Father Cutie Starts New Life with Sermon on Forgiveness

Father Cutie has a new church, a new life and plans to marry. He has left the Catholic Church and the priesthood to become an Episcopalian minister. He preached his first sermon as an Episcopalian at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Cutie was photographed with his lover, now made public, on a beach. The scandal rocked the Catholic community because Cutie is a famous person among the Spanish-speaking folks in the Catholic Church. He was literally an Oprah Winfrey-type with his own show. As an Oprah Winfrey type he discussed critical issues, including those surrounding personal affairs. He wrote a book about relationships and love, and for that reason people were shocked and concerned about his behavior. But Cutie has moved on, as news reports suggest; and today he began in some ways a new life and will soon have a new wife. Reports state it will be a year before Cutie can celebrate the Eucharist, but he will be able to preach in Episcopal Churches, which is what he did on Sunday at the Church of the Resurrection in Biscayne Park. When Cutie joined the Episcopalian Church formally on Thursday, he was joined by the woman in the infamous photos, Ruhama Buni Canellis, 35. The ceremony was held at Trinity Cathedral in South Florida. Bishop Leo Frade officiated. Cutie’s sermon was on forgiveness and during his conversation with the parishioners he didn’t talk about his having left the Catholic Church. Instead he declared,"The spirit of God has been with me," he said. "And I'm going to tell you something: God is the only one we follow." He went on to say the church was about seeking God, not the people in or out of it. He continued, "Church is about forgiveness." The Cuban-American priest hosts shows on the second-largest Spanish-language network in the entire Western Hemisphere, so his personal life and attitudes during the scandal involving his relationship with a woman and his consequently leaving the Catholic Church are of consequence to his fans. He has been dealing with relationships on his show and wrote a book entitled, "Real Life, Real Love: 7 Paths to a Strong, Lasting Relationship." Some might say his real-life experience may help him cement his ideas with those who want his ministerial advice.