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Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Daily Mail
Pictured: Former stripper who claims she was paid $273K at 17 to be priest's 'secret sugar baby'
A former stripper claims an Alabama priest paid her nearly $300,000 to be his secret sugar baby, despite his vow of abstinence. Heather Jones, 33, claimed Fr. Robert 'Bob' Sullivan, 61, began a sexual relationship with her in 2009 after meeting her at a strip club where she danced at when she was just 17. Their alleged relationship ended this year after she reported his suspected vow betrayal to his church, Our Lady of Sorrows in Homewood, near Birmingham. Sullivan is not facing any criminal charges. Jones claims the priest gave her $273,000 and forced her to sign an NDA, which she broke to tell her story, first reported by The Guardian. Sullivan allegedly paid her a total of $120,000 via 125 Venmo transactions between July 18, 2024, to March 26, 2025. According to Jones, Sullivan - then allegedly a regular patron at the club - offered her financial support in exchange for what he described as 'private companionship,' a term Jones says included sex. She also submitted a formal written statement to the Diocese of Birmingham, detailing the alleged years-long relationship with the priest, who was ordained in 1993. 'I was a minor with no experience navigating adult relationships,' Jones wrote in her statement. He allegedly gave her $273,000 and forced her to sign an NDA. The Auburn University graduate additionally paid her a total of $120,000 via 125 Venmo transactions between July 18, 2024, to March 26, 2025, as part of their sugar baby agreement She added that she felt compelled to speak out so many years later because Sullivan continued working closely with families and children as a pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Homewood - about 5 miles outside Birmingham. 'Others may be vulnerable to the same type of manipulation and exploitation,' she told The Guardian. Daily Mail has reached out to the church and Sullivan for comment. Jones says she requested a revision to the NDA and an additional $100,000, arguing the original agreement, 'heavily favored his interests and offered no meaningful protection, healing or justice'. But, she said her request was ignored and ultimately chose to violate the NDA, stating she believed 'it would not hold up in court'. Jones, who recently began law school, said she could provide additional evidence, such as phone records and photos if requested by investigators. The Auburn University graduate has since taken a 'personal leave,' announcing on August 3 that he would be absent after 'after prayer and reflection'. Bishop Steven Raica of the Diocese of Birmingham later confirmed in a letter to parishioners that Sullivan had been placed on leave set to begin on August 4 and that the matter had been referred to the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. 'Father Sullivan was granted a leave of absence and is currently removed from all priestly service pending the outcome of the investigation,' Raica wrote to the diocese. The Diocese also reported the allegations to the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). However, the DHR eventually determined the claims did not meet the criteria for an investigation. Alabama law allows individuals aged 16 and older to legally consent to sex, and the state does not have laws specifically prohibiting clergy from engaging in sexual relationships with adult congregants under their spiritual care, according to the Alabama DHR. However, under Catholic canon law, anyone under 18 is considered a minor, and sexual contact with them is considered abusive. The Church began enforcing such rules more strictly in the early 2000s following widespread clergy abuse scandals. Diocese spokesperson Donald Carson said that while civil authorities may not pursue the matter, Sullivan is prohibited from public ministry pending the outcome of the Church's internal investigation. 'We keep Father Sullivan and the woman who's making the allegations certainly in our prayers,' Carson said. The bishop also revealed the church had no plans on revealing Sullivan's reason for a leave of absence until after the investigation was complete - as is policy. However, he changed course after The Guardian article was published. On Wednesday, Raica wrote in a statement to the diocese that Sullivan had 'a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise' as the investigations pending against him progressed. 'Anyone accused in the Church possesses a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise, equivalent to the right granted in civil law,' he wrote to the diocese. Following Sullivan's 'absence,' Birmingham diocese vicar general Kevin Bazzel told congregants on Sunday that Raica had appointed him as Our Lady of Sorrows' temporary administrator in Sullivan's absence.
