Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish

Assumption of the Virgin Mary, fresco painting in San Petronio Basilica in Bologna, Italy. / Credit: Zvonimir Atletic/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 15, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Today, Aug. 15, is the feast of the Assumption, a solemnity commemorating the end of the Virgin Mary’s earthly life and the assumption of her body and soul into heaven. The day also marks the anniversary of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). 

On this day in 1981, EWTN’s foundress, Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, started her television show out of a garage studio in Alabama. The broadcast launched what is now the largest global Catholic media network in the world. (Note: CNA is a service of EWTN News, an affiliate of EWTN.)

As Catholics celebrate the Assumption and EWTN commemorates 44 years of spreading the Eternal Word, we look back at what Mother Angelica said about Jesus’ mother and her assumption into heaven.

Assumption of Mary 

“This is the feast of Our Lady’s assumption, and a lot of people don’t understand that,” Mother Angelica, a Poor Clare of Perpetual Adoration, said during an Aug. 15, 2000, EWTN broadcast. “They get it all mixed up with Our Lady’s immaculate conception. And it’s different.”

The Assumption is a fairly new feast day in the Church, but the holiday has roots in the earliest centuries of Christian belief. Mother Angelica explained to her audience that “when all the apostles heard Our Lady had died, they all went where she was, except Thomas.” 

“St. Thomas, according to tradition, was always late, always late,” Mother Angelica joked. “We all have somebody like that in our family. They’re always late.” 

“So when he came, they opened up the [tomb] and she was gone… And from the very beginning of Christianity, it was always believed that she was assumed into heaven. It just makes sense.”

It makes sense, Mother Angelica said, “because she was so pure and so holy. There was no reason for her to rot away like we’re going to.”

“Our Lady could never even commit one little sin. So what does she do? She benefits by all the graces, we will benefit by the blood of Jesus — by redemption,” she said. “You say, ‘Well, why should she be so different?’ Well, because she was created by God and before time began, he had her in his mind to be the mother of his Son — the Eternal Word.”

“You can’t even think for a half a second that the mother of God could be in the hands of Satan. That would defile the temple,” she said, adding: “I mean, that’s common sense. You don’t need anything else to really realize that God’s temple had to be absolutely perfect for his sake.”

While Mary was born perfect, Mother Angelica said, “we were all born with original sin, and we have consequences for original sin, even after baptism.” We experience “jealousy, anger, and oversensitivity. We’re born with a lot of things that are not like Jesus. And so we have to overcome these things.”

But eventually, “Our Lady’s assumption is something we’re all going to have,” because “we’re all going to rise… the day will come at the end of the world when God will breathe and say: ‘Rise.’”

‘Secret of holiness’

“Our Lady had to be awesome, because she always said yes to God. That’s the secret of holiness,” Mother Angelica said. “Oh, you don’t have to be bright, you don’t have to be a genius, you don’t have to build buildings, you don’t have to do any of those things. You have to do God’s will with love and sacrifice.”

Ultimately, it “all comes down to love,” she said. “And you only do God’s will because you love. Our Lady always loved God and always did his will with perfect union.”

On the solemnity of Mary’s assumption, “we should thank God that he created such a woman,” Mother Angelica said. “There had to be somebody like her. And only from her, only from this holy, perfect woman, could the Eternal Word come.”

The mosaics decorating the interior dome of St. Peter’s Basilica depict the Blessed Virgin Mary next to Christ the Redeemer and the Apostles. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Aug 14, 2025 / 18:27 pm (CNA).

EWTN’s “Crushed by the Woman” — set to air on the Aug. 15 solemnity of the Assumption at 5:30 p.m. ET — aims to answer common questions Protestants ask regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The 30-minute program features a lineup of notable Church figures who explore the beliefs Catholics hold regarding the Blessed Mother and the many misconceptions non-Catholics have about her.

The program addresses questions such as: Does devotion to Mary take away from Jesus or offend Our Lord? What does the angel Gabriel’s “Hail, full of grace” greeting mean? Is the assumption of the Blessed Virgin contrary to the Bible? Why do Catholics pray to Mary? Why do Catholics say Mary did not have other children? How is Mary our perfect mother? 

