"At least he's not with a little boy," the Irish pub's patrons shouted when Father Albert Cutie's story broke on national news. Rev. Alberto Cutie is a very handsome priest. He has been a spokesperson for the Catholic faith. He has given relationship advice on the radio and t.v. Fr. Cutie, is;however, also a sinner. He recently admitted that he is in love with a woman. He was recently photographed kissing Ruhama Buni Canellis, 35, a divorced mother living in South Beach. He apparently met Ruhama 10 years ago. Despite his apparent breach of his celibacy vows, a sigh of relief fell over catholics because, in the words of the pub patrons, "it could be much worse, he could have been gay."
Cutie remains popular among Catholics, who also overwhelmingly disapprove of the church’s celibacy policy. A weekend poll of 400 Miami-Dade, Fla., Catholics shows that 74 percent of those surveyed oppose the Catholic Church’s requirements that priests remain celibate. The survey shows an overwhelming majority disapproving of the 12th Century rule. The poll also showed that 78% of Catholics supported and approved of Father Cutie. (That's even better then President Obama's numbers!)
Cutie is nick named “Father Oprah” for offering relationship advice on the radio. He was taken off the air after photos were published of him embracing a woman at a bar and at the beach. Cutie was pastor of St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church in Miami Beach. Cutie issued a statement Tuesday saying “I ask for the forgiveness of those who may be hurt or saddened by my actions.”
Cutie appeared this morning on CBS’ “The Early Show.” Cutie said he was not suspended, but he asked for time off for meditation and reflection. Cutie previously told The Miami Herald that marriage and a family were not out of the question for him. But one has to wonder, if Father Albert Cutie is allowed to marry, would he still be perceived as special or would he return to the ranks of being a "regular guy." Some speculate that is exactly what Cutie wanted. It will give him an out from the priesthood with a sound declaration of his sexual preference. Fr. Cutie told the t.v. audience that celibacy is a preferred goal and that he did not want to be the poster boy for allowing priests to marry. Yet, his popularity and the manner in which his heterosexual preference was exposed is suitable for a Hollywood script.
Update 5-29-09: Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? "Father Oprah" has left the Roman Catholic Church and joined the Episcopal Church. This change in employment comes a little less than a month after photos of him on the beach with his girlfriend hit the press. At the news conference at the Episcopal Church's Trinity Cathedral, Father Cutie appeared with the Episcopal bishop, a half-dozen Episcopal priests and his girlfriend.
Updated 6-17-09: On Tuesday, Father Cutie apparently married his sweetie. Welcome to the real world school of hard knocks, Father. Good luck.
Update 1-6-11: Father Alberto Cutié married his girl friend, Ruhamma Canellis. Cutie switched from the Roman Catholic to the Anglican in order to keep serving God as a married man. He has released a new book: 'Dilemma' which details his personal struggle.
48 comments:
Very handsome guy. I got first dibs, Ms. C.
Shell
Arrrggghh! You beat me to him!
Cutie is a cutie ... My guess is he will not be a Catholic priest for long. He's got a lucrative future ahead, methinks.
How appropriate of a name!
Movie star?
Yup, he's got those type of looks.
Your Secret L.A. Reader
"Father What a Waste" is what the female parishioners call him.
What is so scandolous about a priest kissing a woman?
It happens all the time at church!
Difference is that the little old ladies who kiss priests at church are not hot. The woman Fr. Cutie was kissing was hot!
Father Cutie thinks celebacy is good and to be preferred. He does not want to be the poster boy for allowing priests to marry. But he does feel it should be optional.
Supporters are rallying outside of his parish, but I am not sure he wants the church to change the rules.
''He was very comfortable at a party,'' said nightlife fixture Gingi Beltran, a real estate agent who attended Cutié's Sunday evening Mass. ``But he didn't drink. And you never got a sex vibe from him. If anything, maybe when he was in the room he would calm the situation. He's a very serious priest who demanded a lot of respect.''
''Falling in love is not something that I chose to do. It's something I have been struggling with for a long time,'' Cutié told The Miami Herald.
''This is not something that happened on the beach casually, with no seriousness to the relationship. That's not the image I wanted portrayed,'' Cutié said.
Cutié said he met his girlfriend, Ruhama Buni Canellis, 35, a divorced mother living in South Beach 10 years ago.
She has one teen age child.
This is a celebrity priest with known friends who are celebrities. I think this could have been a publicity stunt to launch a career, but I am cynical by nature.
Albert Einstien he is not. Unless he wantede to get caught...
The Vatican has never wavered on the issue and most active priests agree with its stance.
"I think there is something very healthy and holy about something that makes you wholly available for people and for ministry and for what you really believe, where if you were married with kids, you could not be as available," ABC News religion correspondent Father Edward Beck said.
His actions are dispicable! It is as bad as someone who takes a marriage vow and then decides to cheat. Get out of the marriage first and be with whomever you want. He knew his vow included being celibate. If he wants to be with a woman, leave the priesthood and become a minister. HE TOOK A VOW! I am tired of everyone having excuses for doing whatever they want because they are too weak to uphold a promise they made. By the way, I was born and raised Catholic but I feel priests (& nuns) should be able to marry but until the Catholic Church says it's OK, be a man and honor your vows!!!
