JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Jacksonville bishop recently excommunicated a defiant priest, saying the priest went against his faith.

Officials said the Reverend Rouville Fisher's decision to join a national organization promoting a married priesthood has resulted in his excommunication.

The Bishop for the Diocese of St. Augustine said the priest joined a controversial Web site. The site's called Rent A Priest, and locates and recruits married Roman Catholic priests to perform sacraments for lay people who are often estranged from the Catholic Church.

Fisher was the first excommunication since Victor Galeone became bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine in 2001.

A diocese spokeswoman said the action disqualifies Fisher from performing or participating in any church rites, but it does not strip him of his lifelong Catholicism.

"Anytime somebody parts with their faith, it is a big deal," said Director of Communications of the Diocese of St. Augustine Kathleen Bagg-Morgan. "It's kind of a wake-up call for the priest. The bishop wants him to see what he has done."

"Bishop Galeone decided to excommunicate Father Fisher because he affiliated with city ministries that operate Rent A Priest," Bagg-Morgan said. "Rent A Priest is not in union with the Roman Catholic Church."

Fisher told Channel 4 he decided to Rent A Priest because he is engaged to a woman he had been visiting at a hospital.

"I'm a priest first, and I love the woman that I am going marry so much that I'm willing to give up everything for her. We had 39 popes who were married, so I feel I'm doing nothing wrong," Fisher said.

The Catholic Church said once a priest has been excommunicated, if he seeks forgiveness and repents of his sins, he can be reinstated.