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Catholic Convicts Arrive
Irish Catholic convicts arrived with the First Fleet but couldn't practice their faith openly. -
First Catholic Mass
Fr James Dixon, a convict priest, was allowed to hold the first official Catholic Mass in Sydney. -
First Official Catholic Priests
Fr John Therry and Fr Philip Conolly arrived to lead the Catholic community. -
First Catholic Church Built
St Mary’s Chapel (later St Mary’s Cathedral) was built in Sydney. -
First Catholic Bishop
John Bede Polding became Australia’s first Catholic bishop, helping grow Catholic schools and churches. -
Catholic Schools Lose Government Funding
The government stopped funding religious schools, so the Catholic Church had to run its own. -
Catholic Schools Get Funding Again
The government started funding Catholic schools again.