Key events/milestones in the establishment of the Catholic Church in Australia

By Ruben_Brewitt
  • Catholic Convicts Arrive

    Catholic Convicts Arrive

    Irish Catholic convicts arrived with the First Fleet but couldn't practice their faith openly.
  • First Catholic Mass

    First Catholic Mass

    Fr James Dixon, a convict priest, was allowed to hold the first official Catholic Mass in Sydney.
  • First Official Catholic Priests

    First Official Catholic Priests

    Fr John Therry and Fr Philip Conolly arrived to lead the Catholic community.
  • First Catholic Church Built

    First Catholic Church Built

    St Mary’s Chapel (later St Mary’s Cathedral) was built in Sydney.
  • First Catholic Bishop

    First Catholic Bishop

    John Bede Polding became Australia’s first Catholic bishop, helping grow Catholic schools and churches.
  • Catholic Schools Lose Government Funding

    Catholic Schools Lose Government Funding

    The government stopped funding religious schools, so the Catholic Church had to run its own.
  • Catholic Schools Get Funding Again

    Catholic Schools Get Funding Again

    The government started funding Catholic schools again.