Father Dwight Longenecker, who was raised a fundamentalist and ordained an Anglican priest before converting to Catholicism, and Mark Miravalle, a professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and president of the International Marian Association, are joined by several other Church leaders to provide answers to these questions. 

“Quite often, our Protestant brothers and sisters will say: You believe in something called the assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that she was taken up into heaven and that she was crowned as the queen of heaven,” Longenecker says in the program. “That’s nowhere in the Bible. Why do you believe these things?”

“Catholics are not Bible-only Christians. You are,” Longenecker continues. “We believe in the inspiration of the Bible, but we also believe that the Holy Spirit speaks through the Church…speaks through the lives of the saints… speaks through the teaching of the Church. Therefore, we’re not Bible-only Christians. We’re not obliged to prove our religion according to your terms.”

Miravalle points out that nowhere in Scripture does it say that Scripture is the only source of revelation. “[T]o hold that is an unscriptural position,” he says. 

Ann-Marie Altomare, director at Our Lady of Guadalupe Family Life Center in Ave Maria, Florida, provides further examples: “[W]e also know there are a lot of things about the apostles, how they were beheaded or how they died as martyrs, that are not written in Scripture.”

Addressing the question of why Catholics pray for Mary’s intercession, Longnecker says: “We need a mother to intercede, to protect us from external dangers. We need a mother to remind us of our personal dignity, that we’re all made in the image and likeness of God. One mother united Jesus and her other children, you and me, together.”

“[W]ithin the Catholic understanding, she stands for motherhood,” he adds. “She stands for fertility. She stands for children. She stands for family, and this is exactly where, in our society today, Catholics are being attacked, because we still stand up for virginity, for chastity, for family, for marriage, for children. We stand up against abortion, we stand up against the sexual immorality in society, and so, we will be attacked for that.”

“Crushed by the Woman” can also be watched online here.

The August 2025 Youth Jubilee in Egypt is taking place in two phases this month. The jubilee is under the patronage and presence of apostolic vicar of the Latins in Egypt, Bishop Claudio Lurati, organized by his deputy Monsignor Antoine Tawfiq and Sister Chiara Latif of the Franciscan Elizabethan Sisters. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Apostolic Vicariate of the Latins in Egypt

ACI MENA, Aug 14, 2025 / 18:07 pm (CNA).

After the conclusion of the Catholic Jubilee of Youth in Rome, which saw a strong presence of Middle Eastern Christians including a delegation from Egypt, the city of Alexandria has launched its own Catholic Youth Jubilee, organized by the Latin Church there.

The initiative aims to include young people who were unable to travel to Rome and is being held in two phases: The first took place from Aug. 9–12 and the second from Aug. 12–15, which primarily involved the Sudanese and Eritrean communities at St. Mark House in Borg El Arab.

The jubilee is under the patronage and presence of apostolic vicar of the Latins in Egypt, Bishop Claudio Lurati, organized by his deputy Monsignor Antoine Tawfiq and Sister Chiara Latif of the Franciscan Elizabethan Sisters. It has been carried out in collaboration with the Egyptian and Sudanese-Eritrean youth committees alongside Comboni Father Deus Gratias.

Participants in the events include youth from various Egyptian governorates as well as others from African and European countries, including a delegation from Como, Italy, who came to assist in organizing the event.

The jubilee days opened with a celebratory Mass at St. Catherine’s Cathedral in Alexandria, presided over by Lurati and marked by the reception of the relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis.

Before the Mass, attendees were given a brief presentation on the life of Acutis to encourage them to follow his example of holiness and prayer, especially as he is close in age to many of them. After the Mass, participants were blessed with the relics.

In a symbolic gesture, youth returning from Rome handed over the “Great Cross” to their peers who could not travel, who then presented it to Lurati.

On the feast of St. Clare of Assisi on Aug. 11, participants visited the King Mariout area, home to one of the monasteries of the Poor Clares, the order founded and led by St. Clare in the 13th century. They met with seven sisters, prayed with them, and listened to story of St. Clare. There, Lurati explained the meaning of the jubilee and the plenary indulgence that can be obtained, and spoke about the importance of walking with God and others in joy, peace, and hope.

