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30% of the 756 convicts that arrived on the First Fleet were catholic some were baptised Catholics some refused to got to the Angelic church. Some would get flogged and will go into the church with blood all over them. some convicts even burnt down the church. https://mrswilliamspodroom.weebly.com/religion-early-church.html
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in 1788 the catholic convicts argued with Governor Phillip for a priest but Governor Phillip refused because he was horrified that they might take over the colony
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most of the early church Catholics were Irish convicts. but most didn't practise their traditional ways.The Catholics used their prayer beads and prayer books to pray.
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The first priest were convicts they got caught in the Irish rebellion in 1788 and were not allowed to celebrate mass
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When the colony allowed the first mass police watched everybody to make sure they did not betray the colony. A second mass was not allowed for another 16 years
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While Father O' Flynn was not a convict he was not approved by England but had been sent by the pope. but he got expelled from New South Wales in 1818
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Father Connolly and Therry were the official catholic priest in New Holland
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By the late 1820s most of the Catholics were convicts or ex convicts
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New South Wales now had 20,000 Catholics so a bishop was needed for the Catholics.
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As the colony of the Moreton Bay was part of the colony of New South Wales at this time Polding was also the Archbishop at Morton Bay
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All religions allowed in New South Wales