Toronto Sun
7 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Alleged horny holy roller probed for sex affair, payouts to teenage stripper
Get the latest from Brad Hunter straight to your inbox Former teen stripper Heather Jones claims she was paid for sex with a Catholic priest when she was 17. And got more money for keeping her mouth shut. HEATHER JONES A Catholic priest is being probed for his alleged longtime sexual affair with a 17-year-old stripper, and boffo payoffs she claims he paid to buy her silence. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Guardian reports that Robert Sullivan, 61, is now on leave as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Homewood, Alabama. Former teen stripper Heather Jones, 33, has publicly accused Sullivan of grooming her when she was a vulnerable youngster. She says the trysts began in 2009. In a letter to the Diocese of Birmingham, Jones claims she first met Sullivan while she was stripping at a club where he was a regular. Disgraced priest Robert Sullivan. Jones said the holy man made her an offer that constituted a mortal sin and tore holes in the Ten Commandments. According to the former peeler, Sullivan offered her a whopping $273,000 to ink a non-disclosure deal in exchange for 'an ongoing relationship that would include financial support in exchange for private companionship.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Jones told The Guardian that the deal included sex. Raised in a foster home as a result of her mother's 'severe neglect,' Jones said she was initially hesitant. She 'ultimately agreed' due to the priest's persistence and 'the state (of mind) I was in.' Once the priest and the pole dancer agreed to the deal, Jones alleged she received two wire transfers of $136,500, each under the name of an attorney's office. Jones told The Guardian that when the couple hit the town for shopping, dinner, drinks, and stays at hotels, he posed as a doctor. The relationship only ended earlier this year. In addition, Sullivan bought her a phone and paid for her stint in rehab, a result of depression and addiction. She added that so far this year, she had been paid nearly $120,000. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The onetime stripper says she went public because of Sullivan's work with children and families. 'Others may be vulnerable to the same type of manipulation and exploitation,' Jones said. Sullivan was ordained a priest in 1993 and was previously president of John Carroll High School for six years, according to He announced Aug. 2 that he was taking a personal leave. So far, the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham appears to be warily backing the alleged rogue priest, claiming there isn't enough evidence to warrant a criminal investigation. But Sullivan may have to answer to the heavy hitters in the Vatican. 'While the Alabama Department of Human Resources determined that the allegations did not match the requirements for opening an investigation, a diocese investigation was initiated, again, according to Church law and our diocesan policies and guidelines,' Bishop Steven Raica wrote. 'Our diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator has continued to be in contact with the woman who brought forth the allegations and has provided appropriate support.' bhunter@ Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls World Columnists Toronto & GTA
Daily Mail
14-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Priest at center of teen sex and hush money scandal in Alabama
An Alabama priest is under investigation following allegations that he began a sexual relationship with a woman when she was 17 - and later paid her hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for her silence. Heather Jones, now 33, publicly accused Robert Sullivan, 61, of initiating a sexual relationship with her in 2009 while she was a dancer at an adult establishment outside Birmingham. According to Jones, Sullivan - then allegedly a regular patron at the club - offered her financial support in exchange for what he described as 'private companionship,' a term Jones says included sex. The allegations were first reported by The Guardian, to which Jones provided extensive documentation including bank records, emails from Sullivan, Venmo transactions, and a copy of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). She also submitted a formal written statement to the Diocese of Birmingham, detailing the alleged years-long relationship. 'I was a minor with no experience navigating adult relationships,' Jones wrote in her statement. She added that she felt compelled to come forward so many years later because Sullivan continued working closely with families and children as a pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Homewood - about 5 miles outside Birmingham. 'Others may be vulnerable to the same type of manipulation and exploitation,' she told The Guardian. Jones also alleged that in March of this year, Sullivan and his attorney arranged for her to sign an NDA in exchange for a whopping $273,000. She also shared an unsigned copy of the agreement with reporters, along with a March 27 email from Sullivan's church email account stating, 'Someone will be calling you to sign the NDA.' Jones says she also received two wire transfers of $136,500, each from an account under the name of the attorney's law office, one on March 31 and another on April 1, according to bank records she provided. In addition, Venmo records from July 18, 2024, through March 26 of this year, showed nearly $120,000 in payments from an account under Sullivan's name, according to documents reviewed by The Guardian. Jones says she requested a revision to the NDA and an additional $100,000, arguing the original agreement 'heavily favored his interests and offered no meaningful protection, healing or justice.' But, she said her request was ignored and ultimately chose to violate the NDA, stating she believed 'it would not hold up in court.' Jones, who recently began law school, said she could provide additional evidence such as phone records and photos if requested by investigators. The Alabama priest has since taken a 'personal leave,' announcing on August 3 that he was taking leave 'after prayer and reflection.' Bishop Steven Raica of the Diocese of Birmingham later confirmed in a letter to parishioners that Sullivan had been placed on leave set to begin on August 4 and that the matter had been referred to the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. 