Father Oprah Episcopal

I wrote earlier this month about the struggle of Father Cutie of Florida. He is in love with a woman and yet at the same time, a Roman Catholic Priest. Pictures surfaced of the two of them frolicking on a beach together, clearly a couple in love.

He took a step back and time to regroup and think about what he wanted to do with his life. He indicated that he had long struggled with celibacy and needed to speak with his priest about the situation.

Today the news came that he has decided to join the Episcopal church - what a huge blessing. Earlier this month in the post, I wrote of my own Father Joe, a former celibate Catholic Priest who left the priesthood after finding a woman he fell in love with.

Father Cutie has my prayers as he makes this transition - he will likely continue to be an excellent priest, just in another fashion.

Here is the link to the story that broke only minutes ago. It is surely a day for celebration: http://news.aol.com/article/father-oprah-episcopal/474500?icid=mainmaindl1link4http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Ffather-oprah-episcopal%2F474500

A tale of two Catholic priests - the celibacy debate

Recently, I watched the movie "Doubt" for the first time. I am a huge fan of Meryl Streep, but I am still not utterly convinced that she was entirely virtuous in her role in the movie. I am, in other words, still filled with my own doubts as to the relationships with the priest in the movie and his students past and present.

This brings me to the story du jour. It seems that a Catholic priest is considering stepping down from the priesthood as he has fallen in love and might want to marry a woman he has been friends with for some 2 years. According to an AOL news survey, an overwhelming 76% of respondents do not believe that priests should be celibate. I am inclined to agree. Celibacy is not the natural state of being, nor is being alone.

My own priest, Father Joe was too a celibate Catholic priest who fell in love and left the priesthood. Years later, he is happily married to his wife Joanne and serves as an Episcopal priest. He is touching lives in ways he would not have been able to prior to being married.

I for one think there has to be a compromise in the Catholic church - for those who want to be celibate, let them so live and for others, let them live another order - that is let them be married and still be priests.

Here is the link story about the celebrity Miami priest - I'll let you decide what you think should happen.

http://news.aol.com/article/priest-admits-affair/474450