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The first fleet arrived in Australia to start the European settlement.
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Europeans arrived in Australia. Among it's 1044 convicts there were 316 Cathloics.
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In 1803, Father Dixon was accused of rebellion after an Irish riot.
He was forced into hiding and was later deported in 1809 -
In 1817, Jeremiah O'Flynn was granted official authority to preach catholic mass to the convicts.
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Fr John Therry and Fr Philip Conolly, Australia's first official priests, arrive in Sydney. Fr Therry opens the first Catholic school in Parramatta and lobbies Governor Macquarie for land on which to build the settlement's first Catholic church.
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The first officially appointed priests, Fr Therry and Fr Philip Connolly arrived in Australia
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The foundation stone of St Mary's Chapel is laid by Governor Macquarie and blessed by Fr Therry. The site is near a barren brickfield and Sydney's convict barracks on land considered undesirable and without value. Father Connolly builds the first Catholic church in Tasmania
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Fr Daniel Power lands in Sydney to replace Fr Therry as official chaplain to the growing colony. Hardworking Fr Therry moves to Parramatta and remains a chief influence among Sydney's Catholics
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Bishop Polding arrives in Hobart and a short time later sails for Sydney. His Vicariate covers the whole of Australia including Tasmania. The newly-completed St Mary's Chapel is consecrated as St Mary's Cathedral.
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Five Sisters of Charity arrive in Sydney with a mission to help the poor and disadvantaged in response to a request from Archbishop Polding for a community of sisters in the colony. English-born philanthropist Caroline Chisholm also arrives in Sydney as does a large contingent of secular Irish clergy including Fr John Brady who is appointed to Windsor with a parish that extends from Penrith to the Hawkesbury and Broken Bay.
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Archbishop Polding consecrates Fr James Goold as the first bishop of Melbourne in the second Episcopal consecration to take place at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral
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St Mary's Cathedral is modified to the designs of renowned British architect, Augustus Pugin. The Archdiocese now has 33 parishes, 30 churches and 35 priests who minister to 55,000 Catholics, most of whom are either Irish born or of Irish descent. In addition according to a report sent to Rome, the Archdiocese has about 50 monks, nuns and religious students
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St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney destroyed by fire.
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Fire destroys St Mary's Cathedral. Although much of the edifice is stone, the flames raze the building to the ground. Archdeacon McEncroe begins fundraising efforts for a new cathedral designed by William Wardell, the architect responsible for St John's College at the University of Sydney and St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne.
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Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods found the Sisters of St. Joseph. Daniel Murphy appointed second Archbishop of Hobart A temporary St Mary's Cathedral begins construction until a brandnew cathedral can be built
