Victims of paedophile priest may be linked to church fires

By Nino Bucci
Age
March 31, 2015

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victims-of-paedophile-priest-may-be-linked-to-church-fires-20150331-1mc20t.html

Fire tears through the historic St James Church. Photo by Garry Furlong

Police are investigating whether the victims of a paedophile priest started two fires at separate churches on the same day.

Fire almost destroyed the 123-year-old St James Church in Brighton on Monday morning, but another blaze at St Mary's in St Kilda East caused little damage.

Both churches are linked to Ronald Dennis Pickering, who moved from parish to parish around Melbourne abusing boys between 1958 and 1993, when he fled to his native Britain. He died there in 2012, having never been charged.

It is unclear if the Catholic Archdiocese plans to increase security at the other churches where Pickering was a minister: St Theresa's in Essendon, Sacred Heart in Warburton, and St Peter's in Clayton. A spokesman for the archdiocese said security had not been increased at those churches, but had at St Patrick's cathedral in the city.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the St Mary's fire was suspicious and had caused minor damage to a door, and that the cause of the St James fire was yet to be determined. 

Pickering served at St Mary's from 1966 to 1968, and as church's parish priest at St James from 1978 to 1993 before he fled overseas, fearing prosecution.

At least five people killed themselves after being sexually abused by Pickering between 1960 and 1980, according to research by Monash University's law faculty. 

The Age revealed Pickering's depraved history of abuse in 2002, reporting that his preferred victims were altar boys and members of church choirs.

One victim estimated Pickering had abused as many as 100 boys. It is believed he fled Australia for the British seaside town of Margate after a lawyer representing one of his victims started making inquiries.

According to police statements from victims, Pickering would lure his young victims with promises of watching television or receiving pocket money for doing odd jobs.

He would often encourage boys to consume alcohol in an attempt to get them drunk before abusing them. He also took groups of boys away with him on weekend trips, where he abused them.

Pickering was linked to a number of other Catholic priests who have been convicted of sexual abuse.

In 2012, it was revealed that four victims had reported abuse by Pickering to Victoria Police, but authorities in England were never even asked to interview him. Two of the complaints related to abuse at St Mary's and St James.

Chris McIsaac, the founder of Broken Rites, a group established to help victims of church-related sexual assault, said she had not spoken to police about any possible links to Pickering's victims and the fires.

If a victim had turned arsonist, she said the church would only have itself to blame.

"It's tragic the church hasn't dealt with this," she said.

"They've kept this at bay for as long as possible, and paid victims as little as possible, that it would not be surprising if someone has taken it to this."

The Melbourne archdiocese has acknowledged in writing Pickering's "proclivity for child abuse" and has financially compensated several victims.

Parishioners expressed dismay on Monday that St James had been damaged, especially given Reverend Michel Corriveau had just been appointed the new priest, but actor Rachel Griffiths said seeing the church in flames was "a relief".