Australian priest accused of ritual sexual abuse

THE Catholic Church has accepted as substantially true allegations that a Melbourne priest took part in ritualised sexual abuse in which a number of deaths occurred.

The Melbourne archdiocese paid $33,000 to the man who made the claims as compensation for repeated sexual and physical abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of the priest.

The archdiocese's independent sexual abuse investigator, barrister Peter O'Callaghan, QC, described details of the ritualised deaths and abuse provided by the victim as "extraordinary".

". . . but I have no reason or justification for doubting his credibility," Mr O'Callaghan said in a letter to the victim's lawyers in 2000.

Earlier, during a formal interview with the victim, which was recorded, Mr O'Callaghan said he was satisfied the man was telling the truth.

"I see no reason why I shouldn't accept what you say," he said. "Amazing as it is, I accept it."

The Melbourne archdiocese's Vicar-General, Monsignor Les Tomlinson, said Mr O'Callaghan advised Victoria Police about the allegations and was told the victim had already notified them that he had been "sexually abused and was a witness to murder".

"The police advised that inquiries had been made with the homicide squad and their missing persons records and intelligence was unable to confirm the allegations and that there was no current investigation into the matter," Monsignor Tomlinson said.

In a sworn statement given to the archdiocese, the 56-year-old victim said he was first abused by the priest in Melbourne in the early 1960s, when serving as an altar boy at a southern suburbs church and attending a Catholic school.

The abuse continued for three years and included being repeatedly abused during what appeared to be satanic rituals by the priest and others. He says the priest, who has since died, owned at least one firearm.

In his statement, the victim gives details of a number of rituals in which the priest was involved.

"A number of the things that I can remember are extremely gruesome," he said.

"I remember being told loudly and forcibly that God is evil and Satan is good and Satan is more powerful.

"On another occasion I was told that good is evil and evil is good, and that Satan is all-powerful and has control over the earth, and that I am evil and that is good.

"I have some gruesome memories of killings."

The statement details three deaths -- a young woman, a young man and a child -- gang rapes and other forms of sexual abuse that allegedly occurred during the rituals over a period of several years.

Animals were also killed during the ceremonies.