'Father Oprah' Marries His Lady Love

'Father Oprah' Marries His Lady Love
Copyright 2009 Roberto Schmidt AFP / Getty Images
Alberto Cutie, a.k.a. "Father Oprah," the Miami priest whose relationship with a woman was recently exposed, has married.

Cutie married the woman at the center of the scandal, Ruhama Canellis, Tuesday in Coral Gables, Florida, in a civil ceremony overseen by a judge.

Cutie, 40, recently left the Catholic church and joined the Episcopal church after his relationship with Canellis, 35, became public when they were photographed on a beach together. While the Catholic church requires priests to be celibate, Episcopalian priests are allowed to marry and have families.

Cutie became known as "Father Oprah" after he gave advice, including marital advice, on television and radio shows and in columns in Spanish-language newspapers.

Published 6/16/09 by the Insider

Comments (9)

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  • How the hell could a celibate priest give advice on marriage? It is such a ridiculous thing. At least he fell in love with a woman and did not violate young children. Good luck to them both.
    DeidreLee 6/20/09 Reply
  • The Catholic church does allow marriage, but before the final ordination. Try the Byzantine Rite or the Roumanian Rite or Melkite Rite, there are 28 rites in the Catholic Church, This idea of Roman Catholic Rite only doesn't accept married clergy....
    Catholisa 6/18/09 Reply
  • Good looking guy - - - I would have married him myself!!!!
    Anonymous 6/18/09 Reply
  • Maybe if the Catholic religion would allow priests to marry, there might not be all this trouble with children they've had.
    MrsT 6/18/09 Reply
  • Father Opera, congrats on finding his soul mate. This is America, Land of the free, Free will and all. His choice suited him to a T and yes, he ate the best piece of cake he will ever eat in his life time. his heart just was not meant for a mono-...
    Anonymous 6/17/09 Reply
  • ...........
    NeverLetGo 6/16/09 Reply
  • This is sad. Fr. Cutie could have left the priesthood, married this woman and remained a Catholic. Instead, he left the church because he couldn't have HIS way.
    Those who are not Roman Catholic (and, sadly and increasingly, many in the faith) don't...
    MISSMOO 6/16/09 Reply
    • I think Father Cutie wanted to have his cake and eat it. He should have chosen either to remain a priest or his love. But he instead he chose to slap the church. What he did is terrible.
      rony 6/16/09
    • I'm sad that the RCC still thinks celibacy is a NECESSITY to serve as a priest. The apostles chosen by Jesus were married. It is Paul who has such a big issue with sex, not Jesus! Fr Cutie has been called to serve as a priest and as a husband. Why...
      ChelaG 6/17/09