Catholic Church in Australia

By CatreyDeCatrey
  • 1520

    Portuguese sailors explore some of the northern and eastern coast

  • A Spaniard, De Quiros, calls Vanuatu "La Australia del spirito santo" (Australia of the Holy Spirit)

  • French sailors reach and describe the Great Barrier Reef.

  • Captain cook arrives at Botany Bay

  • The first fleet arrives at Sydney cove. The first Anglican service is held on third February, 1788. The French Catholic chaplain, Pere Receveur, possibly said mass at about the same time. He died there and is buried at La Perouse

  • Smallpox kills half of the aborigines in the Sydney area.

  • Father's Harold, O'Neil and Dixon, the first convict priests arrive. Convicts include Italians, Portuguese, Austrians and Poles.

  • The first public Mass is offered by father Dixon. The first European settlement in Tasmania. Meehan begins survey work in N.S.W.

  • Father's Harold, O'Neil and Dixon sent back to English. Accused of encouraging the Catholics in Castle Hill Rebellion.

  • Father Jeremiah O'Flynn arrived from England, without Permission.

    Governor Macquarie gave him permission to stay as long as he did not work among the Catholics. Father O'Flynn said a public Mass and Macquarie arrested and deported him. (The governor was afraid of a priest leading the Irish Convicts to rebellion.) he left the Blessed Sacrament at James Dempsey's house in Kent Street, Sydney. On Sundays the free Catholics used to assemble at Dempsey's house and say the Rosary. Stories tell of the crowd of about one hundred flowing into the street.

  • Fathers Terry and Connolly, the first official priests, arrive. Therry begins the first Catholic School a Parramatta.

  • Father Connolly goes to Tasmania and builds the first Catholic Church in Australia.

  • European Settlement in Western Australia, the Swan River Colony.

  • Father John McEncroe arrives. End of the English Penal laws against Catholics.

  • JH Plunkett becomes Solicitor general, and Roger Therry a judge.

  • Father Ullathorne arrives in Sydney

  • The Henty brothers begin a settlement in Victoria.

  • John Bede Polding becomes Australia's first Catholic bishop.

  • Ullathorne's book attacks the convict system. He celebrates the first mass in South Australia, where settlers began arriving this year.

  • Caroline Chisholm arrives in Australia. Sisters of charity come to Sydney and begin Australia's first non military hospital.

  • James Scullin is elected Prime Minister and chooses the first Australian born Governor General, Isaac Isaacs.

  • The Great Depression.

  • Father PJ Moloney begins the palm island and fantome island mission. Pope Benedict XV writes Quadragesimo.

  • Eucharistic Congress in Melbourne

  • Fathers PJ Moloney and Frank McGarry begin a school for Aborigines at Alice Springs.

  • The grail begins in Australia

  • Beginning of WW2

  • The beginning of The Movement

  • End of WW2

  • Dr Woodbury begins the Aquinas Academy in Sydney

  • Post war migration from Europe begins.

  • The bishops letter makes all the migrants feel at home

  • Father Peyton: The family that prays together stays together

  • The week of prayer for Christian unity begins.

  • The Labour Party split

  • Many new Catholic schools

  • Ukrainian Bishop in Australia. Pope Pius XII dies, replaced by John XXIII

  • Publication of The Living Parish Hymn Book

  • The second Vatican council commences. Goulburn school strike.

  • Pope John XXIII dies. Paul VI is elected. Publication of The new Catholic Catechism

  • Government money is given for Australian Catholic Schools. The mass changes from English to Latin. Catholic Overseas relief begins.

  • Project compassion is started. 27% of teachers in Catholic Schools are Lay people.

  • Pope Paul VI writes Populorum Progressio (The progress of Peoples)

  • The Pope writes Humanae Vitae (Of human life). A time of much change - books and plays are written about being a Catholic in Australia, by Peter Kenya, Thomas Keneally and others.

  • Paul VI becomes the first pope to ever visit Australia

  • Neville Bonner becomes the first Aboriginal member of parliament.

  • Action for world development commences. Continuing immigration, especially from Lebanon South America. Vietnamese migrants start to arrive. 52% of teachers in Catholic Schools are Lay people. The national pastoral institute begins.

  • First Maronite bishop in Australia.

  • Marriage Encounter spreads to Australia.

  • International Women's year. First national women's conference.

  • Ron Blair's play "The Christian Brother". First aboriginal priest ordained.

  • Social Justice statement on women. Rome declares that Australia is no longer a mission country.

  • Outlook magazine commences.

  • The first Catholic Lay people radiate in theology.

  • Women's movement in the Catholic Church. WATAC - Women and the Australian Church

  • Pope John Paul II visits Australia.

  • First Melkite bishop arrives. Women Church magazine begins. First 'Women and the Australian Church' conference. 90% of Teachers in Catholic Schools are now Lay people.

  • Pope John Paul II visits Australia. Announces the beatification of Mary MacKillop.

  • The Jubilee Year

  • World Youth Day held in Sydney. Pope Benedict XVI visits Australia.

  • Mary MacKillop canonisation in Rome.