On his return to the pulpit Sunday, Rev. Alberto Cutie tried to say hello to his new congregation.
He couldn't.
First came the standing ovation. Then, cheering. And the cameras, held high in the air, as though at a rock concert, capturing every moment. Inside the tiny Episcopal Church of the Resurrection of Biscayne Park, more than 300 people -- more than three times the normal attendance -- turned out to greet him for Sunday morning service.
Cutié looked out at the crowd and said, ``I am humbled by your presence here.''
The priest nicknamed ''Father Oprah'' gave his first sermon since famously leaving the Roman Catholic Church after published photographs showed him nuzzling a woman on a Florida beach. Unlike in Catholicism, Episcopal priests can marry.
Meanwhile, his former church in Miami Beach continued to grapple with the departure of Cutié, who gained media fame across the Spanish-speaking world doling out relationship advice on television, radio and in print.
At his new Biscayne Park church, Cutié delivered a sermon that spoke of common themes -- God's love, faith and perseverance -- and tossed in a few lighter moments referring to his departure from the Catholic church.
At one point, Cutié spoke of a captain lost at sea for so long he ran out of water for his crew. Another ship came by and told the ship's crew to lower their buckets. The captain thought this was crazy.
Except, it turns out, the ship had wandered into an area with fresh water.
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