Australian catholic church

By Oliververnon07

  • First fleet arrival

    In May 1787, the British government sent a fleet of 11 ships - carrying over 1500 men, women and children - 20,000 kilometres around the world. This historic convoy, later known as the First Fleet, was led by Captain Arthur Phillip. The First Fleet arrived at Botany Bay on 20 January 1788.

  • First public mass

    Fr. Dixon presented the first public mass on Australian soil on May 15th 1803 at Port Jackson followed by Mass at Parramatta on May 22nd and at Hawkesbury on May 29th. This helped the catholics that had newly arrived to Australia celebrate their religion and feel at peace.

  • First Official Priests Arrive

    Reaction to the affair in Britain led to two further priests being allowed to travel to the colony in 1820 – John Joseph Therry and Philip Conolly. The foundation stone for the first St Mary's Church, was laid on 29 October 1821 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

  • Construction of the First Catholic Church

    The foundation stone for the first St Mary's Church, was laid on 29 October 1821 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. The absence of a Catholic mission in Australia before 1818 reflected the legal disabilities of Catholics in Britain and the difficult position of Ireland within the British Empire.

  • Australia's First Bishop

    Archbishop John Bede Polding, the first Catholic Bishop of Australia, was a Benedictine monk at Downside Abbey in England when he was made the first Bishop of the colony of NSW in 1835.

  • Beginning of Representative Government

    Beginning of Representative Government in Australia Robert Wilson appointed first Bishop of Hobart

  • BIshop of Perth

    John Brady is an enigmatic figure in Western Australian history. On 9 May 1845 Pope Gregory XVI appointed him as first Bishop of Perth. On return to the Swan River Colony, he was the first resident bishop of any denomination.

  • Bishop of Melbourne

    Pope Pius IX appointed him Bishop of Melbourne, and he was consecrated bishop by John Bede Polding on 6 August 1847, (the feast of the Transfiguration) in old St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney.

  • Catholic Church in Australia is divided

    In 1848 the Catholic Church in Australia was divided into provinces and dioceses.

  • First bishop in Brisbane

    In June 1859, when the see of Brisbane was created, Bishop James O`Quinn was appointed the first bishop, but did not arrive in Queensland until 1861.