Bishop Steven Raica, head of the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham, today released a letter to the diocese revealing that a priest is being investigated for a relationship with a woman alleged to have begun when she was 17.

Robert Sullivan, 61, announced Aug. 2 that he was taking personal leave from his duties as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Homewood beginning Aug. 4, Raica said. Sullivan also served as vicar general of the diocese, Raica said.

Raica said the victim assistance coordinator for the diocese received the allegation in July and the case is being referred to the Vatican for investigation and to the Alabama Department of Human Resources, since the woman reporting the allegation said she was a minor when the relationship began.

“While the Alabama Department of Human Res

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