Francis Sullivan told ABC Radio Canberra on Tuesday morning you couldn't "heal communities with a lack of information" and that the archdiocese needed to come clean about the decisions that led to the former priest being housed next to the schools.

"The church, probably from the archbishop, need to explain fully what the decision making was all about, what were the logistics, what was going through everyone's mind at that moment. I am sure he and everybody else knows they've mucked this one up," Mr Sullivan told the station.

However Mr Sullivan stopped short of saying if anyone should resign over the fiasco.

When asked if "heads should roll", he said the community needed "to know all of the facts".

"I've got a funny thought about people resigning, I'd prefer people to stay and feel the pressure of improving things," he said.

"I think it's easy to go and, at a time like this in the Catholic Church, we really need people to feel the pressure to stay, to put things at a very high bar, to have their feet to the fire, to make sure it happens. It's easier for a fresh face to come in and start all over but what's the point? We've got to go from where we're at."

The archdiocese has previously said it decided to move ex-priest Brian Hassett to Lanigan House, next to Sts Peter and Paul Catholic School and Malkara School in Garran, because there was no other accommodation available.

They said he remained there because of poor health and a risk assessment that found he was of low danger to nearby children because of the policies and procedures already in place at the school.

The principal of Sts Peter and Paul Catholic School was not told of his background but was told to restrict the knowledge of his presence to senior staff.

The archbishop has ordered an independent review into the handling of the matter and parents with children at Sts Peter and Paul are set to have a meeting with the Catholic Education Office later this week.