An elderly man believed to be a Catholic priest will face a Queensland court on child sex abuse charges dating back to the 1970s.

The 77-year-old is accused of indecently dealing with children in the Brisbane, Logan and Gold Coast areas between 1977 and 1988, police said.

The man, from Boronia Heights, has been charged with 57 counts of indecent treatment of children and one count of common assault.

He will appear in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Police could not confirm claims by Broken Rites, a support group for victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic church, that the man was a Catholic priest.