May 10, 2009 9:10 pm US/Eastern
Popular Priest Missed At Mass
Father Alberto Cutié Was Caught On Camera Kissing And Hugging A Woman.
CBS's Maggie Rodriguez Will Interview Cutié Monday In The Early Show
MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) ―
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This is the cover of the TV Notas Magazine featuring the controversial pictures of Father Alberto Cutié hugging and kissing a woman.
Courtesy Of TV Notas Magazine
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Juan Soler was met with opposition after he expressed that Father Albert Cutié should be punished.
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It was a sobering Sunday at St. Francis de Sales Church in Miami Beach. The first weekend mass without the popular Father Alberto Cutié hit many parishioners hard. Cutié is on leave after TV Notas printed compromising photos of him locking lips with 35-year-old Ruhama Canellis on the beach. The scandal rocked many at the church and they tell CBS4 News they began coming to St. Francis because of Cutié.
"God was in my heart but I needed to come back to the church and because of him I'm here," said Rosa Mora. "And it's just so sad that this has happened and I don't know what's going to become of this church now that he's not here. I just wish for him the very best. I wish he could come back to this church. We miss him. We need him."
But not everyone feels the same way. One woman shouted the word "disgusting" as she walked into church when asked about the controversy.
Police officers stood on guard outside the chapel Sunday hoping to avert another repeat of last week when tempers flared and one man was thrown to the ground when he denounced Cutié for his actions.
There were no problems this Sunday -- just hurt for so many as they said they sensed the void at mass.
"We pray to God that he has peace in his heart and that he's happy and God has a hand in everything. Sometimes we don't know why things happen," one parishioner said.
Despite his absence at Sunday's mass, Cutié has remained in the spotlight. On Friday, Univision aired excerpts from a sit-down interview with Teresa Rodriguez.
Cutié has said he's in love with Canellis and he regrets having hurt people, but doesn't regret the relationship. He will also share his story with CBS' The Early Show Co-Anchor Maggie Rodriguez on Monday beginning at 7 a.m.
Meanwhile, Cutié has not made a formal announcement about his future, but a bishop with the Espiscopal church in South Florida told CBS4 that he believes Cutié will make a decision to become an Episcopal priest.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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