still be off the market. *sigh*

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Unless he breaks that vow and becomes an adulterer.

[rivahcat]

This priest's "failure" says far more about the Catholic Church than about him. Expecting celibacy from a normal, healthy adult male is wishful thinking at best, and downright punitive at worst. The whole thing is really more tied to the Apostle Paul than to Christ; Paul's misogyny is clearly stated in his Biblical epistles. After all, Christ by tradition turned water into wine for a wedding. so obviously he wasn't against it; Paul said it was "better to marry than to burn", making contact with women seem to be a poor second choice.

Yes, the true name of this religion should be "Paulianity".

[redkim]

There's nothing punitive about freely taking a vow. And if you take Paul as a man of the times and look at the culture around him, he could hardly be accused of misogyny. In fact, he was qutie forward thinking in his treatment of women for the time.

And that "better to marry than to burn" doesn't mean, burn in hell. It means burn with passion.

[witz]

Actually I think it is punitive. Can a human take a vow to not eat food?
What you end up with is a priest teaching from a perspective that is totally disconnected from half of his person, the sexual part. God created us as sexual beings.

Even if you define "burn" as passion related, you still have marriage as a second option to some fabled idealistic lifestyle that Paul thought was "serving God." Paul had some real problems.

[MalloMel]

"It means burn with passion."

How do you know that?

[Epiphany2b]

My understanding of it would be "better to marry than to burn (in hell for committing fornication or adultery)". But he also said that his opinions were his own, not from God, and that his choice for himself wouldn't be the best for everyone.

[bluecollar300]

What is there not to like about Fr Alberto? These last days must have been very difficult for him and I admire his honesty and realize that he found out that he was not called to be a Catholic priest and acted accordingly. I am happy for the Episcopal Church and know that Fr Alberto will continue his religious work there to everyone's benefit. That said, let us Catholics remember that this has happened before and will likely happen again. We shall treat Fr Alberto's departure with charity and understanding, if with sadness. The Church will go on. The Church will survive. That was promised... a long time ago.

[MalloMel]

The Church will survive as long as there are fools to give it money. Barring that, I guess it will have to sell off some of its riches.

I'm not down on just the Catholic Church for taking peoples moneys. It is religions in general. After all, isn't that the purpose of religions... to make money? Now, tell me that is how Jesus did it.

[bluecollar300]

I give money to the Church and I am not a fool. I was educated by Catholic missionaries in Latin America and I am very grateful to them. I want them to keep on doing that work. I do not agree with you that the purpose of religions is to make money. By the way, Jesus did not need any money. If you have read about His life, you would have known that. We are a little bit more limited in our power than Jesus, and this is perhaps because of our lack of faith, but it does take money to help people or even to do the work entrusted to the Church by Jesus. The Church will survive because Jesus said so and I believe Him. At the end of your life, do please take a look around and you will see that His Church is still be here, as He guaranteed it... a long time ago.

[Epiphany2b]

I also pay a tithe of my income to my church plus offerings. From that income, the church pays it's ministers and workers, and supports disaster relief at home and across the world. It is no different from donating to a charity. There was an offering box at the synagogues during the time of Jesus in which offerings were accepted, but it was mostly used to help the poor. I would be opposed to it as well if the money went into building elaborate cathedrals (!), amusement parks (!) and a fleet of Rolls Royces (!). It depends on what the church uses the money for, in other words.

[Phylmom]

The Catholic church is totally screwed up when it comes to sexuality. In every area, it is wrong, wrong, wrong. You name it -- celibacy, birth control, women in the priesthood, homosexuality, sexual abuse of children (which results from being wrong on the other issues). Totally screwed up. And it all goes back to a hatred and fear of the feminine.

Thank God for the Episcopal Church, which recognizes sexuality as a gift of God, to be used responsibly, but still a gift, not a sin. And which treats women like human beings, not subhuman temptors.

[redkim]

Fear and hatred of the feminine? Please.

[Phylmom]

Absolutely fear and hatred of the feminine. All of these positions are based on fear and hatred of the sexuality of women. Even the bigotry against homosexuals is based on men supposedly acting like women, and women who are not attracted to men. Banning birth control -- keeping women from enjoying sex because they no longer fear pregnancy. Celibacy for priests -- keeping them away from women. Not to mention not allowing women in to the priesthood.

What part of this don't you understand? You have to be a bit obtuse not to.

[DubyaGump]

Kudos to him at least he is being honest, and didn't m olest any children that we know of.

[AmandaSabater]

I always liked father Alberto, I think he is being honest.....I wish him the best.

[roblabrousse]

What other kind of guiding was he getting from God ? Or did he already have that part down himself?

[Ray46]

If he molested a boy instead he probably would still be with the Roman Catholic Church.

[redkim]

You do realize of course that he left the Church voluntarily? That no one kicked him out of it?

[redkim]

He might be. Maybe he wouldn't have made the decision himself to leave it and become Episcopalian.

What part of "The father left the Church himself and decided to become Episcopalian" is so difficult for people to understand?

[LorettaSingbiel]

"The Episcopal Church allows its priests to marry and date. The Catholic Church requires them to be celibate."

The first pope, St. Peter, was married. Catholic priests were allowed to be married until the 12th century.

The church insisted on celibacy after they realized the priests were willing their wealth to their families instead of their church.

Because the Roman Catholic Church is all about MONEY instead of morality, they have lost a good priest!

[redkim]

So because he broke his vow of celibacy AND because he decided he longer wanted to be Catholic, the Catholic Church is at fault.

Explain that one to me.

[Paulo1]

OK Redkim since you want and explanation here ya go:

Forcing a rigid celibacy requirement on priests is not a theological mandate as much as a historical tradition which has outlived its political goals from the 12th Century. That the Catholic Church insists on not evolving on the issue makes them into an easy refuge for sexually deviant people and drives those who feel a genuine and natural love for another human being from the Church. So yes it is the fault of the Church for both setting an unreasonable standard and for driving a person from the Church.

Anything else I can help with ??

[daffey]

Because the Catholic Church is always at fault. Read the posts. Aren't you paying attention?

[AwShucks]

He didn't break a vow.

This order of priest do not take a vow of celibacy. They only make a "PROMISE" to the archbishop to keep celebate. This is very different . Note the word promise/ The same word that he used himself. NOT ALL CATHOLIC PRIEST TAKE A VOWs of CELIBACY , POVERTY , or OBEDIENCE.

[DianeGhil]

Good for him! Leave the stoggy old boys club who made nuns dress in taliban clothing and be servents to them. I left last year and am encouraged by this man.