Australian Catholic Life

By Rjones

  • Early Settlement

  • William Davis Arrives

  • Fr James Dixon Arrives

  • First Roman Catholic Mass and marriage

    Fr James Dixon Held the first public Roman Catholic mass and marriage in Sydney.

  • Castle hill uprising

    The Irish planned to take over Parramatta and port Jackson to establish Irish rule and return willing convicts to Ireland.

  • Beginning of Rum Rebellion

    Officers and man marched to Government house in Sydney in a act of rebellion against Governor William Bligh. Bligh was arrested and the colony became under military rule.

  • End of Rum Rebellion

  • Jeremiah O’Flynn Arrives

  • first official Roman Catholic missionaries

    Jeremiah O’Flynn Influenced the British government in 1820 to allow the first official Roman Catholic missionaries to be sent to Australia.

  • Fr John Therry Arrives

  • Fr Philip Connolly arrives

  • Establishment of Catholic Church in Tasmania

    The Catholic Church became established in Tasmania, then Van Diemen's Land, in 1821 with the arrival of Father Philip Connolly.

  • St Mary’s Cathedral

    The first stone was layed in 1821. It was completed in 1833 and got renovated in 1851. St Mary’s Cathedral was the first Catholic Church in Australia and was the first land granted to the Catholic Church in Australia.

  • Fr Philip Connolly first chaplain

    Fr Philip Connolly becomes the first permanently appointed chaplain

  • Fr John Therry expands Catholicism

    Therry was responsible for building churches around Australia mainly the St. Bedes Church in Appin. He therefore contributed to the expansion of Catholicism in Australia

  • End of Early Settlement

  • First Catholic Schools

    The first Catholic schools started in Sydney and were run by lay people

  • First Roman Catholic bishop in Australia

    John Bede polding became the first Roman Cathoic bishop in Australia

  • John Bede Polding Arrives

  • William Davis Contributes to Construction of St Patrick’s

    In 1840 William Davis donated the land – part of his property – that St Patrick’s is now built on. Further, at the blessing of the foundation stone on 25 August 1840, he placed a cheque for £1,000 on the foundation stone.

  • Eureka Stockade

    The Eureka Stockade started from a disagreement over what the gold miners thought were unfair laws and policing of their work by government. The gold miners swore to fight against the police and military. Before dawn government troops stormed the gold miners flimsy stockade they had built at Eureka Lead Ballarat. The battle lasted 20 minutes, 30 men were killed.

  • Arrival of the Marist brothers

    The Marist Brothers arrived in Australia in 1872 at the invitation of the Archbishop of Sydney. The Marist brothers helped assist in the development of schools for young Australian people.