Church1

Catholic Church In Australia

By Michael Hewitt
  • First Fleet Arrive in Sydney

    First Fleet Arrive in Sydney

    The 11 ships of the First Fleet sail into Sydney Harbour on Jan 26th 1788 to establish a Penal Colony.
  • Period: to

    Timeline of the Catholic Church In Australia

    This is an account of the arrival of Catholicism in Australia
  • First Catholic Mass

    First Catholic Mass

    Governor King grants permission for Fr James Dixon to celebrate Catholic Mass. This takes place on 15th May, 1803
  • Castle Hill Uprising

    Castle Hill Uprising

    The Irish convicts rebelled against the British soldiers. Many were killed and injured.
  • Jeremiah O'Flynn

    Jeremiah O'Flynn

    Irish priest who came to Australia 'illegally' due to the lack of priests. He was expelled from the colony in 1818.
  • Arrival of Fr John Therry

    Arrival of Fr John Therry

    Fr John Therry was to become the most influential priest in the early years of the colony. He workedfor 44 years to help Catholics in NSW and Tasmania. He was successful in building St Mary's Cathedral in 1825. Without John Tjherry the early Catholicws would have been left without a true church.
  • Sydney St Mary's Cathedral opens

    Sydney St Mary's Cathedral opens

    Fr Therry successfully completes the first church in the colony of NSW
  • Bishop Bede Polding

    Bishop Bede Polding

    First Catholic Bishop in Australia

  • Eureka Stockade

    Irish gold diggers rebelled against unfair taxes