Yet another Catholic priest caught with...

[Tiger Edge]

a woman?

I don't know if anyone has heard about this, but it's pretty big news in the Spanish speaking world. Padre Alberto Cutié (not cutie, as the picture may suggest ) is the equivalent of Oprah to the Hispanic Catholic community. He even gave the keynote speech at my brother's conformation back when his television show was at its height.

He was recently caught on the beach with a woman and he has now admitted a sexual relationship. Support for him, even in the typical conservative Hispanic environment, is overwhelming. (Father Alberto Cuti?: I'm not sure what I'll do next - Cuba - MiamiHerald.com)

Father Alberto Cutié Apologizes for Fall from Celibacy - Associated Content

Father Alberto Cutie Apologizes for Fall from Celibacy
Date: May 12, 2009

According to the article, Cutie took full responsibility in his apology for his actions. In his interview with Maggie Rodriguez of "The Early Show," Monday, May 11th, 2009 he is quoted as saying "I take full responsibility for what I did and I know it's wrong.

Cutie's repentant attitude was somewhat different than the attitude he displayed on Friday, May 8th, 2009 when he was much less contrite.

However he didn't back down from his feelings for the woman in saying "I will never say I'm sorry for loving a woman."

Cutie has apparently been wrestling with this part of the Priesthood, celibacy. As the article goes on to report he was for celibacy being an option rather than a mandate even before this scandal broke.

The woman who is the target of Cutie's affection is 35-year-old Ruhama Buni Canellis who is living in Miami Beach.

While Cutie and Canellis met about ten years ago apparently their intimate relationship didn't start until last year.

Two things that cutie admitted to were being in love and having sexual contact.

The way that things stand now is that Cutie's Bishop has relieved him of his duties and also given him time to think about what he wants to do. According to him, his girlfriend would opt for marriage; he isn't so sure that is what he wants to do.

Of course the situation has reignited the age-old argument as to whether or not Priests should be allowed to marry.

People point to the low number of young men entering the Priesthood and high incidence of amoral behavior involving young people as good reasons to ease the restriction. I agree.

However, my brother-in-law who is a priest does not agree. His position as is the position of many, many Priests is that doing the job takes 200% of available attention and energy and yes, love.

So are we any closer to ending this dumb celibacy rule? Every other holy man in the Western world is allowed to marry and have a family. Maybe once we get rid of these suppressed natural urges we can finally weed out the pedophiles and start to get our image back.

I use "our" sparingly since I'm barely a Catholic anymore.

 

[mikal]

i'd rather have Priests having relationships with women than 10 year old boys.

 

[Pearl]

So are we any closer to ending this dumb celibacy rule? Every other holy man in the Western world is allowed to marry and have a family.

Not quite. In the Orthodox faith, priests could marry but in order to be a bishop or higher, one cannot be.

For the record, I am all for allowing priests to be married, since there is a shortage of them. And if allowing priests to marry cannot be done, then why not let women be priests to deal with the shortage?

 

[mikal]

one thing i never got about the celibacy rule is, why wouldn't God want the holiest of men to reproduce?

but then again, i don't understand half the BS that goes with Christianity.

 

[Tiger Edge]

Ah, I meant to put "I think" before that statement, but still, priests are allowed to marry.

 

[Tiger Edge]

one thing i never got about the celibacy rule is, why wouldn't God want the holiest of men to reproduce?

but then again, i don't understand half the BS that goes with Christianity.

I think it had something to do with money. If a priest is married and dies, his money goes to his wife instead of the Catholic church. But it's not like the Vatican needs more money than it already has.
In any case, it can be a required prenup for all or at least some of his estate be left to the church. I think that's a simple trade off.

 

[Pearl]

one thing i never got about the celibacy rule is, why wouldn't God want the holiest of men to reproduce?

Priests were allowed to marry and have children during the first 1,000 years of Christianity. Then came all the inheritance problems over which priest's kid got the church land. That was when the law was changed.

 

[Tiger Edge]

Woohoo! I still remember something from my Religion class in '04!

 

[mikal]

Priests were allowed to marry and have children during the first 1,000 years of Christianity. Then came all the inheritance problems over which priest's kid got the church land. That was when the law was changed.

ah. so it never was a God thing then? ok, that clears it up. i always wondered that.

 

[Vincent Vega]

ah. so it never was a God thing then?

Is that a real question? It's the Catholic church.

Who can be that naive to think that a grown man can live without a woman, without any other way to release the pressure and without a vasectomy? That's biologically impossible.

 

[Irvine511]

Who can be that naive to think that a grown man can live without a woman, without any other way to release the pressure and without a vasectomy? That's biologically impossible.

though Jesus, all things are possible.

