La Perouse enters Botany Bay and his chaplain, Abbe Mones, celebrates the first Mass within Australian territory
First Irish convicts transported to Botany Bay
Fr James Dixon and two other priests arrested as part of the 1798 Irish Rebellion are transported to New South Wales as convicts
Castle Hill Rebellion results in Fr Dixon’s permit to conduct Mass being withdrawn
Fr John Therry and Fr Philip Conolly, Australia’s first official priests, arrive in Sydney. Fr Therry opens the first Catholic school in Parramatta and lobbies Governor Macquarie for land on which to build the settlement’s first Catholic church.
The foundation stone of St Mary’s Chapel is laid by Governor Macquarie and blessed by Fr Therry. Father Connolly builds the first Catholic church in Tasmania
Fr Therry is misquoted in the Sydney Gazette triggering a furore among the Anglican Establishment. An outraged Governor Macquarie, now Earl of Bathurst removes Therry from his role as the colony’s official chaplain.
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
Penal laws preventing Catholics holding Government positions ends
Fr Power dies
Fr John McEncroe appointed an official chaplain to the Catholics of Australia. In a letter to Dublin’s Archbishop James Murray that “There are 16,000 or 18,000 Catholics in this colony, not one half of whom hardly ever see a Priest”
St Mary’s Chapel finally completed. Fr Therry celebrates the first Mass there. Fr William Ullalthorne arrives in Sydney to take over as the colony’s first Vicar General
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.
Bishop Polding arrives in Hobart and a short time later sails for Sydney. His Vicariate covers the whole of Australia including Tasmania. The newly-completed St Mary’s Chapel is consecrated as St Mary’s Cathedral.
The Sisters of Charity establish St Vincent’s Hospital in the centre of Sydney and offer its services free to all people, but especially to the poor
Fr James Quinn is consecrated in Ireland and sails for Australia to become the first Bishop of Brisbane
The NSW Government passes a bill to abolish State aid to religion
The Holy Father Pope Francis appoints George Cardinal Pell as Prefect of the new Secretariat for the Economy. The Most Rev Anthony Fisher is appointed as the ninth Archbishop of Sydney.