Catholics In Australia By louispossum Jan 19, 1788 First Fleet Arrives in Botany Bay One tenth of all the Convicts that came to Australia were Irish convicts, fkeeing for their lives after political persecution in their home land. Period: Jan 19, 1788 to Jan 19, 2011 Catholics In Australia from 1788 Jun 16, 1803 Father Dixon Holds First Mass In This Year Jun 16, 1808 Rum Rebellion In NSW, Successfull Overthrow of Governent Jun 16, 1817 Father Jeremiah O'Flynn Becomes Prefect-Apostolic of New Holland Jun 16, 1818 Father O'Flynn Deported After Colonial Opposition to his Appointment Jun 16, 1820 Fathers Therry and Conolly Become the First Official Catholic Priests to Arrive Jun 16, 1821 The First Catholic Church is Constructed at Richmond, Tasmania Jun 16, 1833 Father Ullathorne Arrives into Sydney as the First Vicar-General Jun 16, 1835 Bede Polding is Made Australia's First Catholic Bishop Jun 16, 1847 James Alepius Goold becomes first Catholic bishop of Melbourne Jun 16, 1848 The Catholic Church in Australia is divided into Provinces and Dioceses Jun 16, 1854 Establishment of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Australia Jun 16, 1857 St. Vincent's Hospital opens in Sydney Nov 11, 1865 St. Mary's Cathedral Destroyed by a Fire Jun 16, 1866 Mary McKillop and Fr. Julian Tenison Woods found Sisters of St. Joseph Jun 16, 1868 Christian Brothers arrive in Melbourne Jun 16, 1869 Bishops' Pastoral Statement complains of injustice to Aborigines Jun 16, 1875 Colonial governments end state-aid to Church schools Jun 16, 1877 Roger Vaughan O.S.B becomes Archbishop of Sydney Jun 16, 1881 First permanent St. Vincent de Paul Society established in Australia Jun 16, 1885 Archbishop Moran made Cardinal Jun 16, 1893 St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne opened Jun 16, 1897 French Missionaries of the Sacred Heart arrive in Australia Jun 16, 1946 Archbishop Gilroy becomes first Australian Cardinal Jun 16, 1967 Archbishop James Robert Knox appointed Archbishop of Melbourne Jun 16, 1970 Paul VI visits Australia Jun 16, 1973 Paul VI establishes Maronite diocese in Australia Jun 16, 1986 John Paul II visits Australia Jun 16, 1987 John Paul II establishes a Melkite diocese in Australia Jun 16, 1995 John Paul II visits Australia for Beatification of Mary McKillop Jun 16, 2000 Opening of Corpus Christi seminary Jun 16, 2000 St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney completed