Father Alberto Cutie Was Caught on Camera Kissing and Hugging a Woman.
CBS 4
May 10, 2009
http://cbs4.com/local/Father.Alberto.Cutie.2.1005384.html
[with video]
As the growing scandal surrounding Father Albert Cutie and photos showing him and a woman in compromising positions while on a local beach continues, Cutié finally broke his silence in an interview with a Hispanic broadcast network on Friday.
In the first part of an interview with Univision's Teresa Rodriguez, Father Albert asked for time away from the church, but also reiterated, "I'm a priest and I will be a priest until I die." (The Full Transcript Can Be Found Below) On Friday, the spiritual leader and head of the Episcopal church in South Florida told CBS4 he believes that popular Catholic priest Alberto Cutie will make a decision soon to become an Episcopal priest.
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| This is the cover of the TV Notas Magazine featuring the controversial pictures of Father Alberto Cutie hugging and kissing a woman. /td> |
The Rt. Rev. Leo Frade, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida, told CBS4's Peter D'Oench he's spoken twice with Father Cutie at length since the provocative photos surfaced in TV NOTAS Magazine, showing Cutie kissing and caressing 35-year-old Ruhama Canellis on the beach.
He said there are different ways in which different priests express their love of Christ. He said there are five other former Catholic priests who have joined the Episcopal clergy South Florida. He said that about a fourth of his priests have chosen to remain celibate.
Bishop Frade did say, "When we see all the hullabaloo about this, with a single man on the beach with a single woman, we scratch our heads and wonder what is going on. They are both single."
Cutie will have more to say on this subject on Monday, when CBS News Morning Anchorwoman Maggie Rodriguez is scheduled to have an exclusive interview with Cutie.
Univision Transcript
Teresa Rodriguez: Welcome Father Alberto and thank you for agreeing to give us this interview. I see that you have come to this first interview wearing your clerical collar. How come?
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| Juan Soler was met with opposition after he expressed that Father Albert Cutie should be punished. /td> |
Padre Alberto: Well, I am a priest and I will continue to be a priest until the day I die. There are different ways to be a priest. One can be an active priest, not in the ministry, fulfilling all the functions. Sometimes there are priests who are suspended; I have not been suspended. Being suspended means that you cannot act as a priest even though you still are a priest, and in my case, at this moment, I was the one who asked the Church authorities for a leave of absence.
Teresa Rodriguez: At this time, knowing what has come to light, the scandal, the commentary, the reactions; How do you feel at this time?
Padre Alberto: Well, firstly, is that one feels regret for hurting those people who it was never my intention to hurt. In fact, I love the Church. I love being a servant of Christ. I love what that represents and I think people know that I do, because I think that I have represented that at an international level. At the same time it hurts that the actions of a human being can hurt so many people. One mistake,one bad judgment call. Maybe there is something that I could have done differently…and I am the only one responsible for that. I am the only one guilty of that. The kind of guilt that makes you feel horrible? No. Because I believe that I am a man. I never stopped being a man when I put on my cassock. Under the cassock are pants and I believe that I have always been a man and I am part of the human condition. At the same time, I feel badly for the people who may feel hurt at this time.
Teresa Rodriguez: At what moment did you find out that these photos existed?
Padre Alberto: I never knew that they existed until I saw them. That's what's interesting. I knew for some time that I was being followed and I remember that day, the sun, the beach…
Teresa Rodriguez: That was on…?
Padre Alberto: When exactly, I don't know, but I think it was more or less in the month of February. That day, it was cold, very cold, and there was no one there because the beach was completely empty.
Teresa Rodriguez: Where was it?
Padre Alberto: It was in North Miami, but the interesting thing is that it was a place that was completely empty when I got there and I said "Well, we can stay here without a problem." In reality, I started to realize it when the lifeguard poked his head out and started talking on a cell phone and I started to hear my name "Father Alberto" but I said "nah". In fact, I was reading, so I didn't pay a lot of attention. Then after 15 or 20 minutes I saw that there were cameras and that someone was following me.
Teresa Rodriguez: We now know her name, Ruhama Canellis. Just today, it came out in a press release.
Padre Alberto: I never mentioned it because I relieve every one deserves their privacy; each person deserves respect and I believe that in a situation like this one where they've thrown you into the public eye, when you're not a public figure, that has to be traumatic, right? But I can tell you with all sincerity that she is a woman that I love; from the day I met her, I liked her.
Teresa Rodriguez: When did you two meet?
Padre Alberto: Almost ten years ago.
Teresa Rodriguez: Ten years ago?!
Padre Alberto: The first time that I saw her – we were friends; for a long time there was no relationship – I saw her and when I did, I knew that I liked her [Teresa: You were attracted to her], but there was always much respect.
Teresa Rodriguez: Are you in love?
Padre Alberto: Yes.
Teresa Rodriguez: Is she in love with you?
