Father Victor Rubeo

Father Victor Gabriel Rubeo was a former parish priest who served within the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. He was born in 1933 and died in 2019. Father Rubeo attended the Corpus Christi Seminary in Carlton, Melbourne and was ordained as a priest in 1959. He served 37 years in the ministry mostly within the Archdiocese of Melbourne and three years on loan in the Diocese in Darwin between 1973 to 1976. Within the Archdiocese, he served at the following parishes:

• St Brigid Parish - Healesville, Victoria (November 1959 - Assistant Priest);

• St Gabriel Parish - Reservoir, Victoria (January 1960 - Assistant Priest);

• St Mary’s Parish - Altona, Victoria (August 1963 - Assistant Priest);

• St Martin de Porres Parish - Laverton, Victoria (January 1968 - Administrator);

• St Martin de Porres Parish - Laverton, Victoria (May 1972 - Parish Priest);

• Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish - Maidstone, Victoria (April 1976 - Assistant Priest);

• Holy Spirit Parish - East Thornbury, Victoria (June 1976 - Parish Priest);

• Holy Family Parish - Doveton, Victoria (April 1978 - Parish Priest);

• St Peter’s Parish - Bentleigh East, Victoria (January 1984 - Assistant Priest);

• St Finbar’s Parish - Brighton East, Victoria (March 1984 - Administrator);

• Holy Name Parish - Preston East, Victoria (January 1985 - Adminstrator);

• Holy Name Parish - Preston East, Victoria (July 1986 - Parish Priest); and

• St Joseph’s Parish - Boronia, Victoria (January 1994 - Parish Priest).

Data published by the Royal Commission show that five people have made a claim of child sexual abuse against Father Rubeo. The alleged incidents occurred between 1965 to 1985 at the following locations:

• Laverton Parish - 1965;

• Laverton Parish - 1965;

• St Martin de Porres Church, Laverton - 1970;

• Holy Name Parish, Preston East - 1985; and

• St Gabriel’s Presbytery Reservoir - 1985.

Most of his victims were under the age of 13. Of the five claims made against Father Rubeo, all went through the Archdiocese’s redress scheme known as Melbourne Response. Four resulted in a monetary compensation at an average of $57,000 per claimant (which included treatment, legal and other costs paid).

It is reported that Father Rubeo sexually abused two teenage boys in the Laverton Parish in the mid- 1960’s where he was subsequently investigated and charged by Victoria Police over the allegations. In 1996, Father Rubeo admitted to the abuse and submitted a guilty plea in the Ringwood Magistrate’s Court in Melbourne. He was placed on a 20 month good behaviour bond.

In August 1996, Father Rubeo resigned from his last placement of Parish Priest at St Joseph’s Parish, but he was not withdrawn from the priesthood by the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

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.

Call us or complete the confidential enquiry form below.