Father Michael Charles Glennon

Father Michael Charles Glennon was a Roman Catholic parish priest who served in the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. He was ordained as a priest in May 1971 and served in the following institutions:

  • St. Augustine’s Boys’ Home in Geelong, Vic (Chaplain/Counsellor from 1971 to 1972);

  • Thornbury, Melbourne (1972);

  • St. Monica’s Church in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne (Assistant Priest and School Chaplain from January1974 to January1977); and

  • St. Gabriel’s Church in Reservoir, Melbourne (Assistant Priest from January 1977 to 15 April 1978).

  • Preston, Melbourne (mid-1970s);

  • Samaritan Catholic College in Preston, Melbourne (Sex Educator in the late 1970s) (formerly known as Redden Catholic College - run by the Marist Brothers); and

  • Peaceful Hand Youth Foundation (1978).

After April 1978, Father Glennon was given leave of his position and ceased to be a practising Catholic priest but was given authority by Archbishop Frank Little to continue serving Mass privately, and to preside at weddings and other family celebrations. On 30 March 1984, the Archbishop accepted the applicant’s resignation from the priesthood and withdrew his authorization to exercise the priesthood in any manner. On 17 May 1999 the applicant was further laicised from his duties as a priest of the Catholic Church.

Court records state that during his tenure at St. Gabriel’s Church in Reservoir, Father Glennon was instrumental in setting up an organization known as “the Peaceful Hand Youth Foundation”, of which he became Governing Director.  The Foundation had premises at Lancefield in the State of Victoria known as “Karaglen”.  It encouraged the youth of Victoria, particularly those involved with the Church, to join in activities at “Karaglen” and at other places within the State. Father Glennon was particularly interested in training young children in the art of karate. He was also interested and involved in scouting activities, drama and sport.

Criminal Convictions

Father Glennon was convicted on three occasions of sexually abusing children while under his care and trust. This included the following:

  • He was convicted in 1978 of indecently assaulting a girl under the age of 16 and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. He was released on parole in January 1979;

  • In 1992, he had an appeal overturned by the High Court and was forced to serve 9 years 1 month with a minimum of 7 years for the attempted buggery of a boy under 14 and two counts of buggery with violence; and

  • In November 2003, as a result of the three separate trials between 1999 to 2003, Father Glennon was sentenced to a total of 18 years jail, with a 15 year minimum for the sexual abuse of 10 children between 1974 to 19991. In 2005, after an appeal by Father Glennon, some of the charges were quashed and his total sentence was reduced to a minimum of 10 years six months, dating from October 2003.

Father Glennon died in 2014 from natural causes while serving time at the Hopkins Correctional Centre in Ararat, Victoria.

Moody Law has in the past and is still currently representing clients who have made allegations of sexual and physical abuse by priests and other clergy members serving within the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.

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