The jubilee program also included a penitential service, talks on the meaning of the jubilee, youth life, and the Bible as well as a presentation of the Latin Church’s achievements in Egypt and its future plans. Organizers place a special emphasis on prayer, introducing new devotions such as the “Rosary of Hope” and the “Way of Light.”

Participants from both phases of the event also gathered for a shared day, during which Tawfiq and Sister Latif shared their experiences from the Jubilee of Youth in Rome. 

The second phase concludes on Aug. 15 with a Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Alexandria, where several young people will receive the sacrament of confirmation.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

From left to right: Daniel Marker, Susan Young, Bishop Chad W. Zielinski of New Ulm, Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Judy Haag, and Valerie Washington. / Credit: United States Catholic Conference of Bishops

CNA Staff, Aug 14, 2025 / 17:47 pm (CNA).

Longtime anti-euthanasia activists Rita and Mike Marker were honored Aug. 11 at the 2025 “People of Life” awards by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities during the Diocesan Pro-Life Leadership Conference in Arlington, Virginia. 

The awards recognize Catholics who have answered St. John Paul II’s call in Evangelium Vitae (“The Gospel of Life”) by dedicating themselves to promoting the dignity of the human person and taking part in pro-life activities.

The Markers established the International Anti-Euthanasia Task Force — later renamed the Patients Rights Council — in the early 1980s. Rita served as the executive director of the organization and in her role wrote the 1995 book “Deadly Compassion: The Death of Ann Humphry and the Truth About Euthanasia” about the high-profile suicide of an euthanasia advocate whom Rita came to embrace as a friend. 

Mike largely took charge of the organization’s operations. Rita traveled internationally and domestically to speak out against euthanasia and assisted suicide and frequently appeared on radio and news programs. Realizing the importance of legal expertise in advocating against assisted suicide, she also obtained a law degree while raising a family and used it to analyze legislation and develop strategies to oppose assisted-suicide laws.

The Catholic couple were married for six decades and were appointed to the Vatican’s Pontifical Council on the Family by St. John Paul II. Mike died in 2021 and Rita died in 2023. 

About 100 diocesan Catholic figures and guests attended this year’s awards dinner, including Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia. Two other pro-life advocates were also honored at the event: Valerie Washington and Judy Haag. 

Washington has led the National Black Catholic Congress organization as its executive director for the past 25 years. During her time with the organization, she has shaped its programs, has nurtured partnerships that have strengthened the Church’s commitment to justice and evangelization, and has taken a prominent role in fostering a culture of life within the Black Catholic community. 

For the past 30 years, Haag has been a long-term care nurse and pro-life advocate — serving as co-chair to her local 40 Days for Life campaign, leading her parish in commemorating the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and facilitating participation in the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life March for Life. She also served as chairperson of the New Ulm Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (NUDCCW) Reverence for Life Committee for several years. Here she assisted in public education and advocacy on abortion and was named the NUDCCW “Woman of the Year” in 2017.

This year’s recipients join 43 other pro-life advocates who have received this award since it was established in 2007 by the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities.

Partial panoramic view of Vatican environs. / Credit: 7777777kz, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 14, 2025 / 17:27 pm (CNA).

The Vatican issued an update to its public procurement regulations to streamline steps in the Holy See’s contracting processes while maintaining integrity and transparency. 

The new general executive decree was signed on Aug. 5 by the prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, Maximino Caballero Ledo, and took effect on Aug. 10. 

The decree contains the implementing regulation from Pope Francis’ 2020 apostolic letter in the form of motu proprio regarding “Norms on Transparency, Control, and Competition in the Procedures for the Award of Public Contracts of the Holy See and the Vatican City State.” The apostolic letter was later amended by the subsequent 2024 motu proprio titled “To Better Harmonize,” which updated the Holy See’s code of contracts.

Composed of eight sections and 52 articles, the decree applies the provisions of “To Better Harmonize” to outline specific rules that must be followed in the procurement process to ensure contracts are awarded fairly.

The document involves collaboration between various Vatican departments to foster greater trust among Vatican internal offices and its external contractors.

The decree reaffirms the Vatican’s mission to provide equal treatment to operators and to prevent discrimination among bidders. It also aims to promote cost effectiveness and to simplify bureaucratic steps to avoid delays.

