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First Fleet arrives in New South Wales
In 1788 30% of the 756 convicts on the First Fleet were Catholic. They were not allowed to have a Catholic Church. They were forced into attending the Anglican Church service every Sunday by Governor Philip. If the convicts did not attend they would be flogged. Some of the convicts even burnt down the first Anglican Church in the colony. The Catholic convicts were mainly Irish. https://mrswilliamhttps://mrswilliamspodroom.weebly.com/religion-early-church -
Catholic settlers request
In 1792 five Catholics requested for appointment of a Catholic priest for Church to Governor Philip, but he refused to let them have one because of the thoughts of the convicts turning into a mob and taking over the colony because of the priest. Once some of the Catholics finished there sentence they would still have to go to Church every Sunday, after church most of the Catholics gathered in each others home to say some of the prayers of the Mass. -
Catholics in Australia
In 1797 most of the early Catholic convicts were known as to be Irish and weren't that happy when Governor Philip made all the Convicts go to his Anglican Church. As we might know they would of been frustrated or very angry. Governor Philip didn't like that most of the Catholic convicts refused and came up with a punishment. He said ''If you convicts refuse you will be getting flogged''. He knew that most of the Catholic convicts would now not dare refuse. -
The first priest arrives in Australia
In 1798 the first priest was a man called Fr Dixon, who was caught up in the Irish rebellion and sent to court. He got a terrible sentence. He was sentenced to transportation and arrived January 1800. Later Governor King allowed him to conduct a school because he trusted him as an educated member of the ordinary. A few years after, King allowed Fr Dixon to become a priest among the convicts and he became known as the first priest in New Holland ( Australia). -
First Mass allowed to be celebrated
It wasn't until 1803 when the first Mass was allowed to be celebrated. When the colony allowed this first Mass officers had to be careful and watch over the convicts because of fears from the Governor about the Irish planning a rebel. Later the Governor decided that there wouldn't be a second Mass, but it wasn't until 16 years after a second Mass was celebrated and called by another Governor. -
First free priest arrives
In 1817 the Governor back in London decided that they would bring a free settler that was a priest over to New Holland to help the convicts when they were at the Anglican church and to celebrate Mass. The priest's name was Fr O'flynn, but after a year he was expelled from New Holland and sent back to London. -
First offical Catholic Priest's arrive
In 1820 Fr John Therry and Fr Philip Connolly were marked as the first two official priests in New Holland. Fr Therry opened the first Catholic school in Parramatta and Governor Maquire sent the convicts to open land so that Fr Therry could which build the Catholic school. -
Catholics in New South Wales
By the late 1820's to 1828 most of the Catholic convicts arrived in New South Wales or were still Catholics serving the last few years of there sentence to transportation. There were approximately close to around 11,236 Catholics in New South Wales by the 1828's. While back in London the population of Catholics increased but there were still more London citizens still living on the streets and in houses as well as work sheds. -
Bishop Polding appointed
In 1835 London had more and more Catholics coming to live there and once there were no more to come the new population of Catholics was turned into around 20,000 Catholics so the Governor ordered there to be a Bishop living among these Catholics. -
First priest arrives in Brisbane
As 1843 began the colony of Morten Bay was also declared as part of the colony New South Whales. The first Brisbane priest arrived during this time and conducted Mass for the most wanted criminals who had been caught and were to dangerous to send to Sydney so they were sent to somewhere further away from England because of fears if they did truly escape they might make it back to England and continue crime, and maybe even never get caught and might as well become way to dangerous for London.
