E VOIC YOUR
0Y FOR 15 EARS
6 April 2015
A Star News Group Publication
Doctor’s a reluctant retiree
SFL kicks off
Property liftout
PAGE 40
SPORT
INSIDE
Monday, 6 April 2015
SE TT LE INTO A PRIME LOCATION PAG E2
■ Detectives say there is no connection between paedophile priest church fires...
Link hosed down By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
Father Declan O’Brien surveys the church behind police tape on Wednesday. 137150 fullest. There’s nothing to suggest the three are related at this stage.” Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne spokesman Shane Healy – who confirmed an upgrade of security around its churches – said: “We’re not going to speculate on whether it’s a random arsonist or not.” The late Father O’Donnell – who was the Dandenong parish priest between 1956 and 1969 – was convicted of indecent assault against 12 children in 1995.
Victims, boys and girls as young as eight, spanned his 50-year career. One included a 15-year-old altar boy he molested in the Dandenong parish’s presbytery on the day its 24-metre white cross was installed in 1958. Chris McIsaac, president of Broken Rites - a group that advocates for victims of church-related sexual assault said it was a “great tragedy” if “iconic churches” were being deliberately burnt.
MMP06583-01-a24Jun©FCNVIC
Sharons
Family owned and operated
Servicing Victoria since 1979
FACTORY D IRECT
BLINDS, SHUTTERS AND CURTAINS at $199sq metre • SERVICE • ADVICE • PRICE SHUTTER SPECIAL
Vito Runout now on. The Mercedes-Benz Vito Runout is now on.
217 PrincesHwy, Hwy, Dandenong 217 Princes Dandenong
Mercedes-Benz
PH 9794 9205 FAX 9706 9595 PHwww.sharonscurtainsandblinds.com.au 9794 9205 FAX 9706 9595
www.sharonscurtainsandblinds.com.au sharonscurtains@bigpond.com
Mercedes-Benz Berwick 518 Princes Highway, Berwick (15 minutes from Dandenong) 1300 622 826, www.mbberwick.com.au LMCT 578
1179256-EG15-15
1152648-DC37-14
OPEN 6 DAYS
LYNDALE PHARMACY 68 Menzies Ave, Dandenong North. Ph 9792 1789
“You can’t deny people the right to seek justice but there are better ways to do that than burning iconic churches. “There is anger that places of this nature are tainted with such sordid crimes.” She said there was “deep” frustration at the Catholic Church’s ‘coverup’ of its paedophile priests and its treatment of their victims. Anyone with information about the fires is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
1175999-FA11-15
someone who physically lit it – it’s a low act. “It will come back – the (structural) body of the church is saved and we have a fantastic priest and he’ll get it rocking and rolling again.” Det Sen Const Nicholas Hayes, of Greater Dandenong CIU, said police had no evidence linking the “suspicious” St Mary’s fire to the two other church blazes. “It’s going to be investigated to its
Picture: GARY SISSONS
Seminar BUILDING BETTER BUSINESS 50% OFF ALL CUSTOM MADE STOCK BLIND FABRICS ROMAN & ROLLERS
Tuesday 10th March 2015 - 6.30 pm Punthill Apartments 157-163 Lonsdale St, Dandenong
Business Owners Business Managers Business Improvement & Tax Saving Tips Bookings - www.rjsanderson.com.au
WORKCOVER AND TAC MEDICATION CLAIMS
1047215-EP37-12
POLICE have played down links between convicted paedophile priest Kevin O’Donnell and a suspicious blaze that damaged one of Dandenong’s biggest churches last Wednesday. The St Mary’s Catholic Church, erected in 1959, was damaged by two fires – one at the altar and one in the sacristy – about 2.30am. Father Declan O’Brien said the blaze left him feeling “sick”. “It’s not a good feeling,” Fr O’Brien said as he surveyed the damage with a group of stunned parishoners on Wednesday morning. He said he felt he and the church were an “innocent victim” of the suspected arson attack. “We’re not sure of the motivation of the person or persons behind this.” The sacristy – an out-building storage area for vestments and silverware as well as a workshop and kitchen was extensively damaged with flames burning through the floor. Its roof was torn open by firefighters in a bid to save the double-brick structure. The fires closely followed suspicious blazes at two Catholic churches in Brighton and St Kilda East in recent days. Accused paedophile priest Ronald Dennis Pickering had been a priest at both churches. Last weekend’s Easter services, which normally attract several thousand worshippers, were moved to the nearby St Mary’s Primary School hall. Greater Dandenong councillor John Kelly, one of St Mary’s 3000 parishioners and former altar-boy, said any vendetta theories were speculation. “It’s bloody disappointing if it’s