Yes, I would have to agree with you. KEEP YOUR VOWS. And if one is feeling weak, take time out to MAKE A DECISION. Being celibate is hard. Heck! Being monogamous is hard. But that is why we make commitments. As a human being, I understand that the flesh has tremendous power over us, but that does not excuse his hypocrisy.
Easier said then done. Things happen. Attraction, sometimes, can not be denied.
Anon 4:41: As Daffy Duck would say Dith-pick-uble!
Padre, let me share a story before you rush into marriage.
A Rabi was on vacation in Jerusalem when his wife died. He was told to ship her body back to the U.S. it would be $5000. But if she was buried in the holy land it would only be $150. When the Rabi was asked why he shipped his wife's body back to the U.S. he responded:
A little over 200 years ago, a man was buried in Jerusalem and three days later he rose from the dead. Ain't no way I am taking that chance with my wife!
Jester
Father Cutie likes women and WE like him!
In the being I said the same thing he did not do anything wrong he is a man and a very good looking one at that. But after listening to everything that is being said now. I feel he was used by this women. She has not backed him up at all and now it looks like she knew all the men that took the pictures.
Either the chick set him up or he was in on the revealing of his relationship.
Big time set up.
Choose god over da woman any day of the week!
Come on father, she is not hot enough to abandon the priesthood over.
what a pity most of these comments are superficial. For many practising Catholics it is a real problem. Many of us adopt our "own version" of practise - eg taking communion even though divorced.
The RC church has no substantial reason for requiring celibacy of priests. As the Irish publican declaredc - at least he was not molesting little bys - for which our church seems famous - and also for hiding the truth on such matters. It is time to own up to our supporating hipocracies. I congratulate the father and his intended - and hope his parishioners en bloc also move to the Episcopaleans - nothing short of a bomb seems to move the rigidity of the creaky, ermine clad Vatican oligarchy!! I have dwelt on leaving the church as a member for a long time now - and may also take the step
Update 5-29-09: Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? "Father Oprah" has left the Roman Catholic Church and joined the Episcopal Church. This change in employment comes a little less than a month after photos of him on the beach with his girlfriend hit the press. At the news conference at the Episcopal Church's Trinity Cathedral, Father Cutie appeared with the Episcopal bishop, a half-dozen Episcopal priests and his girlfriend.
saci, by all means leave the church if you can't follow the rules. Hope father cutie experience marriage. Then he can be miserable like the rest of us married folk.
The man who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.
The man who marries gets nagged to death.
Updated 6-17-09: On Tuesday, Father Cutie apparently married his sweetie. Welcome to the real world school of hard knocks, Father. Good luck
Father Opra may become a pappa!
Guy went from priest to hunk to tired old hubby real quick, don't you think?
Valid points.
NO wonder so many South Florida women used to dress sot hotly for mass!
Still a cutie!
Still a cutie!
His book is picking up steam. Lots of folks think it is great. I do as well.
Got a link to his book?
Sure, a forebidden relationship is exciting and great. But let's see how he does after 10 years of marriage when the excitement is gone!
I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE DRESSED UN FIT TO GIVE COMMUNION OUT.
What does that mean anon? Are you suggesting there should be a dress code in order to hand out communion?
What does that mean anon? Are you suggesting there should be a dress code in order to hand out communion?
As I have just read Fr. Cutie's book this past month, my perspective may be a little different then most. First of all; I am 60 years old, and left the Catholic church when the child abuse cases came out. It was the perverbial straw that broke the camel's back! As a child and young adult I was raised in the Catholic
Church with the strict "going to hell" program. I started questioning the church even then. When reports of priest abuse in the past years came out, this totally undermined everything I believed in. While I was going to weekly confession,religion classes, and receiving communion from my priest, all around the world, vow-taking priests are having their way with young boys! What does the "state of grace" mean to these guys. I find that most Catholics just don't get it,
won't believe it, or just shut up and ignore it like the Vatican.
Can you imagine the power plays these priests played on their victims? And then when caught, the Bishop's passed them on to another church to reak their havoc! Yes, I know, It's not all priests, problem is - we don't get a list to tell the difference!
I am glad that Father Cutie has made us stop and think about the church. Very few people have the courage to come up against the big secret society we call "The True Church" At least Fr. Cutie will not have to worry about having a field stone wrapped around his neck and being thrown in the river! "Let the children come to me .... If anyone hurts one of these, better he have a field...."
Fr. Cutie ony did what was natural, to love and grow old with someone. God bless him for keeping his vow of compassion as Jesus would want him to. That's
something the church has been failing to do for many years.
Please think with your hearts and souls, and you will know what God expects of YOU! Thanks for listening!
Elaine: Thanks for your thoughts and experience. Seems like despite all the negativity, like Fr. Cutie you still have a strong faith in God.
Many Catholics do care about scandals. Perhaps more importantly, they recognize that priests are not infallible. A few bad apples tarnished the reputation of many. But hopefully such conduct is a thing of the past.
There is much sacrifice to being a priest, but also much reward. God Bless you.
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