Father Edward Evans, 84, maintained pleas of not guilty when he appeared before the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday.

Defence lawyers had asked a magistrate to conduct a full committal hearing - so they could cross-examine prosecution witnesses - before sending the matter to the ACT Supreme Court.

But Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker rejected the application, finding it would not be in the interest of justice.

Ms Walker said the cross-examination of witnesses would be best conducted before a jury.

Ms Walker continued Father Evans’ bail and committed him to stand trial in the higher court on seven charges, including committing acts of indecency and sexual intercourse with a child.

German-speaking chaplain was arrested and charged in May last year with three acts of indecency between 1994 and 1997.

He was charged with the further four offences this year.

The charges against Father Evans relate to his alleged abuse of the girl when she was aged between 11 and 13.

The first incident is alleged to have occurred in 1994, when the accused hosted a morning tea at his Braddon home, which was attended by the girl, her family, and other parishioners.

Father Evans is alleged to have put his hands inside the girl's pants and squeezed her bottom while the group ate and chatted.

Court documents allege the priest squeezed the girl's bottom, grabbed her breast, and rubbed his body against her on a number of occasions over the following three years.

Father Evans represents Germany's Catholic mission and has worked as a German-language chaplain for the German community in Canberra.

He formerly worked from St Patrick's Catholic Church in Braddon, a church that conducts masses in German every Sunday.

The matter will appear before the Supreme Court for mention next week.