Rev. Alberto Cutie is somewhat of a celebrity in Miami. Up until a little while ago, Cutie was a Catholic priest in Miami. He was known for doing good works, he had a television show and he was very popular. He was also in the good graces of the Roman Catholic Church until photos surfaced of Cutie kissing his girlfriend, Ruhama Buni Canellis, on a beach. After that, he was removed from his Miami Beach Catholic parish. In response, he decided to become an Episcopalian. He now has to wait a year before he can become a preist again.

I have a problem with the Catholic Church’s response to this on so many different levels, but I am only going to address one here. I know the Catholic church has a rule on marrying. I personally think that is one thing that contributes to the priests becoming deviants and leads them to engage in sex acts with little boys. I think, based on things a few priests have said, that they see that behaviour as the lesser of two evils. However, the truth is that we are wired to want to connect with someone else. Being told that if you love a woman you are not doing what God wants is mentally damaging and, at least in my humble opinion, amounts to torture. It is natural to want to be touched and loved and cared about on a very personal level. Cutting yourself off from those emotions ends up sending you mind into unnatural places. Even when confronted by the horrible things that the priests have done to children, the Catholic Church’s response has not been to ask these priests to leave the church. Instead, they move the priests or just swept the whole thing under the rug. Now here you have a man - Cutie - who has done many good works. He had his television show, an outreach program and he headed the archdiocese’s Radio Paz and Radio Peach broadcasts heard throughout the Americas and Spain. He is well known in the community and loved. Cutie decides to love a real flesh and blood woman and instead of getting some support from the Catholic Church, he gets removed from his parish, yet priests who screwed little boys didn’t get removed by the church. Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture?

I’m not saying that they should give him a medal for breaking their rules, but not having someone to love and cherish on a personal level for the rest of your life is just plain stupid. There comes a point when the Catholic church has to accept that the stress they put their priests under is not natural and goes against everything that is in the Bible. Rev. Cutie fell in love. He didn’t hurt any kids, he didn’t molest or rape any boys - he just fell in love. The church should be applauding him instead of chastising him. Unfortunately, that wasn’t their response. Their response was very, very stupid. I’m just glad that Cutie is going to find the happiness he deserves with someone who loves him. To deny love is very stupid. I hope the Catholic church comes to their senses at some point. If not, keep your kids at home when you go to Sunday service at a Catholic church.