 

[mikal]

Who can be that naive to think that a grown man can live without a woman, without any other way to release the pressure and without a vasectomy? That's biologically impossible.

right? i always wonder if Jesus got a lot of play, and just didn't tell anyone about it.

 

[Galeongirl]

Oh he's definately a cutie!

 

[INDY500]

right? i always wonder if Jesus got a lot of play, and just didn't tell anyone about it.

Is your real name Dan Brown?

 

[BVS]

Yes, because he was the first to suggest that...

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

I am going to hell for this, but he is hot.

I will go to confessional later.

 

[Tiger Edge]

You're not the first to suggest that...

I don't think there's anything wrong with finding a priest attractive. Knowingly going after him is a little bit dodgy though.

 

[yolland]

Is that a real question? It's the Catholic church.

Who can be that naive to think that a grown man can live without a woman, without any other way to release the pressure and without a vasectomy? That's biologically impossible.

Jesus was not a Catholic and most likely would not have held the view that masturbation was sinful.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Oh, in my remark I didn't have Jesus in mind. Rather the naivete, if indeed existent, that the priests, bishops etc. all follow the celibacy as they are meant to be. Should be common knowledge that that can't be the case and those people will find one way or another to deal with that biologic situation.

 

[mikal]

Is your real name Dan Brown?

no

 

[Harry Vest]

i'd rather have priests having relationships with women than 10 year old boys.

exactly!!!!

 

[HyperU2]

Does she have a son?

 

[Salome]

my brother used to be a priest
he fell in love so told the bishop he had to quit
he was told if they kept it quiet it was no problem

my brother didn't want to keep his love hidden

his views on celibacy are somewhat complicated though
to be forced to live without a partner is asking too much
then again it is very difficult in this day and age to be a good priest for the people in your parish and at the same time have a partner who should also be your first priority

 

[yolland]

^ I don't know about that; clergy of many other denominations manage the feat quite well all the time. My rabbi, who is married, certainly spends a lot of her time counseling and advising congregants on various issues, but not much more or less, I'd say, than the amount of time I as a professor spend on my students rather than my family. Realistically there just aren't that many occasions when the time conflicts become that dire. As with many other service-intensive careers, having an independent-minded spouse with whom you've mutually agreed that s/he will have primary caregiver responsibilities (for the children) is a huge help.

 

[Salome]

I don't think it's so much a time management thing
it's more a matter of being in a position where people come to you with their biggest issues (which is something that apparently has increased now that society is less community based and more based on individuals) and while you have to carry all these stories around you can't share them with your partner because of privacy/confidentiality issues

I'm also sure some people are more able to work around that than others though

 

[Pearl]

it's more a matter of being in a position where people come to you with their biggest issues (which is something that apparently has increased now that society is less community based and more based on individuals) and while you have to carry all these stories around you can't share them with your partner because of privacy/confidentiality issues

That sounds like the life of a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Those people are not supposed to talk about their sessions with people at all. If they can do it, a priest could.

 

[Vincent Vega]

That sounds like the life of a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Those people are not supposed to talk about their sessions with people at all. If they can do it, a priest could.

For them there is case supervision, sometimes mandatory, and you can easily make the people behind those cases anonymous.
For clergy of a small parish it's not that easy to make the cases anonymous, but whether with a partner or without they have to find ways to vent off and let things out that are overwhelming for them. And then a supportive spouse would definitely be of great help.

 

[Salome]

That sounds like the life of a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Those people are not supposed to talk about their sessions with people at all. If they can do it, a priest could.

I guess the biggest difference is that psychologists and psychiatrist are trained not get personally attached with their patients while priests are expected to feel along on a more personal level

I'm also not saying that it's the same for every priest
as Vincent pointed out, some priests definitely would be helped to be able to have a supportive spouse when dealing with this sort of stuff
just that it is something I've heard before

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I am going to hell for this, but he is hot.

I will go to confessional later.

Ditto

Did you see him interviewed on the CBS Early Show?

Anyway..I think some aspects of celibacy are probably good, some aren't.

 

[Vincent Vega]

I guess the biggest difference is that psychologists and psychiatrist are trained not get personally attached with their patients while priests are expected to feel along on a more personal level

Well, the relationships between a therapist and a patient do go far deeper and there is kind of a connection between both. Therapists are always struggling to keep the balance between being close enough and yet being distanced enough, but being personally attached is a common occurrence in a therapist's working experience. Hence the supervision.
A therapist who is too distanced from his patient and his experiences won't be able to treat his patient properly.
But I guess a psychologist/psychiatrist will be better trained to deal with such situations and there is a better supporting structure than there is for priests.