South Florida is all abuzz with word that a popular Cuban-American priest has fallen in a love with a woman. As would be expected, the Roman Catholic Church will have none of it. The handsome TV priest, Rev. Alberto Cutie, has been swiftly removed from roles of responsibility to shake it off and get back to thinking his only love must be centered on Jesus Christ and the church. His Miami Beach parish is divided over his pecadillos.
How encouraging that a red-blooded male raises new questions about the church’s bizarre millenia-old obsession with celibacy. Cutie, 40, apparently has had a relationship with a woman for some two years, but it took a Spanish tabloid, TVnotas, to make it public by publishing 25 papparazzi photos of him and the female, including some of them embracing on a beach. Since 1999, the youthful, charismatic priest has had TV programs watched across the Americas and as far away at Spain. The Puerto Rican-born pastor, ordained in 1995, headed the Archdiocese of Miami’s Radio Paz (Radio Peace) broadcasts. His warmth and personality had won him the affectionate title of “Father Oprah,” suggesting he had the wide appeal of an Oprah Winfrey. He further was author of a book, “Real Life, Real Love; 7 Paths to a Strong, Lasting Relationship.”
He has now appeared on Spanish and English news shows to address his behavior and offer thoughts on whether he will start behaving himself and kiss off the relationship with the woman; or leave the priesthood and maybe marry the woman. “I’m now in the process of thinking about all those things, of making decisions,” Cutie told the Associated Press. “And my bishop has given me the time to think about it. This is a difficult time. It’s a time of transition, it’s a time of thinking about the future.”
Of course, priests choosing women and love over the church — or choosing both females AND the church – are not new. Clandestinely, priests have had robust relationships with females since the church imposed the celebacy rules in the 11th century. Supposedly, goes the argument, an unmarried clergyman can give his undivided attention to God and not be distracted by things like women or children. Then, supposedly all the self-restraint and denial will mean embracing a holier life and draw one closer to Jesus. Scholars believe the church was more able to pay priests paltry wages to single people living on their own. (Just look at the health cost savings alone.) Moreover, they wouldn’t be bequeathing any acquired wealth, upon their deaths, to heirs.
According to historical sources, Pope Benedict VIII in 1022 banned marriages and mistresses for priests. In 1139, Pope Innocent II voided the existing marriages of priests. Moreover, all new priests had to divorce their wives. But it may not have been until the 16th century that such rules were really enforced.
One group, “Celibacy Is The Issue,” is a national lay organization that works for change. It contends it is made up of 2,500 former Catholic clerics who resigned, many of them subsequently to marry. Many boldly carry out priestly duties without the blessing of the church, some under the group “Rent A Priest.”
Pity a priest like Cutie who has to say, “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,” he was quoted by AP. He said, “I think we all have ideas and we have ways of living.” Regretably, Cutie also said, “We want to do things right, but sometimes we fall short. I fell short.”
And here is a huge worldwide church begging for males to step forward to be priests and to sacrifice a central part of the humanness – the gift to love, to be husbands and have children. The stark shortage will continue until one pope has the intellectual courage to change a cruel rule that neither serves itself nor the genuine all-male believers who want to serve. And that all applies to women who want to serve in religious life.
May there be other ordained Roman Catholic priests and nuns who challenge the oppressive and unhealthy rules.
>”Florida priest shouldn’t have to pick woman or priesthood”
You are correct that the Florida priest shouldn’t have to pick woman or priesthood. He should know that he is a priest and that there is no choice.
As for priests marrying, that is unbiblical. There is no instance of any apostle or later disciple marrying after ordination to the ministry. Married men may be ordained (e.g. Peter), but ordained men may not marry. On this, all 23 Catholic Churches are in agreement with the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches.
God bless… +Timothy
So Timothy are you basically saying that what the Catholic church is doing is unbiblical by allowing former Angelican priests to become married Catholic priests , since 1980 and until today?
You say it is unbiblical. Does unbiblical in any way mean that it is a core forbidden act stipulated by Jesus or the bible so that the Church makes celibacy a dogma for all ordained priests and to otherwise remove any priest who chooses marriage?
Sara, he isn’t saying that. If a man is already married as a protestant minister, and then decides to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, we will sometimes accept his request to continue his ministry in our Church as a Catholic priest after his ordination. But there is the understanding that if his wife were to die before him, he would not remarry.
As a protestant, he was not bound by the celibacy law. After being moved by the Spirit to enter our Church, we would not want the fact that he is married to prevent his becoming a priest, if he and the Church discerned he had a vocation to the priesthood.
Although this approach is part of a broader biblical ascetic practice, you are right that it isn’t on the order of dogma and therefore could be changed. But there is nothing inconsistent in this practice.
Hope that helps,
Joe