Media priest's conversion strains ecumenical ties

June 30, 2009

In the nearly 500 years since the Church of England split with the Roman Catholic Church, a fair number of converts have crossed from one church to the other. Still, the path can be rocky, as Alberto Cutié—the most recent high-profile convert—discovered on May 28 when he left Catholicism to join the Episcopal Church.

Known as "Father Oprah" because of his popularity and media savvy, Cutié was caught by a photographer in an embrace with his girlfriend on a Florida beach early in May. The 40-year-old celebrity cleric later admitted to struggling with the Catholic priesthood's mandatory celibacy requirement and was suspended from ministry.

Just weeks later, Cutié announced that he hopes "to continue priestly ministry and service in my new spiritual home," the Episcopal Church, which allows priests to marry. He had been considering conversion for two years, according to the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida. the rest