History of the Catholic Church in Australia By Nick606 4 BCE Christ is born 1778 Arrival of First Fleet at Sydney Cove 1803 First public Mass said by Fr. Dixon 1820 First official priests arrive 1821 Construction of first church at Richmond 1838 Arrival of Caroline Chisholm in Australia 1848 Church divided into provinces and dioceses 1861 Mercy Sisters arrive in Queensland 1865 St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney burned down 1868 Christian Brothers arrive in Melbourne 1878 Arrival of the Jesuits in Sydney 1881 First permanent St. Vincent's in Australia 1885 Archbishop Moran made Cardinal 1909 Death of Mary McKillop 2013 Pope Francis Appointed