History of the Catholic Church

First Catholic School

1845

Lay couple Mary and Michael Burk establishing the First Catholic School funded entirely by collected from local catholic settlers.

First Permanent Church

1850

The First Permanent Church was St Stephens. Almost 10 years on, St Stephens proclaimed the Cathedral of the diocese.

Opening our First Catholic Secondary School

1861

Bishop James Quinn, five priest and six Irish sisters of Mercy, made there way to Brisbane, aboard the Yara Yara. Mother Vincent Whitty and the sisters of Mercy established our first Catholic Secondary School.

Boy School Established

1868

The all boy school, St James College in Spring Hill was established, staffed entirely by lay teachers receiving their training before and after school and working in classes.

Time of Growth

1870

It was a time of growth on the back of the divide between the Irish Catholic and English Protestants came to a push to keep church and state separate. By the end of the decade, there was 35 Catholic schools established and fully funded by their communities.

Archbishop Robert Dunne

1887

A new Archbishop Robert Dunne, along with technological and social advancements, like electricity and Australian women now able to vote. By 1930 , Archbishop James Chui he had established 28 new schools.

Australian Poverty

1945

After WW2, saw Australian suffer the challenges of widespread poverty and unemployment. Catholic education was effected by lack of teachers growing class sizes and economic challenges. Mary Mackillop's famous quote "Never see a need without doing something about it" came in this year. Also 19 new Catholic School were established.

Benard O'Shea

1948

He was renamed diocesan director of Catholic Education. Also 26 new schools were open in 15 years to 1960.

Government Funding

1962

This was the first time Catholic School had received Government Funding.

Opening the doors

1973

Macaulay College would open its doors, to include lay teachers as Catholic schools had become more reliant on laid leadership and staff. The Second Vatican Council saw new Education approaches which would see this decade closed with 43 thousand students enrolled and 113 schools across the archdiocese. After 40 year of director of Catholic Education, Father Bernard O'shea was replaced by the First layed Ector Vince or Orce. 19 new schools were open.