Timeline of the early Catholic Church of Australia

First catholics arrive in Australia

Jan 26, 1788

The first catholics to arrive on the first fleet were the Irish convicts and about 1/10th of them were catholic born.

Catholics try to get the first catholic priest

1792

Five lay Catholics petition Governor Phillip to appoint a Catholic priest in 1792. The early governors refused requests for Catholic clergy to minister publicly to Catholic convicts and free settlers due to suspicion of and antagonism towards the Irish.

They were 800 catholics living in Australia

1796

800 Catholics were living in NSW. 25% of all convicts were Irish.
Still no Catholic priests available.

3 catholic priest arrive

1800

First priests- Frs Dixon and Harold, were transported after the Irish Rebellion of 1798. They both arrived in January 1800.
Harold was transferred to Norfolk island where he taught school and ministered privately.

Mass celebrated for the first time

1803

Fr Dixon was allowed to say Mass and he celebrated the first known public Mass in 1803 in Sydney.

Permission to celebrate mass withdrawn

1804

Castle Hill withdrew Fr Dixons privileges

3 catholic priests return to Ireland

1808

Between 1798 and 1808 three priests were transported to NSW: Frs Dixon, Harold and O’Neill. By 1808 all had returned to Ireland with pardons.

Fr Jeremiah O'Flynn arrives

1817

Catholic children forced to follow Church of England ceremonies at school

1820

By 1820 Catholics were still reluctant to send their children to school because they were staffed by Protestants who forced catholic children to follow the ceremonies of the “Established church”- the Church of England

First Catholic chapel begins to be built in Australia

1821

The foundation stone of the first St Mary's Chapel in Sydney is laid by Govenor Macquarie and blessed by Fr Therry.

Bishop Polding appointed as first Catholic bishop in Australia

1835

Sisters of charity arrive in Sydney Cove

Dec 31, 1838

The sisters of charity was established in Parramatta