A Catholic priest is currently facing an investigation after being accused of having a prolonged relationship with a 17-year-old stripper, for which he allegedly paid substantial sums to keep the matter confidential.
Robert Sullivan, 61, has taken a leave from his role as pastor at Our Lady Church in Homewood, Alabama, following claims made against him regarding his relationship with Heather Jones, who is now 33 and was a minor when they allegedly began seeing each other in 2009.
In a letter addressed to the Parish of Birmingham and shared with the Guardian, Jones recounted meeting Sullivan during her time as a dancer at a strip club he often visited.
According to her account, he purportedly offered her $273,000 in exchange for signing a non-disclosure agreement that would guarantee financial support in return for maintaining their private relationship.
Having grown up in foster care due to her mother’s neglect, Jones expressed that she was initially reluctant. However, under Sullivan’s constant persuasion and the state of mind she found herself in, she eventually agreed to the arrangement, she stated in her letter.
Later on, she claimed to have received two separate wire transfers totaling $273,000 from his lawyer’s office.
Jones also alleged that Sullivan would sometimes pose as a doctor and took her to hotels across at least six different cities in Alabama, and this continued up until this year.
She mentioned that he bought her a phone and even funded her rehabilitation during her struggles with addiction and depression.
Between July 2024 and March this year, she asserted that Sullivan paid her nearly $120,000, all documented under her name, according to her statements to the Guardian.
Feeling cornered to come forward, Jones mentioned that Sullivan’s active role in his church with families and children heightened her concern for potential victims.
“Others may be vulnerable to the same type of manipulation and exploitation,” she expressed in her comments to the newspaper.
Sullivan has been a priest for over three decades and previously served as president of John Carroll High School for six years.
He announced his personal leave from pastoral duties on August 2nd.
Bishop Stephen Leica of the Birmingham diocese has been addressing the allegations, noting in a letter to the parish that there isn’t sufficient evidence for a criminal inquiry into Sullivan’s conduct.
The Alabama Department of Personnel Affairs reportedly concluded that the allegations did not meet the criteria for an investigation; however, a church-specific inquiry is ongoing as per canonical laws and diocesan policies.
“Our parish’s victim support coordinators continue to reach out to women who have come forward and are providing necessary assistance,” the bishop remarked.
The allegations have also been communicated to the Vatican, as mentioned by the bishop.
