What was this Priest thinking? Now married and stripped of his Priesthood

 

Disgraced Alabama priest, 30, who fled to Italy to marry 18-year-old he 'groomed' has his priesthood STRIPPED by Pope Francis at Vatican

A disgraced priest from Alabama has been stripped of his priesthood by the Pope after he fled to Italy and married a teenager.

The Archdiocese of Mobile 'received notice that the laicization of Alex Crow is complete, effective immediately.'

Crow, 30, had previously requested he be removed from the priesthood. The request was recently granted by Pope Francis.

Mobile Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi supported Crow's laicization, which is the process of formally removing a Catholic church figure from service.

Crow no longer possesses any 'privileges or responsibilities of the priesthood.' The former clergyman did not appeal during his removal process.

Crow met his now-wife while she was in high school at McGill-Toolen High in Mobile, where he frequently visited to deliver guest lectures to the students.

The Archdiocese became aware of Crow's questionable courtship when local law enforcement got their hands on Valentine's Day love letters the priest had sent to the teen.

'First things first: I love you, and I thank Jesus for you every day. You have made my life both astronomically more complicated and incredibly better at the same time. You are his gift to me,' read part of his letter to the teen.

Archbishop Rodi condemned the relationship at the time, calling Crow's behavior 'totally unbecoming of a priest.' Among other issues, priests in the Catholic Church are ordered to maintain a state of celibacy.

He then said that the recently ordained clergyman 'may no longer exercise ministry as a priest, nor to tell people he is a priest, nor to dress as a priest.'

Last summer, Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said he believes there was 'some grooming that's gone on,' between Crow and his teenage wife. 'You've got a much older adult interacting with teenage girls in an inappropriate way.'

Prior to the sheriff's statement, Crow had fled to Europe with his young lover. He'd told people he was headed across the Atlantic to perform exorcisms across Europe.

Crow has reportedly long had a fascination with demonology.

When the pair returned from abroad, they got married in Alabama.

Crow married the Mobile teen on November 17, according to a notarized Alabama Marriage Certificate from the Judge of Probate's office. 

According to the findings of local law enforcement, Crow, who claims to have been exorcised as a child, had told his lover that Jesus instructed him to leave with her.

Ultimately, the Mobile County District Attorney's Office explained that prosecutors interviewed 30 witnesses and reviewed 'thousands of pages of documents' provided by the Archdiocese but would not seek charges over the 'private relationship between two now-adults.'

'When the young lady and Priest returned, we subpoenaed the young lady to meet with our office to determine what had occurred, and whether there was any criminal action,' read a statement from the office.

'She appeared in seemingly good health and said that she is safe.

'However, she brought an attorney with her to the meeting, and together they declined to answer any questions about the circumstances surrounding her July disappearance, or indeed any other questions.

'Without being able to speak with the young lady about these events, we do not have sufficient admissible evidence to charge a crime at this time. Therefore, this investigation is currently closed.'

Church bosses said they found out he was back through the media as shamed priest had not been in contact with them since his suspension.

'While Crow's behavior has been scandalous, the Archdiocese does not have any information to indicate that Crow has committed any crime,' a statement said.

'To the extent law enforcement is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Crow's behavior, the Archdiocese will continue to cooperate fully.

'If law enforcement has closed their investigation of Crow, the Archdiocese thanks them for their thorough and thoughtful attention to this matter.

'Crow's sudden departure created scandal, hurt, and confusion within the Archdiocese. We continue to pray for God's grace to bring healing to this situation for everyone.'

The couple's return came after a lawyer for the girl's family claimed Crow cut off her contact with them while in Rome.

The lawyer, Christine Hernandez, said that he had 'limited' the girl's communication to the outside world.

She also said other parents reported disturbing instances involving Crow and their children during school and church trips, including claims he paid some students to attend his confessions, where they'd share details of their sins with him.

The defrocked clergy member, who was initially ordained in 2021, previously attended Sant' Anselmo in Rome, Italy where he received a Bachelor of Sacred Theology and studied demons and exorcisms.