In line with Pope Francis’ 2022 apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, Church teachings, and Church law, the regulations draw from past experiences to emphasize transparency and responsible use of resources and ethical business practices in the execution of financial decisions and transactions.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. / Credit: Maxim Elramsisy/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Aug 14, 2025 / 16:57 pm (CNA).

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is investigating reports that a local public school facilitated and funded abortion procedures for minors without informing the parents.

Staff at Centreville High School, part of the Fairfax County Public Schools district, arranged abortions for two pregnant high school girls in 2021, according to a report by Walter Curt Dispatch Investigations from earlier this month.

Youngkin said in a press release on Wednesday that he is “deeply concerned with the allegations” and is opening “a full criminal investigation into this matter immediately.”

According to the investigative report, one of the girls, who was 17 years old at the time, had an abortion after a school official brought her to the abortion facility.

The other girl, who was five months pregnant, ran from the clinic after a social worker brought her there and allegedly told her she “had no other choice.”

Virginia has a parental-notification law for abortion procedures. Virginia code requires a physician to certify that at least one parent has been notified before performing an abortion on a minor. While there are exceptions if a minor obtains a judicial bypass, investigator Walter Curt said that “no bypasses appear in either case file” that was provided to him.

The girls also alleged that the principal knew about the abortions and used school funds to pay for them.

“Reports allege school officials may have arranged and paid for abortions for multiple minors without parental notification,” read the Aug. 13 press release. “Reports also indicate that the school administration may have known this was happening, and that school funding may have been used, which could include local, state, and federal funds.”

Fairfax County Public Schools said in a statement earlier this month that it is “launching an immediate and comprehensive investigation” into the reports.

A handwritten note from an 11th-grade ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) student, translated by the investigators, said the abortion took place in November 2021, when she was 17.

“Last year I went to see social worker Carolina Diaz. She helped me with the termination of my pregnancy — that is, an abortion,” the girl wrote in a note dated Nov. 19, 2022.

The social worker, the girl said, “scheduled the appointment for me at the abortion clinic in Fairfax, paid the costs of that medical procedure, and kept everything quiet without informing my family.” 

The school addressed the claims in a statement, saying they recently learned of the allegations, though Walter Curt Dispatch Investigations said in a follow-up report that school officials “have been aware for months.”

Live Action Founder and President Lila Rose commented on the investigation in a post on social media, calling the situation “horrific.”

“Every person involved must be held accountable,” she said in a Thursday post on X.

Greek Catholic Bishop Maksym Ryabukha of the Exarchate of Donetsk, Ukraine. / Credit: Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 14, 2025 / 15:57 pm (CNA).

Maksym Ryabukha, the Greek Catholic bishop of the Exarchate of Donetsk in Ukraine, describes himself as a “bishop on wheels” because he frequently travels to visit parishes and accompany his faithful in the midst of war. “This allows me to see the depths of human life,” he said.

One of the youngest bishops in the world, the 45-year-old prelate explained in an interview with the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that, before the Russian invasion, there were “more than 80 parishes” in the exarchate in east-Central Ukraine, “but more than half have been closed, occupied, or destroyed. Now we have only 37 active parishes.”

In the occupied zone, he lamented, “the laws of the occupation force forbid any affiliation with the Catholic Church, either Greek-Catholic or Latin rite, and it is very difficult to provide any sort of ministry there. My exarchate no longer has any priests in these territories. All our churches have been destroyed, or they are closed and people are not allowed to attend them.”

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has reported the deaths of at least 13,883 civilians, including 726 children, and the injured number 35,548.

Regarding the current situation, Ryabukha noted that it is becoming “increasingly worse. The drones make every place unsafe, including for civilians. Along the front line, some 18 miles from my territory, people leave their homes at night, in fear of being crushed to death, and go to sleep in the countryside by the lakes.”

“One boy told me that he was sleeping with his entire family when they heard a bomb drawing closer and realized that it could land right on their house,” the bishop said. “In just a few seconds, they leapt out of bed and left the house, and soon, the whole building was turned into a crater. An experience like that can crush you. It is very destructive.”

The OHCHR reported on Aug. 13 that a record number of civilians were killed and injured in Ukraine in July.

