one of the richest and most powerful, but most secretive and troubled, institutions in the country?

Neil Ormerod no longer trusts the church to spend its wealth morally. Credit:Wolter Peeters

A parallel state

The church is everywhere, its Gothic cathedrals prominent on city skylines, its parish churches dotted through suburbs and towns.

In its humble early days - Australia’s first Irish Catholics arrived in chains and were a persecuted minority - the church was the champion of the underdog, an integral part of the labour movement.

Now it’s entrenched in the establishment, even in the once Protestant bastion of the Liberal Party.

And it’s rich. As Fairfax Media reveals today, the church in Victoria holds assets worth more than $9 billion. Nationally, the figure is more than $30 billion.

It’s the largest non-government property owner,by value, in Victoria, and close to the largest in Australia, rivalling Westfield with its vast network of shopping centres.

But the church’s presence in Australia is far more than bluestone, bricks and mortar.

One in five Australian students - nearly one in four in Victoria - is educated in the Catholic system, including some of our most prestigious schools such as St Kevin’s College in Melbourne and saint Ignatius' College Riverview in Sydney.

The ill are often treated at St Vincent’s, St John of God, Mercy or Cabrini hospitals; the elderly at one of hundreds of nursing homes, all controlled by Catholic religious orders.

And when in need, or when we donate, we often turn to St Vincent de Paul or Sacred Heart Mission, just two of many Catholic-run charities and