Development of the Catholic Church in Australia.

By Jasperinoo

  • First Catholics Arrived

    The first Catholics to reside in Australia arrived with the First Fleet. They were mostly Irish convicts, together with a few marines. One-tenth of all convicts transported to Australia were Catholic, and half of these were born in Ireland

  • First public mass

    First public mass celebrated by Fr Dixon in Sydney

  • First Official Priests Arrive

    The first offical priests, Frs Therry and Conolly, arrive

  • Construction of the First Catholic Church

    Construction of the first Catholic Church as a permenant building at Richmond, Tasmania

  • Australia's First Bishop

    Pope Gregory XVI appoints Fr Brfr Polding OSB as Australia's first Catholic bishop

  • Beginning of Representative Government

    Beginning of Representative Government in Australia Robert Wilson appointed first Bishop of Hobart

  • Catholic Church in Australia is divided

    The Catholic Church in Australia is divided into provinces and dioceses

  • Catholic Church in Australia is divided

    The Catholic Church in Australia is divided into provinces and dioceses

  • First Bishop of Brisbane

    James Quinn appointed first Bishop of Brisbane

  • St Mary's Cathederal Church Destroyed

    St Mary's Cathederal Church was destroyed by fire

  • Founding of Sisters of St Joesph

    Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tension Woods founded the Sisters of St Joesph

  • Rebuilding of St Mary's Cathederal

    Rebuilding of St Mary's Cathederal, begins in Sydney

  • St Vincent de Paul

    First permanent St Vincent de Paul society established in Australia

  • Archbishop Moran

    Archbishop Moran created Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII

  • St Vincent's Hospital

    St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne opened by the Sisters of Charity

  • St Patrick's Cathedral

    Consecration of St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne

  • Catholic Women's League

    Establishment of the Catholic Women's League

  • International Eucharistic Congress

    The international eucharistic congress in Sydney.In the Roman Catholic church, a Eucharistic Congress is a gathering of clergy, religious, and laity to bear witness to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, which is an important Roman Catholic doctrine. Congresses bring together people from a wide area, and typically involve large open-air Masses, adoration of the Eucharist (Blessed Sacrament), and other devotional ceremonies held over several days.

  • National Eucharistic Congress

    The national eucharistic congress is held in Melbourne

  • St Patrick's Cathedral

    St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne was completed

  • Archbishop Gilroy

    Archbishop Gilroy created first Australian-born Cardinal by Pope Pixus XII

  • Arrival of Ivan Prasko

    Arrival of Ivan Prasko, the first Bishop of for Ukrainian Catholics

  • Archbishop Mannix

    Archbishop Mannix dies

  • Archbishop of Melbourne

    James Robert Knox appointed Archbishop of Melbourne

  • Pope VI visits Australia

    Paul VI visits Australia, ordains first Papuan-born Bishop

  • Archbishop of Sydney

    James Darcy Freeman appointed Archbishop of Sydney

  • Maronite Diocese

    Paul VI establishes Maronite diocese in Australia

  • Eucharistic Congress

    The International Eucharistic Congress in Melbourne

  • Archbishop Freeman and Knox

    Archbishops Freeman and Knox created cardinals by Pope Paul VI

  • Archbishop of Melbourne

    Thomas Francis Little appointed Archbishop of Melbourne

  • Archbishop of Sydney

    Edward Bede Clancy appointed Archbishop of Sydney

  • Pope John Paul II

    Pope John Paul II visits Australia

  • Melkite Diocese

    Pope John Paul II establishes Melkite Diocese in Australia

  • Archbishop Clancy

    Archbishop Clancy created Cardinal by Pope John Paul II

  • Australian Catholic University

    Foundation of the Australian Catholic University

  • Pope John Paul II

    John Paul II visits Australia for Beatification of Mary MacKillop

  • Archbishop of Melbourne

    George Pell appointed Archbishop of Melbourne

  • Adelaide Cathedral

    St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Adelaide Completed

  • St Mary's Cathedral

    Completion of St Mary's Catherdral, Sydney

  • John Paul II issues Novo Millennio Ineunte

    a program for the Church in the new millennium, wherein he placed sanctity through a training in prayer as the most important priority of the Catholic Church in consonance with its purpose.

  • Archbishop Pell

    Archbishop Pell appointed Archbishop of Sydney

  • John Paul II

    Opening of John Paul II Institute for the Family, Melbourne

  • Archbishop of Melbourne

    Denise Hart appointed Archbishop of Melbourne

  • Former American priest John Geoghan

    is convicted of child molestation and sentenced to ten years in prison, as part of the ongoing sex abuse scandal. The Geoghan case was one of the worst scandals of the Catholic Church in the USA.

  • Archbishop Pell

    Archbishop Pell appointed Cardinal by Pope John Paul II

  • Pope John Paul II dies at the age of 84

    Pope John Paul II dies at the age of 84. His funeral is broadcast to every corner of the globe through the modern media. Millions of Catholic pilgrims journey to Rome to pay final respects.

  • German-born Cardinal Joseph Alois Ratzinger is elected by the College of Cardinals as Pope Benedict XVI

    German-born Cardinal Joseph Alois Ratzinger is elected by the College of Cardinals as Pope Benedict XVI, thus becoming the first Pope elected during the 21st century and the 3rd millennium.

  • Pope Benedict XVI attends the World Youth Day in Cologne

    Pope Benedict XVI attends the World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, his first trip outside Italy.