Suspected arson attack at St Mary’s Church in Dandenong follows two other blazes – all at churches linked to priests accused of child sexual abuse

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Victoria police are investigating the third suspicious church fire in Melbourne within the past week.



Two separate fires broke out at St Mary’s church in Dandenong at around 2am on Wednesday, causing extensive damage to the 151-year-old church before fire crews were able to extinguish the flames.

The church is linked to Kevin O’Donnell, a priest who has been accused of a number of sexual assaults on children. O’Donnell, who is now dead, was never charged over the alleged offences.

Early on Monday morning, another suspicious fire destroyed St James church in Brighton, with St Mary’s church in St Kilda suffering damage on the same day due to suspected arson.

Priest Ronald Pickering attended both of the churches in the 1970s and 1980s. Pickering, who died in 2012, fled to the UK in 1993 and did not face prosecution over a number of sexual abuse offences stretching back to 1960.

Actor Rachel Griffith, who made her first communion at the 123-year-old St James church, said its destruction was “a relief”.

“We’ve all attended funerals of boys that we now know were abused by Pickering,” Griffith said on Monday. “We’ve all avoided being married there and found other churches, and it’s kind of been a bit of a thorn to see it standing.”

Peter Elliott, regional bishop for the Catholic church, told 3AW on Wednesday that security would be stepped up following the fires. He said he did not think the fires were linked.

Victoria police are investigating the fires but would not confirm that the crimes were linked.