'Father Sullivan was granted a leave of absence and is currently removed from all priestly service pending the outcome of the investigation,' Raica wrote to the diocese. The Diocese also reported the allegations to the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). However, the DHR eventually determined the claims did not meet the criteria for an investigation. Alabama law allows individuals aged 16 and older to legally consent to sex, and the state does not have laws specifically prohibiting clergy from engaging in sexual relationships with adult congregants under their spiritual care, according to the Alabama DHR. However, under Catholic canon law, anyone under 18 is considered a minor, and sexual contact with them is considered abusive. The Church began enforcing such rules more strictly in the early 2000s following widespread clergy abuse scandals, The Guardian reported. Diocese spokesperson Donald Carson said that while civil authorities may not pursue the matter, Sullivan is prohibited from public ministry pending the outcome of the Church's internal investigation. 'We keep Father Sullivan and the woman who's making the allegations certainly in our prayers,' Carson said. On Wednesday, Raica wrote in a statement to the diocese that Sullivan had 'a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise' as the investigations pending against him progressed, reported. 'Anyone accused in the Church possesses a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise, equivalent to the right granted in civil law,' he wrote to the diocese. Following Sullivan's 'absence,' Birmingham diocese vicar general Kevin Bazzel told congregants on Sunday that Raica had appointed him as Our Lady of Sorrows' temporary administrator in Sullivan's absence.
The Guardian
13-08-2025
- The Guardian
Alabama priest investigated after woman alleges ‘private companionship' arrangement beginning at 17
A Roman Catholic priest in Alabama is under investigation, church officials say – and he abruptly announced he is taking 'personal leave' – after a woman alleged to his superiors that he traded financial support for 'private companionship' including sex, beginning when she was 17. The accuser, Heather Jones, has also alleged that the clergyman, Robert Sullivan, recently paid her hundreds of thousands of dollars to remain silent about it, a claim she supported with bank records, an email and a copy of a legal agreement. Jones, 33, provided the Guardian with a formal written statement that contained her allegations against Sullivan, 61, and which she provided to the diocese of Birmingham. She said she came forward because Sullivan had continued working closely with families and their children as the pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows church in Homewood, Alabama, leaving her fearful that 'others may be vulnerable to the same type of manipulation and exploitation' she says she endured. Jones gave permission to be publicly identified by name, saying she hoped it would boost the credibility of her account. Birmingham diocese spokesperson Donald Carson said on Tuesday that the allegations against Sullivan were under investigation by an independent review board advising the local church. As was its protocol, Carson said, the diocese had forwarded the allegations to the Vatican entity which investigates cases of clergy misconduct. And Carson said Sullivan would be prohibited from public ministry until the resolution of the allegations against him. Voicemails the diocese left with Jones – and which she shared with the Guardian – offered her free therapeutic counseling. It was not immediately clear how much scrutiny Sullivan might draw from lay authorities. Carson said the diocese had reported Sullivan to the Alabama state agency that investigates child abuse cases because of the age Jones said she was when she met him. But officials at Alabama's department of human resources had said the case did not fit the criteria of one in which they could get involved. Law enforcement investigators have been reluctant to act in some cases of religious clergy accused of having sexual contact with teens who had reached the legal age of consent, which in Alabama is 16. Furthermore, Alabama is not among the US states with laws that say it is impossible for there to be consensual sexual relationships between clergy and legal adults who are under the clerics' spiritual guidance. Sullivan could, however, face consequences within the Catholic church. Canon law to which clergymen are subject has considered people younger than 18 to be minors – and sexual contact with them to be abusive – since the early 2000s, when the worldwide Catholic church implemented reforms amid the fallout of a decades-old clerical molestation scandal. Multiple attempts by the Guardian to contact Sullivan for comment were not successful Tuesday. As she wrote in her statement