The History of the Church

By ToN768

  • First Catholic School

    Mary and Michael Burke began the story establishing the first catholic school funded entirely by money collected from local catholic settlers

  • Saint Stevens Catholic Church is Proclaimed the Cathedral of Diocese

    The Saint Stevens Catholic Church was proclaimed the cathedral of the Diocese after formally separating from New South Wales, to become known as the colony of Queensland.

  • Bishop James Quinn made His way to Brisbane aboard the Yarra Yarra

    Bishop James Quinn, five priests and six Irish Sisters of Mercy made their way to Brisbane aboard the Yarra Yarra. Quinn was surprised by the poverty of the largely Irish population and committed to raising the economic and social status of Catholics through education.

  • The Saint James School for boys was established

    The Saint James school was staffed entirely by lay teachers, it was a unique model with both religious and lay student teachers receiving their training before and after school and working in classes apprentices during the day it would be almost be 100 years until a dedicated Teachers Training Colleague was established.

  • The Time of Growth

    The 1870's was a time of growth on the back of the divide between the Irish Catholic and English Protestants, came a push to keep church and state separate. laws were passed to provide free compulsory and secular education to children and to remove state funding for all religious schools.

  • Around this Time

    Around this time Mary Mackillop and the sisters of St.Joseph arrived in Brisbane

  • By the End of the Decade

    By the end of the decade there around 35 catholic schools established and fully funded by their communities. Catholic Education not only survived but flourished.

  • Turning of The Century

    The turn of the century saw much transformation. The newly formed Federation of the Australian states, the new Archdiocese of Brisbane, a new Archbishop Robert Done along with technology and social advancements like electricity and Australian women being able to vote.

  • World War 1

    The horrors and disruptions of World War 1 had big implications for Catholic education. The divide between Protestants and Catholics gained momentum during the conscription debate.