Fr. Alberto Cutie Renounces his Catholic Faith and becomes an Episcopalian

MIAMI (Catholic Online) - "This is truly a setback for ecumenical relations and cooperation between us," said the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Miami, who was visibly disappointed. Archbishop John Favalora indicated that he had no communication from the Episcopal Bishop, Leo Frade of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida, who had earlier in the day received Alberto Cutié, and Ruhama Buni Canellis, the woman pictured in the photographs which catapulted this sad affair into the headlines, into the Episcopal Church.

This action by Cutie seems to have totally surprised his former Archbishop who said he had not spoken to Cutie since May 5th and was never informed by the dissident priest that he intended to marry. It also constitutes the formal renunciation of Cutie’s communion with the Catholic Church.

So the sad story of a formerly Catholic priest who broke his vows of celibacy and, after being caught by a photographer in a compromising position with his girlfriend made National and International news, has come to a schismatic and scandalous end. Cutie has formally left the Catholic Church, announced that he plans to marry the woman whom he had dated for two years, and has been accepted as a candidate for ordination into the Episcopal Church, all without his former Bishop ever even having been consulted.

The small, private ceremony of Cutie and Canellis’s renunciation of their full communion with the Catholic Church by their reception into the Episcopal Church occurred at 1:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon in a small private ceremony. The Episcopal Bishop not only received Cutie into the Episcopal Church but gave him preaching credentials, apparently accepting him as a deacon. He will preach at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Biscayne Park. Indications are that he will be ordained as an Episcopal priest after a year of related preparation.

Cutié spoke with the Press in Spanish saying "I want to continue sharing the word of God. I've seen how many married men serve God. Those who know me know that I would be unable to hurt anyone especially my family and the faithful community. My personal struggle should not interfere with the work of other priests. Today, I have officially joined a new spiritual family. I ask that everyone respect my privacy. In the last few days, there have been rumors and respectfully, I ask you to stop. That's enough. May God bless you all."

The receiving Episcopal Bishop told the gathered Reporters: “This is the best place for Father Cutié. We welcome him and his fiancée. We are the Catholic Church. He has not abandoned the Catholic Church. He has left the Roman church. As a deacon, he can read the sermon, perform mass, but not give holy sacrament [of communion.]"

The facts speak for themselves. This is simply a continuing scandal now made worse.

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