--- In [email protected], "John" <jr_...@...> wrote: > > To All: > > Does he really think marriage will solve his problems? Read on:
Interestingly enough, in this article, at least, Cutie says nothing about having plans to get married. > Sex scandal Miami priest quits Catholic Church > > MIAMI (Reuters) A popular U.S. Roman Catholic priest photographed > frolicking with a woman on a Florida beach announced on Thursday he had > joined the Episcopal Church to pursue the priesthood in a faith that allows > married clergy. > > "I've seen with my own eyes how many brothers of mine serve God as married > men and with the blessing of having their own families," said Father Alberto > Cutie, whose removal from his Miami Beach parish prompted public debate about > the Catholic Church's celibacy requirement for priests. > > The charismatic 40-year-old is a well-known religious leader in Miami who > dispensed relationship advice on Spanish-language television shows, church > radio programs and newspaper columns. > > He was relieved of his duties at St. Francis de Sales parish in Miami Beach > earlier this month after the entertainment magazine TVnotas published photos > of him in swim trunks, snuggling and kissing a woman on the sands of a beach > in Florida. > > Cutie later said he had fallen in love with the woman and broken his vow of > celibacy. He apologized for his behavior, but told the Univision > Spanish-language television network, "I didn't stop being a man just because > I put on a cassock. There are trousers under this cassock." > > The woman in the photographs, identified in media reports as Ruhama Canellis, > stood at Cutie's side as he held a news conference at Trinity Cathedral, > where the couple underwent a ceremony to join the Episcopalians. > > The Episcopalian church is part of the Anglican Communion, which traces its > roots to the Church of England, formed when King Henry VIII split from the > Roman Catholic Church in order to divorce and remarry. > > The Episcopal church ordains men and women as priests, married or single, and > has seen controversy within its own ranks for ordaining gay priests. > > At his news conference, Cutie described his move as "going into a new family" > and said he would continue to proclaim God's word. "I will always love the > Catholic Church and all its members who are committed in their faith and have > enriched my life in so many ways," he said. > > Some Catholics expressed sympathy for Cutie and said it was time to end the > celibacy rule. Others said that, given the recent scandals involving U.S. > priests sexually abusing young boys, and Irish priests raping, flogging and > enslaving children in Catholic schools, they were relieved that Cutie had > merely become involved with an adult woman. >