to the diocese in late July and recounted to the Guardian more recently, Jones grew up in foster care after being removed from her mother's custody 'due to severe neglect'. She wrote that she lacked 'consistent adult support' during her upbringing, leaving her ill-equipped to maintain employment or pursue a formal education – so she tried to make ends meet by working as a dancer at an 'adult establishment' outside Birmingham. Jones reported meeting Sullivan at that establishment when she was 17. He was a regular patron, tipped her during her shifts and soon offered to 'help change [her] life' if she called him on his phone number, she wrote. Sullivan proposed 'to form an ongoing relationship that would include financial support in exchange for private companionship', wrote Jones, who told the Guardian that the term encompassed sex. Jones said Sullivan subsequently began taking her shopping, dining, drinking, and to hotel rooms in at least six different Alabama cities in part to engage in sex – beginning when she was 17 and over the course of several years. Jones wrote that she 'was a minor with no experience navigating adult relationships' when she met Sullivan. She wrote: 'I was hesitant but ultimately agreed due to his persistence and the state [of mind] I was in.' Jones said Sullivan bought her a phone on which he frequently contacted her. He initially presented himself as a 'doctor', though she later learned he was a priest while his brother was a physician, she said. She wrote in her statement that discovering Sullivan belonged to the Catholic priesthood – whose members promise to be abstinent and teach that sex out of wedlock is sinful – was disturbing because she had attended church services throughout her youth and had difficulty reconciling 'his public role and private behavior'. Sullivan paid for Jones to attend a rehabilitation program after she experienced depression, emotional instability and addiction during their arrangement, she wrote. Jones wrote that Sullivan and an attorney representing him eventually had her sign a non-disclosure agreement in return for $273,000. She shared an unsigned copy of the NDA with the Guardian. She also provided a copy of a 27 March message from Sullivan's Our Lady of Sorrows email address, which had the sentence: 'Someone will be calling you to sign the NDA.' Four days after that email, bank records which she shared with the Guardian showed, Jones received a wire transfer of $136,500 from an account under the name of the attorney's law office. She received another $136,500 wire transfer from the same law office account a day later, the bank records indicated. Separately, in more than 125 different transactions from 18 July 2024 to 26 March, a Venmo account under Sullivan's name paid nearly $120,000 to Jones, according to a copy of records from the financial app that Jones shared with the Guardian. Jones said it was never clear whether Sullivan took that money out of his personal finances, and remembered wondering whether it possibly came from some other source. Jones said he gave her the Venmo money of his own accord to aid her in covering her living expenses. Jones recalled Sullivan telling her he was also happy to give her that money because he loved her – and so did Jesus Christ. Jones wrote that she later proposed to revise the NDA with Sullivan and requested $100,000 more. She said the agreement 'heavily favored his interests and offered no meaningful protection, healing or justice' for dealings with Sullivan she had come to regard as 'exploitative and predatory'. Sullivan and his attorney ignored her, Jones wrote. She provided her statement to the Birmingham diocese a few days after writing it on 23 July. Jones said she was willing to share phone records and pictures which she contended would corroborate her version of events with church investigators if they sought the materials. At Our Lady of Sorrows' 3 August mass, Sullivan told his congregants that Birmingham bishop Steven Raica had authorized him to take 'personal leave' that he requested after 'prayer and reflection'. 'Please continue to remember me in your prayers – as I will do the same for you,' Sullivan said shortly before the conclusion of the mass. On 10 August, Birmingham diocese vicar general Kevin Bazzel told congregants that Raica had appointed him as Our Lady of Sorrows' temporary administrator in Sullivan's absence. Sullivan had in June celebrated the 32nd anniversary of his ordination into the priesthood. He had also served six years as president of Birmingham's John Carroll Catholic high school and in 2023 was appointed director of its educational foundation, as the local Homewood Star newspaper previously reported. He announced his leave nearly four years after Raica had appointed him to serve as one of the diocese's vicars general, a high-ranking administrative post. In 2020, Sullivan had appeared on the ABC show Good Morning America, in which he discussed recovering from Covid with a helping hand from his brother, an infectious diseases doctor. Jones said she recently began law school and defied the NDA mentioned in her statement about Sullivan to the Birmingham diocese – which has an estimated membership of roughly a quarter of a million Catholics – because she was confident it would not hold up in court. She also wrote that she considered it vital to speak out about Sullivan because 'behind closed doors, his behavior toward me was not in alignment with the values he teaches'. Carson, the Birmingham diocese spokesperson, said the allegations against Sullivan were 'unfortunate for all involved'. 'We keep father … Sullivan and the woman who's making the allegations here certainly in our prayers,' Carson said.