That month, 286 people were killed and 1,388 injured, the highest number of overall casualties since May 2022. Nearly 40% of the casualties were caused by long-range weapons, such as rockets and loitering munitions. On July 31, an attack on Kyiv killed 31 people — including five children — and left 171 injured, most of them in a residential building hit by a rocket.

For Ryabukha, “what hurts most is seeing that the world remains silent while civilian areas are bombed and people are killed. The only thing that gives us hope is that God is stronger than the evil we can find in the world. We look at daily life from the perspective of heaven, because sooner or later, everything will end, and that end is called paradise.”

The prelate also pointed out that “the worst isn’t the bombs. It’s the feeling of being forgotten, feeling alone, or of being of no value to anybody.”

However, even in the occupied territories believers “feel part of one Church: in support; in personal encounters; when they share their dreams and hopes; when they pray together, even though it is very dangerous.”

Despite the difficulties, there is hope in the eparchy: “We have 19 seminarians. This is remarkable!” the bishop said. “It is a large number for us, as we are not a big eparchy. These boys are great … they have a deep experience of Christian life … Before, people generally felt lost ... Now, there is clarity: ‘I want to take responsibility for my life, and I want to do this.’”

With the help of ACN, the priests and women religious are receiving psychological training to care for young people who have lost the ability to read, write, or speak due to the trauma of the war. They also support widows and mothers of fallen soldiers and distribute humanitarian aid to people who have lost everything.

“God, through our hands, manages to touch and embrace those people who suffer and bring them a smile, a little joy, a little inner serenity,” Ryabukha affirmed.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

A Catholic Church in Laos. / Credit: Amittaya/Shutterstock

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 14, 2025 / 14:36 pm (CNA).

Despite the fact that the constitution and religious freedom laws in Laos officially guarantee the right to worship, Christians in rural areas of this Southeast Asian country are being evicted from their homes and being forced to live in the rainforest.

The situation is occurring in the middle of the monsoon season, with rainfall up to one inch each day and nighttime temperatures that drop to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Many of the displaced — including children and entire families — are taking refuge in the forests without access to food, safe shelter, or medical care.

“No one should have to live like this. Kids… in the jungle! In the rain! It’s just inhumane,” a Bangkok-based humanitarian worker, who asked not to be identified for safety reasons, told UCA News.

Anthony Williams, a researcher with the international Christian aid agency Barnabas Aid, stated that “Persecution in Laos is worse in rural areas, where local leaders have a freer hand to take action against Christians, and especially converts from a traditional religion.”

Although the 2019 Evangelical Church Law allows worship and the proclamation of the Gospel, “the law is often ignored in rural villages and settlements, either in ignorance or maliciously,” Williams noted. “The government is largely just turning a blind eye to the forcing of Christians from their homes.”

Williams said local leaders even deny Christians official documents, such as birth certificates, and “in most cases, the central and provincial governments do not act to enforce the law.”

In February, a mob destroyed a home church in the Xonboury district in Savannakhet province. Surprisingly, a month later, authorities allowed its reconstruction and the resumption of worship, but such cases are rare.

Hostility toward Christians has manifested itself in evictions, imprisonment, and even murder. In July 2024, Pastor Thongkham Philavanh was shot dead in Oudomxay province shortly after resuming his church meetings after serving four years in prison for preaching the Gospel.

“It is often the case that an increase in the number of converts leads to higher levels of persecution. This world hates Christ (John 15:18), and in this respect, Laos is no different,” Williams said.

With a population of eight million, the country has about 300,000 Christians — including 50,000 Catholics — which represent less than 2% of the population. The rest are mostly Buddhist or practice syncretic religions with animism.

Williams warned that if Christianity continues to grow in Laos, “persecution will increase, both in scale and intensity,” and lamented that "it is unlikely that the Lao government will see protecting Christians as a priority” given the geopolitical and economic challenges in the region.

This story was first publishedby ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Before the Angelus on July 13, 2025, Pope Leo XIV celebrated a Mass for local Catholics, religious leaders, and civil authorities at the 17th-century Pontifical Parish of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castel Gandolfo’s main square. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 14, 2025 / 13:22 pm (CNA).

Upon arriving at Castel Gandolfo on Aug. 13, Pope Leo XIV called for a peaceful resolution to the war between Russia and Ukraine ahead of the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The meeting, scheduled for Aug. 15 in Alaska, will address the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which the Russian army invaded three years ago.

