Father Ernie Smith pictured in 2005. Credit:Angela Wylie

Shockwaves are reverberating across Melbourne’s charity sector after Sacred Heart Mission founder Ernie Smith was stood down from all priesthood duties over sexual abuse allegations.

Volunteers were notified last week that the Archdiocese of Melbourne had investigated what is understood to be historical sexual abuse accusations relating to three women, one who was 17 years old at the time of the alleged offence, when Father Smith was a priest.

Two of the complaints were made to the church in 2005 and 2006, but the priest, who retired in 2007, was not barred from public duties until another allegation emerged in November last year.

The archdiocese says that while Father Smith is still technically a priest entitled to be called Father, they have adopted legal advice that he "no longer be considered a priest in good standing and his faculties to exercise public ministry be withdrawn".