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Timeline for the Australian Catholic Church

  • Arrival of First Fleet

    Arrival of the first fleet at Sydney Cove, British settlement. It became possible first mass celebrated on Australian soil by Fr Receveur.
  • First Public Mass

    First public mass celebrated by Fr Dixon in Sydney
  • First Official Priests Arrive

    The first offical priests, Frs Therry and Conolly, arrive
  • Construction of the First Catholic Church

    Construction of the first Catholic Church as a permenant building at Richmond, Tasmania
  • Australia's First Bishop

    Pope Gregory XVI appoints Fr Brfr Polding OSB as Australia's first Catholic bishop
  • Beginning of Representative Government

    Beginning of Representative Government in Australia Robert Wilson appointed first Bishop of Hobart
  • BIshop of Perth

    John Brady was appointed the first Bishop of Perth
  • Bishop of Melbourne

    James Alipius Goold appointed first Bishop of Melbourne
  • Catholic Church in Australia is divided

    The Catholic Church in Australia is divided into provinces and dioceses
  • First Bishop of Brisbane

    James Quinn appointed first Bishop of Brisbane
  • St Mary's Cathederal Church Destroyed

    St Mary's Cathederal Church was destroyed by fire
  • Founding of Sisters of St Joesph

    Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tension Woods founded the Sisters of St Joesph
  • Rebuilding of St Mary's Cathederal

    Rebuilding of St Mary's Cathederal, begins in Sydney
  • St Vincent de Paul

    First permanent St Vincent de Paul society established in Australia
  • Archbishop Moran

    Archbishop Moran created Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII
  • St Vincent's Hospital

    St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne opened by the Sisters of Charity
  • St Patrick's Cathedral

    Consecration of St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne
  • Catholic Women's League

    Establishment of the Catholic Women's League
  • International Eucharistic Congress

    The international eucharistic congress in Sydney.
    In the Roman Catholic church, a Eucharistic Congress is a gathering of clergy, religious, and laity to bear witness to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, which is an important Roman Catholic doctrine. Congresses bring together people from a wide area, and typically involve large open-air Masses, adoration of the Eucharist (Blessed Sacrament), and other devotional ceremonies held over several days.
  • National Eucharistic Congress

    The national eucharistic congress is held in Melbourne
  • St Patrick's Cathedral

    St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne was completed
  • Archbishop of Sydney

    Norman Thomas Gilroy appointed Archbishop of Sydney
  • Archbishop Gilroy

    Archbishop Gilroy created first Australian-born Cardinal by Pope Pixus XII
  • Arrival of Ivan Prasko

    Arrival of Ivan Prasko, the first Bishop of for Ukrainian Catholics
  • Archbishop Mannix

    Archbishop Mannix dies
  • Archbishop of Melbourne

    James Robert Knox appointed Archbishop of Melbourne
  • Pope VI visits Australia

    Paul VI visits Australia, ordains first Papuan-born Bishop
  • Archbishop of Sydney

    James Darcy Freeman appointed Archbishop of Sydney
  • Maronite Diocese

    Paul VI establishes Maronite diocese in Australia
  • Eucharistic Congress

    The International Eucharistic Congress in Melbourne
  • Archbishop Freeman and Knox

    Archbishops Freeman and Knox created cardinals by Pope Paul VI
  • Archbishop of Melbourne

    Thomas Francis Little appointed Archbishop of Melbourne
  • Archbishop of Sydney

    Edward Bede Clancy appointed Archbishop of Sydney
  • Pope John Paul II

    Pope John Paul II visits Australia
  • Melkite Diocese

    Pope John Paul II establishes Melkite Diocese in Australia
  • Archbishop Clancy

    Archbishop Clancy created Cardinal by Pope John Paul II
  • Australian Catholic University

    Foundation of the Australian Catholic University
  • Pope John Paul II

    John Paul II visits Australia for Beatification of Mary MacKillop
  • Archbishop of Melbourne

    George Pell appointed Archbishop of Melbourne
  • Adelaide Cathedral

    St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Adelaide Completed
  • St Mary's Cathedral

    Completion of St Mary's Catherdral, Sydney
  • Archbishop Pell

    Archbishop Pell appointed Archbishop of Sydney
  • John Paul II

    Opening of John Paul II Institute for the Family, Melbourne
  • Archbishop of Melbourne

    Denise Hart appointed Archbishop of Melbourne
  • Archbishop Pell

    Archbishop Pell appointed Cardinal by Pope John Paul II