A former Christian Brother has pleaded guilty to 55 historical Victorian child sex offences.

Ted Bales, 64, faced 60 charges relating to the sexual abuse of boys in the 1970s and 1980s.

He pleaded guilty to 55 of the charges in the Melbourne Magistrates Court after five of the charges were withdrawn.

Bales, of Thomastown, was stationed with the Christian Brothers at Ballarat and Warrnambool, a previous court hearing was told.

He was arrested by the Sano task force, established by police to investigate historical and new allegations out of the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child sex abuse.

Bales was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on February 6.