The Guardian
13-08-2025
- The Guardian
Alabama priest investigated after woman alleges ‘private companionship' arrangement beginning at 17
A Roman Catholic priest in Alabama is under investigation, church officials say – and he abruptly announced he is taking 'personal leave' – after a woman alleged to his superiors that he traded financial support for 'private companionship' including sex, beginning when she was 17. The accuser, Heather Jones, has also alleged that the clergyman, Robert Sullivan, recently paid her hundreds of thousands of dollars to remain silent about it, a claim she supported with bank records, an email and a copy of a legal agreement. Jones, 33, provided the Guardian with a formal written statement that contained her allegations against Sullivan, 61, and which she provided to the diocese of Birmingham. She said she came forward because Sullivan had continued working closely with families and their children as the pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows church in Homewood, Alabama, leaving her fearful that 'others may be vulnerable to the same type of manipulation and exploitation' she says she endured. Jones gave permission to be publicly identified by name, saying she hoped it would boost the credibility of her account. Birmingham diocese spokesperson Donald Carson said on Tuesday that the allegations against Sullivan were under investigation by an independent review board advising the local church. As was its protocol, Carson said, the diocese had forwarded the allegations to the Vatican entity which investigates cases of clergy misconduct. And Carson said Sullivan would be prohibited from public ministry until the resolution of the allegations against him. Voicemails the diocese left with Jones – and which she shared with the Guardian – offered her free therapeutic counseling. It was not immediately clear how much scrutiny Sullivan might draw from lay authorities. Carson said the diocese had reported Sullivan to the Alabama state agency that investigates child abuse cases because of the age Jones said she was when she met him. But officials at Alabama's department of human resources had said the case did not fit the criteria of one in which they could get involved. Law enforcement investigators have been reluctant to act in some cases of religious clergy accused of having sexual contact with teens who had reached the legal age of consent, which in Alabama is 16. Furthermore, Alabama is not among the US states with laws that say it is impossible for there to be consensual sexual relationships between clergy and legal adults who are under the clerics' spiritual guidance. Sullivan could, however, face consequences within the Catholic church. Canon law to which clergymen are subject has considered people younger than 18 to be minors – and sexual contact with them to be abusive – since the early 2000s, when the worldwide Catholic church implemented reforms amid the fallout of a decades-old clerical molestation scandal. Multiple attempts by the Guardian to contact Sullivan for comment were not successful Tuesday. As she wrote in her statement to the diocese in late July and recounted to the Guardian more recently, Jones grew up in foster care after being removed from her mother's custody 'due to severe neglect'. She wrote that she lacked 'consistent adult support' during her upbringing, leaving her ill-equipped to maintain employment or pursue a formal education – so she tried to make ends meet by working as a dancer at an 'adult establishment' outside Birmingham. Jones reported meeting Sullivan at that establishment when she was 17. He was a regular patron, tipped her during her shifts and soon offered to 'help change [her] life' if she called him on his phone number, she wrote. Sullivan proposed 'to form an ongoing relationship that would include financial support in exchange for private companionship', wrote Jones, who told the Guardian that the term encompassed sex. Jones said Sullivan subsequently began taking her shopping, dining, drinking, and to hotel rooms in at least six different Alabama cities in part to engage in sex – beginning when she was 17 and over the course of several years. Jones wrote that she 'was a minor with no experience navigating adult relationships' when she met Sullivan. She wrote: 'I was hesitant but ultimately agreed due to his persistence and the state [of mind] I was in.' Jones said