A veteran Roman Catholic priest in Alabama has stepped away from the priesthood after a woman accused him of giving her money in exchange for what she described as “private companionship,” including intimacy, beginning when she was 17 years old.
Robert Sullivan’s voluntary removal from the priesthood, known as laicization, was announced on Wednesday, November 26, in a public letter by Bishop Steven Raica of Birmingham. The announcement came a day before Thanksgiving, drawing widespread attention across the local Catholic community.
The woman behind the allegation, Heather Jones, filed a detailed written complaint with the diocese. Jones, now 33, claimed that Sullivan paid her hundreds of thousands of dollars over several years and that the arrangement began while she was still a minor. She backed her claims with email exchanges, financial records, and a copy of a legal agreement she said was meant to keep her silent.
According to Bishop Raica, the church launched an immediate investigation. The review confirmed that while large payments had been made to Jones, there was no evidence the money came from church, parish, or school funds. Still, the bishop acknowledged that the allegations had deeply shaken the local Catholic community, saying the past few months had been “challenging” for everyone involved.
Sullivan, who is 61, had taken vows to remain celibate and uphold church teachings on sexual conduct. The Catholic Church considers sexual contact with anyone under 18 to be abusive, following protections put in place after the widespread clergy abuse scandals of the early 2000s. However, under Alabama law, the age of consent is 16.
In her statement, Jones shared that she grew up in foster care after being removed from her mother because of neglect. She described having little adult support and said she worked as a dancer in an adult club outside Birmingham to survive financially. She said she was 17 when she met Sullivan at the establishment, where she was able to work despite being underage. According to her, Sullivan was a regular visitor who tipped her generously and eventually offered to “change her life,” giving her his phone number.
Jones said Sullivan then began taking her out to restaurants, shops, bars, and hotels across at least six Alabama cities. Their encounters, she said, included sexual activity and continued for several years. She added that Sullivan initially introduced himself as a doctor, and she only learned later that he was a priest.
Jones wrote that in her vulnerable state she did not fully understand the power imbalance or the impact of the relationship. She said she eventually struggled with depression, addiction, and emotional instability during and after their involvement.
She came forward because Sullivan continued working with families and children as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Homewood. Her concern, she said, was that “others may be vulnerable to the same type of manipulation and exploitation.”
Sullivan held significant roles in the church. In 2020, Bishop Raica appointed him as one of the diocese’s vicars general, a high-ranking administrative position. On August 3, during Mass, Sullivan told parishioners he would be taking personal leave without stating why. By that time, Jones had already submitted her complaint.
The diocese later informed its members of the allegations and forwarded the case to the Vatican office responsible for investigating clergy misconduct.
According to Bishop Raica’s latest statement, Sullivan formally asked Pope Leo XIV to release him from all obligations of the priesthood. The request was granted on Monday. Jones has not commented publicly since the announcement.
Sullivan was ordained in 1993 and had been a priest for more than three decades.
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