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The first fleet took place in Botany Bay. Due to the inefficient capacity of British prisons, the Dutch sent convicts to Australia; 'Terra Nullius' - they called it.
One of every ten convicts that were sent, were catholic; half of which were Irish.
Upon the arrival of the British, they encountered Indigenous Australians. Since they were unfamiliar with them and did not see them as human beings, they slaughtered many of them to claim the land. -
The first priests in Australia were convicts. One of the priests, James Dixon, was given consent to give mass for Catholics currently living in Sydney.
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The arrival of Father John Joseph Therry and Father Phillip Connolly, was considered as the formal establishment of the Catholic Church of Australia.
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An estimated ten catholic schools were established.
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As of 1835, John Bede Polding became the first Bishop of Australia.
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Bishop John Bede Polding founded the Good Samaritan Sisters religious order.
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Catholic schools received government assitance
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Both Rev Julian Tennison and Mary Mackillop became Australi's first saints.
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In Penola, South Australia, the Sisters of St Joseph of the sacred heart were founded by Mary Mackillop and Rev. Julian Tenison Woods.
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The sisters of St Joseph of the sacred heart, Josephites, run 35 catholic schools in the diocese of Adelaide.
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About 815 Sisters from a variety of orders teach at schools.
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Thomas Carr becomes Archbishop of Melbourne.
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115 Christian Brothers begin to teach in 30 different schools.
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The number of sisters teaching in schools rises to 5000
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The number of Australian Catholics increases in population. Many parishes are established in new suburbs and the number of priests, sisters and brothers grows. Many people attended mass around this time period.
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From 1960 to 1970, over one million catholic non-english speaking immigrants have come to Australia.
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Vatican II was held in Rome, where all the bishops of the world attended. The Pope declares teachings in forms of sixteen documents that promote Christian Unity.
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Since the 1950's Catholic mass attendance rates have fallen. The number of priests, sisters and brothers has decreased and their average age has gotten older. In general, people have lost their passion in Catholicism in comparison to past years.
