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La Perouse enters Botany Bay and his chaplain, Abbe Mones, celebrates the first
Mass within Australian territory -
First Irish convicts transported to Botany Bay
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Fr Jeremiah Flynn arrives to minister to convict Catholics but he does not have the official sanction of the church or state. The following year after ignoring Governor Macquarie’s instructions not to carry out any of the functions of a priest, he is arrested and deported despite protests from the colony’s Catholics and several Protestant leaders
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Australia’s first census is held and reveals a white population of 36,598 which includes both free settlers and convicts. Among these, 25,248 are Protestants and 11,236 Catholics
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Benedictine priest, John Bede Polding is consecrated (ordained as Bishop) in London and appointed Vicar Apostolic with jurisdiction over what is now the Commonwealth of Australia.
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Transportation of convicts to New South Wales is suspended
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Arrival of the Jesuits in Sydney
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The Archbishop’s Official Residence at Manly is completed
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Cardinal Moran dies and is succeeded by Archbishop Kelly. The Archdiocese now has 189 churches, eight hospitals and three seminaries. Of Sydney’s 175,000 Catholics, more than 25,000 children are enrolled at Archdiocese schools.
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World War I declared. Catholics become influential in the Australian Labor Party with the rise of figures such as Ben Chiffley and James Scullin. St Patrick’s College seminary at Manly celebrates its Silver Jubilee. An Act of Parliament permits the subdivision of 21 acres of land above Shelly Beach and Fairy Bower to help meet the cost of the college’s upkeep
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Rules of St Patrick’s published This meeting formed the St. Patrick’s Society “for the encouragement of national feeling, for the relief of the destitute, the promotion of education, whatever may be considered by the members best calculated to promote the happiness, honour and prosperity of their native and adopted land”
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Archbishop Michael Kelly dies. Archbishop Gilroy becomes Archbishop of Sydney
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Post World War II with the upsurge in births, Catholic schools are under pressure and overwhelmed by demand
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Death of Pope John XXIII who is succeeded by Pope Paul VI. The Second Vatican Council commences and appoints Cardinal Gilroy to the Council of Presidency. The Mass changes from Latin to English
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Cardinal Gilroy is receives a KBE, a knighthood of the British Empire for his services to Sydney and the community Bishop Freeman becomes Bishop of Armidale
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Cardinal Freeman dies. Thousands of Catholics and non Catholics mourn his passing. Archbishop Edward Bede Clancy, formerly Archbishop of Goulburn and Canberra becomes Archbishop of Sydney
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Pope John Paul II makes his second visit to Australia. Mother Masry of the Cross, Mary MacKillop is beatified. St Patrick’s College seminary at Manly closes and a new modern seminary, the Seminary of the Good Shepherd is built at Homebush to replace it
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Death of much loved Pope John Paul II. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is elected Pope Benedict XVI