1830-1880 in the early Catholic Church

By B.B. Gunn

  • St Johns Tasmania

    St Johns Tasmania
    St Johns Tasmania is opened to the public in 1835

  • Mary Reiby

    Mary Reiby
    A former convict, Mary Reibey becomes rich after her husband dies and uses her money to fund church and education in Sydney.

  • Church Acts

    Church Acts
    In 1836 Governor Richard Bourke (photo) introduced The Church Acts. These provided government subsidies for priests salaries and for new church construction. The government also subsidised church construction and running fees on a pound for pound basis up to £1000.

  • Caroline Chisholm

    Caroline Chisholm
    Caroline Chisholm arrives in Australia

  • Sisters of Charity

    Sisters of Charity
    Sisters of Charity arrive in Australia

  • Sisters of Mercy

    Sisters of Mercy
    Separate Sisters of Mercy groups unite and the foundation is recognised by Pope Gregory

  • Christian Brothers

    Christian Brothers
    Christian Brothers first arrive in Sydney and quickly spread throughout Australia, then to New Zealand and other Asia/Pacific countries

  • St Francis’ church Victoria

    St Francis’ church Victoria
    Construction on the St Francis’ church in Victoria is complete

  • St Patrick’s Church

    St Patrick’s Church
    The foundation stone for St Patrick’s church was laid in 1845

  • Old St Stephens church

    Old St Stephens church
    Construction on the old st Stephens church begins in 1849

  • Gold Rush

    Gold Rush
    The first gold is discovered in Australia in May 1851

  • Eureka Stockade

    Eureka Stockade
    Irish goldmines rise up against government taxes but are quickly crushed by police

  • St Vincent De Paul

    St Vincent De Paul
    St Vincent de Paul society starts up in Australia in 1854

  • Fr Julian Tenison Woods

    Fr Julian Tenison Woods
    Fr Woods arrives in Australia in 1855, and 11 years later joins with Mary MacKillop to make the sisters of St Joseph

  • Good Samaritan sisters

    Good Samaritan sisters
    Good Samaritan sisters come to Australia in 1857

  • Presentation Sisters

    Presentation Sisters
    In July 1866, the first Presentation Sisters left Ireland and set out to make the long journey to Tasmania to start the presentation sisters in Australia

  • Mary MacKillop

    Mary MacKillop
    The Sisters of St Joseph, a religious organisation she co-founded, opens a school was opened in Yankalilla, South Australia, in October 1867

  • Duke of Edinburgh assassination attempt

    Duke of Edinburgh assassination attempt
    The duke of Edinburgh was almost assassinated by Irish man Henry James O’Farrel, but it failed