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Alabama priest accused of having a sexual relationship with teen stripper, paying her thousands in hush money
NY Post ^ | 08/14/2025 | Patrick Reilly

Posted on 08/14/2025 6:11:10 AM PDT by DFG

A Catholic priest is under investigation for allegedly starting a years-long relationship with a 17-year-old stripper — and paying her hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep quiet about it.

Robert Sullivan, 61, is on leave as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Homewood, Alabama, after he was publicly accused of initiating a relationship with Heather Jones, now 33, when she was a vulnerable teenager in 2009.

Jones said in a letter to the Diocese of Birmingham — and shared with the Guardian — that she first met Sullivan while she was dancing at a strip club he frequented.

While tipping her, he offered her $273,000 to sign a non-disclosure agreement in exchange for “an ongoing relationship that would include financial support in exchange for private companionship,” Jones alleged, telling the Guardian that the agreement included sex.

Jones, who was raised in foster care due to her mother’s “severe neglect,” said she “was hesitant but ultimately agreed due to his persistence and the state [of mind] I was in,” according to her letter to the diocese.

Days later, she received two wire transfers of $136,500 each under the name of an attorney’s office, she alleged.

Sullivan, initially posing as a doctor, took her out to shop, eat, drink and stay at hotels in at least six different Alabama cities over the course of the relationship, which lasted until this year, she alleged.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Religion
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To: EvelynMcHale

Sociopaths seek and often obtain positions of leadership in every organization—governments, corporations, non-profits, churches etc etc.

If you want virtue I would recommend a dog.


21 posted on 08/14/2025 6:45:45 AM PDT by cgbg (It was not us. It was them--all along.)
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To: DFG

So, the priest has a mistress. After 16 years, she decides she has been abused, and takes him to court.

Interesting in that there is no claim he stole the money.


22 posted on 08/14/2025 6:50:14 AM PDT by marktwain
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To: budj
Agreed. The two things that caught my attention were:

1) He paid her $273K (plus tips), and I'm supposed to believe she's the victim? Sounds like she was working him.

2) 17-year-old stripper? Isn't the minimum age 21 in Alabama to work in a bar?

23 posted on 08/14/2025 6:50:50 AM PDT by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: DesertRhino

‘Vulnerable’ seemed odd to me, too. Not to absolve the priest, but how ‘vulnerable’ is a 17 year old stripper?


24 posted on 08/14/2025 6:56:45 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: DFG

So why did she finally come forward at 33, did the cash cow dry up? Not that I am excusing what the priest did but, C’mon man, it took her what 15 or 16 years to report it?


25 posted on 08/14/2025 6:57:22 AM PDT by Mastador1
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To: dfwgator

He couldn’t have waited until she was 18?


26 posted on 08/14/2025 6:59:30 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: Mastador1

Maybe he found someone new...


27 posted on 08/14/2025 6:59:31 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: PGR88

He couldn’t have waited until she was 18?


I know, right?


28 posted on 08/14/2025 7:00:51 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: DFG

A female? Did she praise his love making by saying he treated her just like one of the guys?

Really, this is just a long term girlfriend, he hooked up with a young stripper and they had a 16 year relationship, it is terrible for a priest, but a long way from homosexual rape of 11 year old alter boys who were raped not only sexually but in their relationship with the church and God’s earthly representative, which must be an exploitation of faith and a combination of violations that we can’t even imagine.


29 posted on 08/14/2025 7:02:11 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: DFG
Not Quite St. Vitalis of Gaza

He served as a monk in Gaza, for many years and earned considerable controversy for his methods in reforming the local prostitutes and scandalous women. After his death, he was completely cleared of any possible impropriety or excessive zeal. … His legend states that after obtaining the name and address of every prostitute in the city, he hired himself out as a day laborer, and took his wage to one of these women at the end of the day. He would hire the woman for the night and, according to legend, spend the night awake and praying. … Vitalis was killed when a man, misunderstanding the nature of the monk's visit to a brothel, struck him on the head. Vitalis managed to return to his hut where he died. Apparently during his burial, former prostitutes came out to explain his works before processing with candles and lanterns as his body was brought to the grave.

https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1864

30 posted on 08/14/2025 7:03:16 AM PDT by FatherofFive (We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor)
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To: DesertRhino

31 posted on 08/14/2025 7:04:14 AM PDT by gundog (The ends justify the mean tweets. )
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To: DFG
Priests have been banging teenagers and other people's wives for as long as there have been priests, going back centuries.
Lately is been happening a lot in New York. Nothing new here.
32 posted on 08/14/2025 7:09:15 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: Mastador1

The checks bounced. Or stopped coming. A true pedophile, once his/her victim reaches a certain age, loses interest. And looks for another young one.


33 posted on 08/14/2025 7:12:31 AM PDT by sport
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To: DesertRhino
How can a blackmailing stripper be “vulnerable”? Maybe the priest was vulnerable to her.
34 posted on 08/14/2025 7:14:31 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: deport

Looks like he escaped from a Frosty Morn commercial.


35 posted on 08/14/2025 7:16:38 AM PDT by Chewbarkah
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To: Jamestown1630

Most likely.


36 posted on 08/14/2025 7:21:30 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: PGR88

Apparently not.


37 posted on 08/14/2025 7:21:55 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: DFG

This is absolutely outrageous!

The “sex-priests” are supposed to be raping boys.

Now this.


38 posted on 08/14/2025 7:23:43 AM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Show me a RAT, I'll show you a felon.)
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To: HIDEK6

From his parish.


39 posted on 08/14/2025 7:25:15 AM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: DFG

How is she “vulnerable “ if she’s dancing in a strip club?


40 posted on 08/14/2025 7:29:56 AM PDT by sauropod
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