Catholic church aus By judeB15 1788 Arrival of first fleet They arrived in sydney cove 1788 with 1044 convicts and 316 catholics. 1803 First public mass 1803 members of the colonial government viewed irish catholics as suspecious They did not run catholic mass 1820 First preists The first priests arrive 1835 Australias first bishop 1842 Construction of the first catholic church 1842 Beginning of representative government 1848 Church is divided