Actress 'elated' at blaze that gutted church linked to child sex abuse

Actress Rachel Griffiths says she and other former parishioners of a Melbourne church which was gutted this morning are relieved the "haunted house on the hill" has been destroyed.

The massive blaze - which has now been deemed to be suspicious - started at the historic St James Church in the beachside suburb Brighton just after 6am today.

It had been the home of priest Ronald Pickering, who was found to be a pedophile by the Catholic church but was never brought to justice before his death.

Griffiths told 774 ABC Melbourne she went to visit a friend a few doors down from the church when she heard the news this morning.

"I was quite elated, like many of my generation, when I heard the news this morning," she said.

"It's always been a difficult building for us to drive past because there's been so much tragedy and complicated feelings, I guess.

"We've all attended many funerals of boys that we now know were abused by [Father Ronald] Pickering ... and other perpetrators in the parish - at the actual church that it occurred in."

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The Victorian inquiry into child abuse by religious organisations heard Pickering had preyed on young boys at the church in the 1970s and 1980s.

"I really hope that we can heal and move forward and I think that's why this particular fire - to create a metaphor - it's sometimes out of the burning ruins that something true and authentic can be reborn and I hope that's true for this parish," Griffiths said.

Up to 70 firefighters tackled the blaze, which destroyed the structure, leaving only the stone work standing.

Authorities advised people to avoid the area and to take care around embers.

Police are asking for anyone with information to come forward.