In a surprising turn of events, an Alabama Catholic priest, Alex Crow, who eloped to Italy with a teenager a few months ago, has now tied the knot with the young woman. Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi disclosed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, that the Vatican is likely to take official steps to remove him from the priesthood.
According to a marriage certificate filed in Mobile County on Monday, Nov. 20, the 30-year-old priest married the 18-year-old woman who recently graduated from high school in 2023. The document reveals that she just turned 18 in June.
Reports indicate that the teenager attended McGill-Toolen Catholic High, where Crow occasionally visited theology classes.
The revelation of their affair came to light when authorities discovered a love letter from Crow to the young woman on Valentine's Day while she was still a student.
Crow and the woman spent the summer in Europe before returning to the US earlier this month, as reported by AL.com.
With Crow already under suspension, Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi suggested that he may have delivered his final sermon this week.
A statement from the Archdiocese of Mobile asserted, "The recent news of Crow’s civil marriage only confirms the Archbishop’s judgment. Archbishop Rodi anticipates that the Vatican will eventually laicize Alex Crow."
In a previous statement, Rodi strongly criticized Crow, deeming his actions "totally unbecoming of a priest." He added that Crow is prohibited from exercising ministry, identifying himself as a priest, or dressing as one.
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch expressed concerns over potential grooming between Crow, ordained in 2021, and the teenager, citing their significant age gap.
Despite these concerns, the district attorney in the county announced earlier this month that the investigation into criminal wrongdoing was closed. District Attorney Keith Blackwood revealed that the young woman declined to answer any questions during her meeting with prosecutors.
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