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1803 First public Mass said by Fr. Dixon
The year 1803 Sydney had their first mass on May 15 by Fr. James Dixon was a Roman Catholic priest who was born in County Wexford, Ireland. He was also sentenced to death at one point because people thought that James Dixon was taking part of the Irish rebellion when it could have been his brother Nicholas. Fr. Dixon was then granted a second chance here in Sydney to become a priest. -
Arrival of Fr. Jeremiah O’Flynn “Prefect-Apostolic of New Holland”
Jeremiah Francis O'Flynn , Roman Catholic priest, was born on 25 December 1788 in County Kerry, Ireland. He arrived in Sydney on 9 November 1817. He told Governor Lachlan Macquarie that he had Bathurst's permission to serve as a priest in the colony, -
Frs. Therry and Conolly, the first official priests arrive
John Joseph Therry (1790-1864), Catholic priest, of Cork, Ireland, and his wife Eliza, née Connolly. He arrived in Sydney, authorized by both church and state, in May 1820. -
Bede Polding becomes Australia’s first Catholic bishop
John Bede Polding, born November 18, 1794, Liverpool, England. John Bede Polding became the first Roman Catholic bishop in Australia on the 20th of Febuary 1835. Eight years later he became the first archbishop of Sydney -
Arrival of Caroline Chisholm in Australia
As Caroloine grew, she became convinced that God was calling her to dedicate her life to help people in need. After her marriage and after much thought, Caroline became a Catholic in 1831. She would then come to Australia and carry on what she was doing, helping those in need. -
Arrival of Fr. Patrick Geoghegan in Melbourne
Patrick Bonaventure Geoghegan (1805-1864), Roman Catholic bishop, was born in Dublin and baptized on 17 March 1805. He was appointed to Bishop John Bede Polding, he sent him to establish the first Catholic mission in Melbourne. -
James Alepius Goold becomes first Catholic bishop of Melbourne
James Alipius Goold was born on 4 November 1812. James Goold arrived in Sydney on 24 February 1838. He then became the first catholic bishop of Melbourne on 9 July 1847. -
The Catholic Church in Australia is divided into provinces and dioceses
The church in Australia has five provinces Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney having 35 dioceses. Dioceses are the pastoral care of a bishop in the Christian Church. -
Mary MacKillop opens first Adelaide school
Marry MacKillop was Irish then moved here to Australia to help with education, orphans and the poor as these are just a few things Marry did to help people. -
Thomas Joseph Carr, Archbishop of Melbourne
Thomas Joseph Carr was born in Moylough, County Galway, Ireland, in 1839. Thomas Carr was offered Archbishop of Melbourne on the 11th of June 1887. He also helped with the church and Schools. -
Arrival of Archbishop Daniel Mannix in Melbourne
Daniel Mannix was born on 4 March 1864 at his father's substantial tenant farm Deerpark, Charlevill Cork, Ireland. He succeeded as archbishop on 6 May 1917 -
Archbishop Gilroy becomes first Australian Cardinal
Norman Thomas Gilroy was born on 22 January 1896 at Glebe, Sydney. On 18 February 1946 Pope Pius XII named him cardinal with the title of the ancient church of the Four Crowned Martyrs. -
Archbishop James Robert Knox appointed Archbishop of Melbourne
James Robert was born on 2 March 1914 at Bayswater, Perth. He then became Archbishop of Melbourne from 1967 until 1974. He was named a Cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1973 -
John Paul II visits Australia for Beatification of Mary McKillop
John Paul II was the first non Italian pope. He came to Australia to celebrate Marry Mackillop's life as a saint. -
Appointment of Dr. George Pell as Archbishop of Melbourne
Pell was named seventh Archbishop of Melbourne on 16 July 1996, receiving the pallium from Pope John Paul II on 29 June 1997. Pell later was named eighth Archbishop of Sydney on 26 March 2001 and again received the pallium from John Paul on 29 June 2001.
