Melbourne churches brace for arson attacks

Churches linked to pedophile priests have been warned to brace for arson attacks in Melbourne over Easter.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne sent a letter to parishes across the city warning them to be "aware and alert" over the holy holiday.

Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne spokesman Shane Healy said the letter, sent by the Vicar General, is in response to a fire at a Balwyn church earlier this month and three other church fires around the same time last year.

"The letter warns to be aware and alert," Mr Healy told AAP on Wednesday.

He said police believed previous attacks were linked to allegations of past pedophilia.

More than half a dozen churches have been attacked by arsonists over the past 13 months, many of them linked to child-abusing priests.

The latest, St Bede's in Balwyn North two weeks ago, was connected to pedophile Terrence Pidoto, who served as an assistant priest in the early 1970s and was jailed for seven years in 2007 for abusing four boys.

Other churches targeted include Bannockburn, Dandenong, Brighton and St Kilda East - all with historical links to pedophile priests.

The historic St James Catholic Church was almost razed by fire in March last year, the same day as St Mary's in St Kilda East was damaged by a suspicious fire.

Two days later, $250,000 damage was caused to St Mary's in Dandenong when a blaze was lit on the church's altar and in the storeroom.

All three churches were linked to the late Fr Kevin O'Donnell, one of Australia's worst pedophile priests who has been the subject of 56 child abuse complaints covering 1944 to 1990.