Catholic Church in Australia

By mbiddle00

  • Christianity comes to Australia

    Christianity comes to Australia with the arrival of the First Fleet

  • French Revolution

    The French Revolution led to a number of organisations with a missionary purpose to be formed.

  • Irish Uprising

    There was a threat to national security due to the Irish Uprising.

  • Reverend Richard Johnson is replaced

    Reverend Richard Johnson is replaced by Samuel Marsden

  • First official Mass

    The first official Mass was conducted by Father Dixon

  • Castle Hill Rising

    Led to the withdrawal of Mass.

  • Fr Jeremiah O'Brien ministered to Catholics

    1817 - 1818

  • New era begins

    British authorities approved the sending of two Catholic chaplains, Frs. J. Therry and P. Conolly.

  • Anglican Archdeaconry was established

    An Anglican Archdeaconry was established in New South Wales under the nominal control of the Bishop of Calcutta.

  • English Catholic Emancipation

    Gave Catholics in the convict colonies an opportunity to play their part in shaping a new nation.

  • William Grant Broughton arrived

    William Grant Broughton arrived as an archdeacon

  • Catholic convicts were joined by free settler Catholics

  • Benedictine Dr William Ullathorne arrives

    Benedictine Dr William Ullathorne arrived in Sydney as vicar-general of Australia.

  • Anglican growth occured

    The period of Anglican growth occured after the appointment of the first Bishop of Australia, William Grant Broughton.

  • Important foundations are laid

    Major British denominations were all present and a small body of clergy who made contributions to the development of Australia.

  • Dioceses are created

    The Holy See created dioceses in Hobart (1842), Adelaide (1843), Perth (1845) and Melbourne, Maitland and Port Victoria, SA (1848).

  • Catholics come to Australia

    Most catholics that came to Australia before 1850 were Irish working-class convicts

  • People immigrate to Australia

    After the discovery of gold, half a million people immigrated to Australia including 84,000 from Ireland.

  • Clergy numbers rise

    Clergy numbers in Australia had risen to 144 of whom 129 were Irish.

  • Irish Bishops are appointed

    English Benedictine control gradually weakened with the appointment of Irish Bishops; James Quinn to Brisbane (1859), Matthew to Bathurst (1866), Daniel Murphy to Hobart (1866), William Lanigan to Goulburn (1867) and Timothy O'Mahony to Armidale (1869)

  • Unification in Italy

    The pope had lost control of the Papal States. He was confined to the Vatican and became an object of rejection by many non-Catholics.

  • Australian born priests begin to outnumber Irish priests

  • James Patrick O'Collins was appointed

  • Rapid Growth

    Another rapid period of growth occurred for the Catholic Church in Australia.

  • Second Vatican Council is held

    From 1962 - 1965.

  • Influx of Catholics

    Large influx of Catholics, this time from Vietnam.

  • Takeover of South Vietnam

    After the takeover of South Vietnam, 160,000 'boat people' arrived in Australia.