Having left Catholic Church, 'Father Oprah' weds
MIAMI - A telegenic Miami priest known as "Father Oprah," who left the Catholic Church amid an uproar over tabloid photos of him kissing his girlfriend on the beach, made the relationship official yesterday, marrying the woman he was involved with for about two years.
MIAMI - A telegenic Miami priest known as "Father Oprah," who left the Catholic Church amid an uproar over tabloid photos of him kissing his girlfriend on the beach, made the relationship official yesterday, marrying the woman he was involved with for about two years.
The Rev. Alberto Cutie and Ruhama Canellis were married by a judge in Coral Gables, according to Miami-Dade County court records.
It was the latest in the public spectacle that started when photos of Cutie embracing his longtime girlfriend surfaced last month.
Amid the scandal, Cutie was removed from his South Beach parish, protesters marched to support him and he departed from Catholicism to become an Episcopal priest.
Cutie, 40, did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment. Last month, in an interview with CBS, he said, "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."
Canellis, 35, met Cutie in church. The priest said that they were friends for years before becoming romantically involved. *