CATHOLIC CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA TIMELINE By chrisgo101 Jan 1, 1778 First Mass Held By Fr. Receveur Jan 1, 1802 Christian Brothers Founded By Edmund Ignatius Rice Jan 1, 1803 First Public Mass Said By Fr. Dixon Jan 1, 1817 Fr. Jeremiah O'Flynn Arrived Jan 1, 1820 Frs. Therry and Conolly First Offical Prists Arrive Jan 1, 1821 First Catholic Church Built Jan 1, 1835 Bede Polding Becomes First Catholic Bishop Jan 1, 1842 Robert Wilson First Archbishop Of Hobart Period: Jan 1, 1845 to Jan 1, 1870 John Brady Becomes Bishop of Perth Jan 1, 1848 The Catholic Church Is Divided Into Provinces And Dioceses Jan 1, 1854 St. Vincent de Paul Society Is Created Jan 1, 1865 St. Mary's Cathedral Is Destroyed By Fire Jan 1, 1868 Christian Brothers arrive in Melbourne Period: Nov 11, 1872 to Nov 11, 1885 Church Schools Not Funded Jan 1, 1877 Roger Vaughan Becomes ArchBishop Of Sydney Jan 1, 1884 Patrick Francis Moran appointed Archbishop of Sydney Jan 1, 1885 Archbishop Moran made Cardinal Jan 1, 1909 Death of Mary McKillop Jan 1, 1939 St. Patrick's Cathedral Melbourne completed Jan 1, 1963 Death of Archbishop Mannix Jan 1, 1986 John Paul II visits Australia Jan 1, 1995 John Paul II visits Australia for Beatification of Mary McKillop Jan 1, 2000 St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney completed Jan 1, 2011 Mary Makilop Becomes A Saint