Friday, July 30, 2010

Father Oprah Back on Daytime TV to Promote Tell-All

The Miami priest once known as "Father Oprah" was back on daytime TV today, but not with the queen of talk from Chicago.

Once Catholic but now Episcopalian priest Alberto Cutie appeared on the "Wendy Williams Show" Wednesday morning to discuss his new book that details the sex scandal that pushed him away from his former faith and into the arms of his wife.

The book, due out in January, deals with the dilemma Cutie faced when he fell in love with parishioner Ruhama Canellis as he served as the head of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Miami Beach.

"The dilemma has to do with a man who loves God...but also someone who happened to fall in love," Cutie said Wednesday.

As a Catholic priest, Cutie was required to remain celibate.

But things heated up with Canellis, and when a Spanish-language tabloid published photos of Cutie and Canellis canoodling on the beach, the priest was essentially forced out of his parish.

The scandal outraged many in Miami's Catholic community, though Cutie said he didn't mean any harm.

"I didn't mean to cause any damage, things just happened," Cutie told Williams.

After flipping to the Episcopalian faith and joining the Church of the Resurrection in Biscayne Park, Cutie married Canellis, who is now reportedly pregnant with the couple's first child.

The two have been married just over a year, and Cutie said there are still some things he's adjusting to.

"You have a lot less space in the closet," Cutie said. "I have two pairs of shoes, I can't count the number of shoes my wife has."

Cutie said he still loves the Roman Catholic Church, but that his relationship with God can't replace an intimate relationship.

"It's a struggle that as human beings we shouldn't have to choose between loving God and loving another person," he said.

"Now, when I look back, I wish I would have done this 10 years ago."

SIC: NBCMiami