Father Cutié makes headlines again

With every scandal comes the tell-all book, and now Father Alberto Cutié has his: Dilemma: A Priest's Struggle with Faith and Love was just released today.

The former Catholic priest may have been popular before, but after getting caught with a girlfriend and leaving the church, he seems to have achieved a new level of celebrity. The birth of his daughter, which was announced on his website and Twitter account, was reported widely in the news last month. 

Now with his book, he's bringing questions of clerical celibacy into the mainstream and "lashing out" at the church and its leadership with some strong statements. He wrote on Twitter last night that "DILEMMA is NOT an attack on the RC Church – it is just about my personal experiences within it. I hope it is a good read for all."

The book's press release paints him as a victim. The media, it says, turned him into "a living scarlet letter." "His crime? Falling in love." Expect a made-for-TV movie to follow.

Will the PR tactics work? (Well, it made me write this blog post!) Will you read the book?

A number of Catholic priests have left ministry to get married and have children, and it doesn't make the news. Are they getting the attention they deserve through the coverage of "Father Oprah" or should the discussion of these church issues come up in another way? 

About the author

Megan Sweas

Megan Sweas is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles.