Church of Australia

By AnREthingIhadtodo

  • First Fleet Arrives

    The first Catholics arrive

  • Fr James Dixon and two other priests arrested

    Fr James Dixon and two other priests arrested as part of the 1798 Irish Rebellion are transported to New South Wales as convicts

  • First official public Mass is held

    First official public Mass is held under strict Government supervision and is celebrated by prisoner priest, Fr Dixon

  • Fr John Therry and Fr Philip Conolly, Australia's first official priests, arrive in Sydney

  • Fr Therry founds the first Catholic school on Hunter Street, Parramatta

  • Australias First Census

    Australia's first census is held and reveals a white population of 36,598 which includes both free settlers and convicts. Among these, 25,248 are Protestants and 11,236 Catholics

  • Penal laws removed

    Penal laws preventing Catholics holding Government positions ends

  • Benedictine priest, John Bede Polding

    Benedictine priest, John Bede Polding is consecrated (ordained as Bishop) in London and appointed Vicar Apostolic with jurisdiction over what is now the Commonwealth of Australia.

  • Polding launches the first Catholic Mission

    Polding launches the first Catholic Mission to Aborigines on Stradbroke Island. Queensland. Queensland is part of the Archdiocese which encompasses an area now covered by NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

  • The NSW Government passes a bill

    The NSW Government passes a bill to abolish State aid to religion

  • Mary MacKillop becomes the first Sister and Mother Superior of the Sisters of St Joseph

    Mary MacKillop becomes the first Sister and Mother Superior of the Sisters of St Joseph

  • Archbishop Polding dies

    1877 Archbishop Polding dies at Sacred Heart Presbytery in Sydney aged 85. Roger Bede Vaughan becomes Archbishop of Sydney 1878 Arrival of the Jesuits in Sydney

  • Catholic Press prints and distributes its first issue

    Catholic Press prints and distributes its first issue

  • Death of Mother Mary MacKillop

    Death of Mother Mary MacKillop

  • The Australian Catholic Federation

    The Australian Catholic Federation is established in Victoria. Set up to advocate the political interests of the Catholic Church in Australia, the Federation is part of a world-wide movement and is endorsed by Archbishop of Melbourne, Thomas Carr

  • Pope Benedict XVI makes his first visit to Australia

    Pope Benedict XVI makes his first visit to Australia when the Archdiocese of Sydney hosts World Youth Day 2008. WYD08 is a huge success and as a result the social networking website, Xt3 is created for young people not onl;y in Sydney but worldwide. It quickly becomes the fastest growing Catholic website worldwide.