Padre Alberto: Yes, as well.
Teresa Rodriguez: What is she like?
Padre Alberto: What I'm most attracted to about her, more than her physical beauty, is her faith. She is a woman of tremendous faith; a life of prayer, of spirituality. She is a woman who I believe has the same passion that I have for Christ, for the evangelical, for the message of Christ.
Teresa Rodriguez: You say that she is a spiritual woman, like you, right? At the same time, isn't it a bit ironic that you have this relationship knowing that you are breaking a promise you have made to God, to the Catholic Church? How do you live with this internal struggle of the desires of a man for a woman and your commitment to God? To the Church? Respecting the parishioners?
Padre Alberto: Love is difficult, and I think that in reality one does not plan love. Love is spontaneous and if I had planned this, I would not have done it in this way. I always followed what the Church taught me to follow. Prayer, exercise, taking care of oneself, living an integrated life, friends, fellow priests. Thanks to God, I have had and enjoyed all the tools and instruments that God gives you to live this life.
Teresa Rodriguez: Until?
Padre Alberto: Until I was no longer able to. I mean, I tried with all my heart to be faithful to Christ. I tried with all my heart to be faithful to what God asked of me, but I failed.
Teresa Rodriguez: In a press release, when all of this came to light, and when the photos where made public on the Internet, that's when you asked for forgiveness to your parishioners because you had failed, but why not say "I did it for love; I want you to understand"? You are in love, right?
Padre Alberto: Remember Teresa that when one sends a public statement to people who are hurt, it is not the time to justify nor try to make sense of what has happened.
Teresa Rodriguez: But that is what people want to know, right?
Padre Alberto: Yes, because people love gossip. But I tell you, that my place at that time was to say "You know what? I ask you for forgiveness if I have hurt you with my actions." Now, I will never ask for forgiveness for loving a woman. I never stopped being a man when I became a priest and God made me a man and afterwards I was ordained. Now, I will tell you the truth; do I regret having hurt people? Yes, but I don't regret loving a woman. I don't regret falling in love because I never looked for love. I didn't plan this. This happens.
Teresa Rodriguez: Some people say, why let it get this far? Why didn't you talk about it before it got to this point?
Padre Alberto: Yes, that's what I ask myself "Why didn't you say something before, Alberto?"
Teresa Rodriguez: Or talk about it with the church first; do it some other way.
Padre Alberto: Why didn't you say something before? Why didn't you come clean? Why didn't you talk about it? And that Why? Why? Why? There are so many reasons…
Teresa Rodriguez: For example?
Padre Alberto: I'm not prepared to talk about that for now; but what I can tell you, for example the first thing is the sense of duty that one has. One realizes that while we are in an unusual situation, an immoral situation, something that shouldn't be, one still feels a great sense of duty… to the people that work with you, to your family, to the church. Then, maybe that was it. I don't want to justify it, but maybe…
Teresa Rodriguez: But isn't what happened now worse, now that some people feel so betrayed? Hurt?
Padre Alberto: I imagine so. Look, Americans always say "hindsight is 20-20", right? If you tell me now "Father Albert, go six months back in time; what would you do?" and I would tell you "I am in love! I want to get married!" But it didn't happen that way. I think that life is full of imperfections and I am a part of this imperfect world.
Teresa Rodriguez: Have you given your heart and soul? [Referring to his relationship]
Padre Alberto: I love her; there's no doubt about that. I think I wouldn't have put myself a situation like the one you saw in the infamous pictures if I didn't love her. I will tell you the truth, Teresa; since I was a young man, I had to be in love to kiss a woman. I was never the kind of guy to run around. I've never been like that.
Teresa Rodriguez: You're a public figure, right? What were you thinking showing such public displays of affection; kissing her, touching her? Weren't you afraid someone would discover your secret sooner or later?
Padre Alberto: I will tell you the truth. This will sound really ironic and a bit strange but I knew God was watching.
Teresa Rodriguez: Did you want to get caught?
Padre Alberto: I knew God was watching me and what worried me the most was that God was watching me. And if I felt that God would condemn my actions… I think God is merciful and God is love. The church as an institution is another matter, what people think is also something else; there are many judges, right? People who grab a hold of their mallet and start passing judgment… but me, I worry mostly about what God thinks.
Teresa Rodriguez: Has she ever asked you to resign from the priesthood?
Padre Alberto: She has told me, naturally, like any woman in love: "couldn't you do something different? Have a different kind of job?" We have talked about it; it is the honest thing to do, right? We've discussed it.
Teresa Rodriguez: Because I imagine that it must be very tough for her; very uncomfortable to be in that position.
Padre Alberto: I think so; I mean, uncomfortable because it is an unusual situation but at the same time… When you love someone you are willing to do anything. And that's what is sometimes difficult about this situation, no? When you put yourself in such a tough spot. But again, love is spontaneous.
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