A prominent Roman Catholic priest in Alabama has voluntarily stepped down from his clerical duties following serious allegations involving a financial arrangement with a teenager that began when she was just 17 years old.
The Allegations and Investigation
Bishop Steven Raica of Birmingham, Alabama, made the shocking announcement on Wednesday, November 26, revealing that Father Robert Sullivan had requested and received laicization - the official removal from priesthood. This development came after Heather Jones, now 33, filed a formal complaint with the Birmingham diocese detailing her relationship with Sullivan that began when she was underage.
According to Jones' statement, Sullivan provided her with substantial financial support in exchange for what she described as "private companionship" that included sexual relations. The arrangement reportedly started when Jones was only 17 years old and continued for several years.
Jones supported her claims with compelling evidence, including financial records, email correspondence, and a copy of a legal agreement. She alleged that Sullivan paid her hundreds of thousands of dollars to maintain silence about their arrangement.
Background of the Relationship
Jones described a difficult childhood in her formal complaint, revealing she grew up in foster care after being removed from her mother's custody due to severe neglect. During her formative years, she lacked reliable adult support and eventually found work as a dancer at an adult establishment outside Birmingham, despite being under the legal age limit for such employment.
It was at this establishment that Jones, then 17, first encountered Sullivan, who was a regular patron. According to her account, Sullivan initially presented himself as a medical doctor rather than a priest, and he consistently tipped her during her shifts before offering to "help change her life."
"At the time, I was a minor, with no experience navigating adult relationships, and no understanding of how power and influence could be used to manipulate someone vulnerable," Jones wrote in her complaint. "I was hesitant but ultimately agreed due to his persistence and the desperate state I was in."
Church Response and Consequences
The relationship allegedly involved Sullivan taking Jones shopping, dining, drinking, and to hotel rooms across at least six different Alabama cities. Jones stated she struggled with depression, addiction, and emotional instability throughout this period.
Bishop Raica's letter acknowledged the challenging four months since the allegations surfaced but noted that a church investigation found no connection between the substantial payments and any diocesan, parish, or school funds.
Sullivan, who was ordained in 1993, had served as the popular pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows church in Homewood, Alabama, and was appointed as one of the Birmingham diocese's vicars general in 2020 - a high-ranking administrative position.
Jones explained that her decision to come forward was motivated by concerns that Sullivan's continued work with families and children might put others at risk of similar manipulation and exploitation.
The case highlights the complex intersection of religious authority, vulnerable individuals, and church accountability mechanisms. While Alabama's legal age of consent is 16, the US Catholic bishops' policies classify those under 18 as minors and consider sexual contact with them abusive, particularly in light of the church's historical clergy abuse scandals.
Sullivan formally requested Pope Leo XIV to "be dispensed from all the obligations" of priesthood, a request that was granted on Monday preceding the November 26 announcement.