Sullivan bought her a phone on which he frequently contacted her. He initially presented himself as a 'doctor', though she later learned he was a priest while his brother was a physician, she said. She wrote in her statement that discovering Sullivan belonged to the Catholic priesthood – whose members promise to be abstinent and teach that sex out of wedlock is sinful – was disturbing because she had attended church services throughout her youth and had difficulty reconciling 'his public role and private behavior'. Sullivan paid for Jones to attend a rehabilitation program after she experienced depression, emotional instability and addiction during their arrangement, she wrote. Jones wrote that Sullivan and an attorney representing him eventually had her sign a non-disclosure agreement in return for $273,000. She shared an unsigned copy of the NDA with the Guardian. She also provided a copy of a 27 March message from Sullivan's Our Lady of Sorrows email address, which had the sentence: 'Someone will be calling you to sign the NDA.' Four days after that email, bank records which she shared with the Guardian showed, Jones received a wire transfer of $136,500 from an account under the name of the attorney's law office. She received another $136,500 wire transfer from the same law office account a day later, the bank records indicated. Separately, in more than 125 different transactions from 18 July 2024 to 26 March, a Venmo account under Sullivan's name paid nearly $120,000 to Jones, according to a copy of records from the financial app that Jones shared with the Guardian. Jones said it was never clear whether Sullivan took that money out of his personal finances, and remembered wondering whether it possibly came from some other source. Jones said he gave her the Venmo money of his own accord to aid her in covering her living expenses. Jones recalled Sullivan telling her he was also happy to give her that money because he loved her – and so did Jesus Christ. Jones wrote that she later proposed to revise the NDA with Sullivan and requested $100,000 more. She said the agreement 'heavily favored his interests and offered no meaningful protection, healing or justice' for dealings with Sullivan she had come to regard as 'exploitative and predatory'. Sullivan and his attorney ignored her, Jones wrote. She provided her statement to the Birmingham diocese a few days after writing it on 23 July. Jones said she was willing to share phone records and pictures which she contended would corroborate her version of events with church investigators if they sought the materials. At Our Lady of Sorrows' 3 August mass, Sullivan told his congregants that Birmingham bishop Steven Raica had authorized him to take 'personal leave' that he requested after 'prayer and reflection'. 'Please continue to remember me in your prayers – as I will do the same for you,' Sullivan said shortly before the conclusion of the mass. On 10 August, Birmingham diocese vicar general Kevin Bazzel told congregants that Raica had appointed him as Our Lady of Sorrows' temporary administrator in Sullivan's absence. Sullivan had in June celebrated the 32nd anniversary of his ordination into the priesthood. He had also served six years as president of Birmingham's John Carroll Catholic high school and in 2023 was appointed director of its educational foundation, as the local Homewood Star newspaper previously reported. He announced his leave nearly four years after Raica had appointed him to serve as one of the diocese's vicars general, a high-ranking administrative post. In 2020, Sullivan had appeared on the ABC show Good Morning America, in which he discussed recovering from Covid with a helping hand from his brother, an infectious diseases doctor. Jones said she recently began law school and defied the NDA mentioned in her statement about Sullivan to the Birmingham diocese – which has an estimated membership of roughly a quarter of a million Catholics – because she was confident it would not hold up in court. She also wrote that she considered it vital to speak out about Sullivan because 'behind closed doors, his behavior toward me was not in alignment with the values he teaches'. Carson, the Birmingham diocese spokesperson, said the allegations against Sullivan were 'unfortunate for all involved'. 'We keep father … Sullivan and the woman who's making the allegations here certainly in our prayers,' Carson said.
