Police say Vic church fire suspicious

Sky News
March 30, 2015

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/local/melbourne/2015/03/30/historic-vic-church-fire-suspicious--cops.html

Some people are devastated a historic Melbourne church has been gutted by fire, but others are happy to see it burn.

Arson chemists are yet to determine the cause of the suspicious blaze which destroyed St James Church in Brighton early on Monday morning.

The Catholic church, one of Melbourne's oldest, was attended by notorious priest Ronald Pickering.

Pickering, now dead, was accused of child sex abuse against a number of boys in the 1970s and 1980s but was never convicted.

Actress Rachel Griffiths, who made her first communion at St James, said it was a relief to see 'the haunted house on the hill' burn.

She said it was 'a bit of a thorn to see it standing' because of its dark history.

'I think it's always been a difficult building for us to drive past, because there's so much tragedy and complicated feelings,' she told ABC radio.

Other parishioners, many who had been married or baptised at the church, said they were devastated.

'Like losing somebody, losing somebody dear,' parishioner Maria Kochevich told the Nine Network.

Police are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the area.