History of the Catholic Church in Australia

By Samantha

  • The first fleet

    The first fleet
    In 1788 the first fleet landed in Sydney Cove. Arthur Phillip was the Captain of the first fleet. They left England in 1787 but didn’t arrive here until 1788. On board all 11 ships there were approximately 778 convicts, 586 men and 192 women.

  • The first mass was celebrated

    The first mass was celebrated
    The first Catholic Mass in Australia was on the 15th of May 1803. And it was led by Father James Dixon, a convict priest transported after the rebellion of the United Irishmen in 1798.

  • First Catholic Church was laid

    First Catholic Church was laid
    In 1821 the foundation of the first Catholic Church was laid. It was in Richmond Tasmania.

  • Bede Polding becomes Australia's first catholic Bishop

    Bede Polding becomes Australia's first catholic Bishop
    In 1835 John Bede Polding became Australia's first Archbishop! He was concentrated on bringing more priests to Australia, building building more churches and growing the number of parishioners.

  • St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney was destroyed by fire

    St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney was destroyed by fire
    On the 25th of July 1865 St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney got burnt down by a fire.

  • St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne opened, run by Sisters of Charity

    St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne opened, run by Sisters of Charity
    In 1893 St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne opened. It was run by five sisters in charity. It was known as a "Cottage Hospital". It had 30 beds and in the first 14 months they had treated 2584 patients.