A Roman Catholic priest in Alabama has resigned from the clergy after a woman came forward with allegations he paid her for sex and companionship, beginning when she was just 17 years old.
Allegations of a Predatory Relationship
Heather Jones, now 33, first made her allegations public in a formal complaint to the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama in August. She stated that she met Father Robert "Bob" Sullivan, then a regular patron, in 2009 while working as an exotic dancer at a venue outside Birmingham.
Jones, who was in foster care at the time, says Sullivan, now 61, offered to "change her life" and proposed an arrangement involving financial support in exchange for private companionship. This allegedly included shopping trips, meals, and visits to hotel rooms in various Alabama cities for sexual encounters, which continued over several years.
She claims Sullivan paid her hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of their relationship, which she interpreted as an attempt to secure her silence.
A Resignation and a Search for Healing
Following an internal church investigation, Sullivan requested that Pope Leo XIV release him from his priestly duties. The pontiff granted this request on 22 November.
In her first statement since the resignation was announced, Jones expressed complex emotions. "There is no real winner in this situation," she wrote. Her only gain, she said, was "truth finally coming to light after years of gaslighting myself into thinking it wasn't a big deal."
Jones decided to speak out because Sullivan continued in his role as the popular pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows church in Homewood, working closely with families and children. She stated her hope is now for "healing, accountability and protection for anyone who has ever been harmed by someone powerful."
Legal Complexities and Church Investigation
The Diocese of Birmingham forwarded Jones's complaint to the Vatican office responsible for investigating clergy misconduct. Church officials also examined the alleged payments, stating they found no evidence that church funds were used.
The case sits in a complex legal space. While the age of sexual consent in Alabama is 16, the state only made it a felony for clergy to engage in sexual activity with individuals under 19 in the spring of 2024. There is no indication Sullivan has faced criminal investigation by Alabama authorities.
Jones herself has encountered legal challenges. She faces a misdemeanour charge, unrelated to the allegations against Sullivan, for allegedly practising law without a licence by filing a court motion. A trial is tentatively set for 28 January. Jones has suggested the timing of these charges may be an attempt to discredit her.
She credits other women who have shared similar experiences with giving her strength, concluding: "Their voices are the reason I have stayed strong."
