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Photo: The Cathedral of St. Paul in Birmingham, AL viewed from the southeast; via Wikipedia.
A senior priest in the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, has been removed from ministry after allegations surfaced that he engaged in a sexual and financial relationship with a woman beginning in 2009, when she was still a minor. The diocese’s disclosure came only after the U.K.-based newspaper The Guardian published the claims last week.
On August 2, Father Robert Sullivan, vicar general of the diocese and pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Homewood, announced to parishioners that he had been granted a personal leave of absence starting August 4. Details of the circumstances were not shared at the time. On August 13, however, The Guardian reported that Heather Jones, now 33, accused Father Sullivan of exploiting her through a sexual relationship that began when she was 17 and included substantial financial payments, OSV News reported.
According to the report, Jones said she decided to come forward so others would not be vulnerable to “the same type of manipulation and exploitation.” She provided the newspaper with a written statement, emails, bank records, and a nondisclosure agreement that she said the priest arranged for her to sign in exchange for a $273,000 payout. Records reviewed by The Guardian indicated she received two large payments, as well as more than 100 smaller transactions totaling nearly $120,000 between July 2024 and March 2025.
In a letter to the faithful, Bishop Steven J. Raica confirmed that the diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator had received Jones’ report in late July and that the matter had been referred to state authorities. The Alabama Department of Human Resources determined the claims did not meet the requirements for a state investigation, but the diocese initiated its own canonical process. Father Sullivan has been removed from all priestly duties while the investigation proceeds.
The diocesan review board, made up primarily of lay professionals in law, psychology, and child welfare, has also been tasked with evaluating the claims. The bishop said the matter will be forwarded to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, as is required whenever allegations involve possible abuse of a minor.
Jones told The Guardian she met Father Sullivan as a teenager while working at a Birmingham-area adult club. She said he introduced himself as a doctor and offered her financial support in exchange for companionship, which included sex. She also said he later paid for her rehabilitation program after she developed substance abuse issues linked to their encounters.
Bishop Raica emphasized that Sullivan remains a priest but cannot perform public ministry, including hearing confessions or celebrating Mass. He also reminded the faithful that under both church and civil law, those accused are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
The Diocese of Birmingham said it maintains strict audit programs for parish finances and has not uncovered evidence that parish funds were involved in the payments. Sullivan was current on his youth protection certifications at the time the allegations were made.
In a message to parishioners, the parish’s interim administrator, Father Kevin Bazzel, urged the community to remain in prayer. “Allegations are taken seriously and given deliberate consideration according to Church and diocesan policy,” he wrote, encouraging parishioners to turn to faith for support during the investigation.
If you are a survivor of clergy abuse, you are not alone. You can learn more about your legal rights by visiting our Catholic Church Lawsuit Guide. Many survivors say the greatest outcome of coming forward is not just financial compensation but the ability to be heard, validated, and empowered to reclaim their lives.
