Father Peter Searson

Father Peter Lloyd Searson was a former parish priest who served within the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. He was born in 1923 and was ordained as a priest in 1962. Prior to becoming a priest, Father Searson was a member of the Marist Brothers for almost 20 years going by the name of Brother Bonaventure Searson. As a Marist Brother, he taught at the Marist Brothers Agricultural College in Mt Gambier, South Australia in the 1950s and at Red Bend Catholic College in Forbes, NSW. It is reported that Brother Bonaventure used to physically discipline students by strapping them on their naked buttocks. It is also reported that in 2012, a former student of Mt Gambier settled a claim with the Marist Brothers for the excessive mental and physical abuse inflicted on him by Brother Bonaventure in 1957 to 1958. Within the Archdiocese of Melbourne, he served at the following locations/parishes:

  • Carlton, South Melbourne, Camberwell South and Mount Waverley parishes - Melbourne, Victoria (Assistant Priest - 1960s);

  • Mary Help of Christians Parish - Altona, Victoria (Assistant Priest - early 1970s);

  • Villa Maria Society for the Blind - Melbourne, Victoria (Chaplain - January 1974 to June 1977);

  • Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish - Sunbury, Victoria (Parish Priest - June 1977 to January 1984); and

  • Holy Family Parish - Doveton, Victoria (January 1984 to March 1997).

Royal Commission records indicate that Father Searson was the subject of many complaints during his service within the Archdiocese, mostly in relation to his conduct at Doveton and Sunbury. In addition to some complaints of child sexual abuse, other complaints were made about his unpleasant, strange, aggressive and violent conduct. In fact, the Royal Commission commented on the volume of complaints that were made against Father Searson (especially from parents and parishioners) and the number of Church personnel to whom they were made to. Victoria Police records also describe Father Searson as being very self-assured, cocky and arrogant.

In 1997, it is reported that Father Searson pleaded guilty to physically assaulting a child and was released without conviction on a good behaviour bond. In March that same year, he was placed on administrative leave by Archbishop Pell. While Father Searson was never charged with any offences in relation to the sexual abuse of children (and was never laicised), numerous allegations of sexual abuse/misconduct were made against him as reported by the Royal Commission in Case Study 35 - “Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne”. These include, for example (amongst others):

  • complaints made by parents alleging Father Searson would observe boys showering;

  • complaints made by grade 6 boys implying that Father Searson would have an erection when he gave a school’s sex education program to them. He would also be sexually explicit in his language;

  • molesting a girl when he had driven her home from school; and

  • complaints made by grade 5 boys who served as altar boys for Father Searson and how they were felt up by him and were scared of how far he would go.

In all the above, the Royal Commission noted that the Archdiocese and in particular Archbishop Little failed to take action to protect children from Father Searson, even when they knew of the allegations and his actions.

Father Searson died in June 2009.

Moody Law has in the past and is still representing clients who have made allegations of sexual and physical abuse against clergy members who served within the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne at various parishes.

We invite former victims to tell us confidentially what information they may have, and we will explain what options are available to help with these cases.

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