(RNS) A hugely popular Miami priest, who left the Catholic Church when he could no longer abide by his vow of celibacy and his romantic relationship became tabloid fodder, married his girlfriend of two years Tuesday (June 16).
The Rev. Alberto Cutie, 40, and Ruhama Canellis, 35, took their vows in front of a judge in Coral Gables, Fla., according to the Associated Press.
The Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida has confirmed that a wedding “in one of our churches in the diocese” is in the works.
After photographs of the couple canoodling on the beach surfaced last month, Cutie was put on suspension and later joined the Episcopal Church. He currently serves as a lay pastoral assistant at Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Biscayne Park, Fla.
“We congratulate him and wish them all the best,” said the Ven.Thomas Bruttell, archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida. “This was a motivating factor for him from the very beginning.
It was part of his agenda to be married and carry on his ministry.”
Episcopal Bishop Leo Frade has been in talks with Cutie about conversion for nearly two years but noted “the pictures of him kissing his now-wife really precipitated all this and put it at warp speed.”
The Southeast Florida diocese counts six former Catholic priests in their ranks, but none have generated the scrutiny of Cutie, said Frade.
“The road from Canterbury to Rome, and Rome to Canterbury, gets a lot of traffic,” he said.
Cutie’s public departure from the Catholic Church angered Archbishop John Favalora, and Cutie has yet to be formally defrocked by Rome, though he has been stripped of his duties as a Catholic priest.
Cutie’s Hollywood good looks and media presence earned him the title “Father Oprah.” But “he’s not just a pretty face,” said Bruttell. “He has some real gifts and talents at building community and we’re looking forward to his help.”
By Tiffany Stanley
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted June 17, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Score one more for the Episcopal Church…the one that has enough sense to allow their priests to marry…a natural thing for many men (and women) to do. I hope Cutie and his wife are happy. The public leaving of Cutie angered the RCC? What a shame. And they are going to formally “defrock” him? I’m sure he is really worried about that, as he is no longer a Cathoic anyhow. One would think the RCC losing priests to another religion would show them something…but apparently not. Oh well, the Episcopal’s gain, the RCC’s loss.
posted June 17, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Cutie! Someday their children will hear how their parents met, and will be happy to hear everything about the courtship, marriage, and the Celebration of their marriage in the Episcopal Church. I know our children enjoyed our story. Also Rev. Cutie and Mrs. Cutie, will more importantly, have children to celebrate their love. I’m sorry, but a family trumps celibacy any day of the week.
posted June 17, 2009 at 7:39 pm
“I’m sorry, but a family trumps celibacy any day of the week.” Henrietta
So true, Henrietta, so very true. Even without children, having a special love for life beats celibacy.
posted June 17, 2009 at 9:05 pm
It would be most appropriate if he were defrocked on his wedding day. Nothing like a little canoodling to speed things along.
posted June 18, 2009 at 12:19 am
Celibacy is a vocation for some, Henrietta. You can’t pit celibacy against family life. Both are essential parts of the Christian church.
posted June 18, 2009 at 11:36 am
Not to be Devil’s Advocate, but as a priest, wasn’t his first family the Catholic Church?
I just feel there could have been a more respectful way to carry all of this out, rather than hiding a relationship for 2 years and then creating almost a reality show style spectacle.
posted June 18, 2009 at 11:52 am
He didn’t make it a spectacle, we the onlookers did.
Nate and m.e.graves, people make mistakes in their life, not to correct it would be a lost life.
Popes’s had marriages and families way back until the powers that be changed to celibacy. God did not make celibacy, the Roman Catholics did. If it fits some men to do this, that’s fine, but others could be an asset to God’s work married as well.
posted June 18, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Simply to add to the siliness of this entire episode, how about a contest! What would you suggest as the most appropriate wedding gift to this couple? No mere gift cards, toaster or blender (O wait, there is some poetry to the blender idea) is sufficient.
So step up and send in your idea for the most lovely wrapped offering for the couple to unwrap and “Oooh” or “Urgh” over.
posted June 18, 2009 at 2:59 pm
They could set up a large donation to a group that offers alternative options to mothers to avoid abortions. A group that offers post natal care up to kindergarten or even assistance with adoption agencies.
posted June 18, 2009 at 7:31 pm
I’d send them a lovely photo album, to put all their photos from start to…….for their children to treasure some day.
posted June 18, 2009 at 8:37 pm
“Celebrity Priest” pretty hard to be both in my book.
posted June 18, 2009 at 10:29 pm
jestrfyl; You asked for non-typical wedding gifts? I can’t resist: A picture of Benny on a dart board…with darts included.
posted June 19, 2009 at 12:09 am
p.s.
Lets take that idea and goose it a bit – make it a Jart set, lawn darts too dangerous for kids. After all, the live in Miami – the land of perpetual tans and summer fun. Are Rev. & Mrs Cutie not also too dangerous (and probably too precious) for the morals and minds of America’s youth? B16′s picture just adds a little zest to the game.
posted June 19, 2009 at 11:55 am
Lawn darts, too dangerous for kids…good idea, jestrfyl. Definitely with the picture of Benny!!
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