History of the Church in Australia

  • La Perouse enters Botany Bay.

    Celebrates with the first mass in Australian territory
  • First Irish convicts transported to Botany Bay

  • First Public Mass

  • Fr John Therry and Fr Phillip Conolly arrived.

    They became Australia’s first Priests, and arrived in Sydney.
  • Australia’s First Census is held

    It reveals a white population of 36,598 which includes both free settlers and convicts. Among these, 25,248 are protestants and 11,236 are Catholics.
  • Penal laws preventing Catholics holding Government positions ended.

  • St Mary’s Chapel was finally completed.

    Fr Therry celebrates the first mass there.
  • 5 sisters of Charity arrive in Sydney

    They have a mission to help the poor and disadvantaged
  • The Sisters of Charity established St Vincent’s hospital in the centre of Sydney

    Is free services for all people, especially the poor.
  • A fire destroys St Mary’s Cathedral

  • Mary Mackillop becomes the first Sister and Mother Superior of the Sisters of St Joseph

  • NSW Catholic Bishops issue a Joint Pastoral Letter

    It that catholics must send their children to Catholic schools.
  • First St Vincent DePaul Society

  • Cardinal Moran Dies and is succeeded by Archbishop Kelly

    The Archdiocese now has 189 Churches and 8 hospitals
  • Formation of the Catholic Teachers Federation

  • Australia’s First Prime Minister

    James Scullin becomes Australia’s First Prime Minister
  • Sydney now has 366 Catholic Schools

    They also have 115,704 pupils in these schools
  • Restoration of St Mary’s Cathedral begins.