The Holy Father stated: “We must always seek a ceasefire; the violence, the many deaths must stop. Let‘s see how they can reach an agreement. Because after all this time, what is the purpose of war? We must always rely on dialogue, on diplomatic work, and not on violence or weapons.”

According to Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV also spoke about the possible deportation of the population of Gaza.

“The humanitarian crisis must be resolved. We cannot go on like this. We know the violence of terrorism, and we honor the many who have died, as well as the hostages — they must be freed. But we must also think of the many who are dying of hunger,” the Holy Father said.

He noted that “the Holy See cannot stop” the conflicts, but, he said, “we are working, let’s say, on ‘soft diplomacy,’ always inviting, encouraging the pursuit of nonviolence through dialogue and seeking solutions, because these problems cannot be resolved with war.”

The Holy Father is in Castel Gandolfo for a second vacation. He will remain at the papal residence, located on the shores of Lake Albano, until Aug. 19.

On Friday, Aug. 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he will celebrate Mass at the pontifical parish in Castel Gandolfo.

On Sunday, Aug. 17, at 9:30 a.m. local time, the Holy Father will arrive at the shrine of Santa Maria della Rotonda in Albano, an Italian town bordering Castel Gandolfo, to celebrate Mass with a group of poor people receiving assistance from Caritas.

After Mass, he will head to Castel Gandolfo to pray the Angelus at noon from Liberty Plaza.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

The Cathedral of St. Paul in Birmingham, Alabama. / Credit: R. Wellen Photography/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Aug 14, 2025 / 12:42 pm (CNA).

A high-ranking priest in the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is on leave amid allegations that years ago, he began a relationship with a young woman who was a minor at the time.

Vicar General Father Robert Sullivan, 61, went on a personal leave of absence on Aug. 4, according to an Aug. 13 letter from Bishop Steven Raica obtained by CNA.

In his letter, Raica said that per internal policy, the diocese did not initially provide a public reason for Sullivan’s leave. But the bishop said an Aug. 13 report in the Guardian made it “necessary and appropriate” to clarify why the priest had left his post.

The Guardian report alleged that Sullivan reportedly “traded financial support for ‘private companionship’” with a woman, Heather Jones, now 33, “including sex, beginning when she was 17.”

Raica confirmed that the diocese had received the allegation, describing it as a report of “a relationship that began when the woman reporting the allegation may have been under the age of 18.”

The diocese reported the allegation to the Alabama Department of Human Resources, the bishop said, though that agency found that it did not merit a state-led investigation. The age of consent for sexual activity is 16 in Alabama.

The diocese, however, opened its own investigation. Since the early 2000s, in response to the global clerical abuse scandal, the Church has classified individuals under 18 as minors and deemed any sexual contact with them as abusive.

The allegations have been provided to the diocesan review board, Raica said. A report is also being developed for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, according to Vatican protocol.

Sullivan is currently “removed from all priestly service” while the investigation continues, the bishop said. 

“We do not know the time frame for completion of the work of the dicastery in Rome nor of that which will be further required within our diocese,” he said. 

Raica said it was “not [his] intention” to disclose the information of the allegation prior to the results of the investigation. 

“[T]he initial work of any investigation does not lend itself to a definitive determination,” he said, “and anyone accused in the Church possesses a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise, equivalent to the right granted in civil law.”

The bishop asked for “continued prayers for all involved” and called for strict adherence to diocesan youth safety guidelines. 

In its Aug. 13 report, the Guardian said Jones came forward with the claims because Sullivan, as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Homewood, Alabama, “had continued working closely with families and their children,” leaving her “fearful that ‘others may be vulnerable to the same type of manipulation and exploitation.’”

The paper said Jones alleged that Sullivan met her when she was 17 years old while working at an “adult establishment” he allegedly visited regularly and that the priest took her “shopping, dining, drinking,” and to hotels for sex.

Jones alleged that Sullivan and his attorney “eventually had her sign a nondisclosure agreement in return for $273,000,” the paper said. 

She also allegedly received around $120,000 from “a Venmo account under Sullivan’s name,” according to the Guardian.