OAN's Avril Elfie
10:17am – Sunday, January 7, 2024
Alex Crowe, an Alabama priest, fled to Italy with an 18-year-old girl and married her a few months after graduation. On his voluntary petition he was removed from the priesthood.
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On Friday, Archbishop Thomas J. Roddy issued a statement After Crow was relieved of his position.
“The Archdiocese of Mobile has received notification that Alex Crowe's canonization has been completed and is effective immediately,” the statement said. “I pray that this decision is another way we can all move towards peace after these disturbing events. I pray that God's grace will bring healing to all.” I will continue to pray.”
The 30-year-old man had applied to be removed from the priesthood, and Pope Francis “granted it in a letter”.
According to the church, liberalization is the process of removing clergy, which exempts bishops, priests and deacons from their roles as representatives of the Catholic Church. It may be initiated if the service leader is absent for more than six months.
In July 2023, a former priest and an 18-year-old boy from McGill Touren High School (where Crowe frequently lectured as a guest) fled to Italy.
Their relationship came to light when police learned of a love letter Crowe had written to the teenager on Valentine's Day, when he was still a student.
Roddy condemned Crowe's actions as “totally unbecoming of a priest.”
“He may no longer be able to serve as a priest, tell people he is a priest, or dress like a priest.”
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch told reporters he believed “some sort of grooming” was taking place by Crowe.
Birch also noted that Crowe was very interested in demonology and had told people he planned to take the teenager to Europe to perform an exorcism.
District Attorney Keith Blackwood said the young woman met with prosecutors before the investigation closed last November but refused to answer any questions.
Although Crowe had not committed any crime, the Mobile Archbishop stated in August 2023, “Given his scandalous conduct, we considered there was no way for Crowe to return to the priesthood.”
Karas was first ordained in June 2021.
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