Sydney Churches
1788
First Fleet enters Sydney Cove on January 23
1788
La Perouse enters Botany Bay on January 25. His chaplain, Abbe Mones,
celebrates the first Mass within Australian territory
1792
Catholic settlers at Parramatta petition Governor Phillip for a chaplain
1800
Fr James Harold & Fr James Dixon arrive as convicts
1803
Fr Dixon celebrates the first public Mass
1804
After the Castle Hill rebellion of Irish convicts, Dixon's permit was
withdrawn
1817
Fr Jeremiah O'Flynn arrives without government credentials
1818
O'Flynn is arrested and deported
1820
Fr Philip Conolly and Fr John Therry arrive as official chaplains
1821
Fr Conolly is sent to Tasmania and Fr Therry is left in charge in NSW
1821
On Oct 29 Governor Macquarie lays the foundation stone for St Mary's
Church on the site of what was later to be the cathedral.
1822
First Catholic school at Parramatta
1826
Fr Daniel Power becomes chaplain and Fr Therry moves to Parramatta
1828
First census of NSW shows that 69% of the white population is
Protestant and 30% Catholic
1829
Settlement of Western Australia begins
1830
Catholic Emancipation Act promulgated for NSW
1831
Fr CV Dowling OP arrives as chaplain
1832
Fr John McEncroe arrives in Sydney
1833
Feb 18 Dr W B Ullathorne arrives in Sydney as Vicar-General
1833
NSW Legislative Council provides grants for the appointment of four
new chaplains, for the completion of three unfinished churches, and
£800 a year for schools and schoolteachers
1834
John Bede Polding created as bishop and appointed vicar-apostolic
of New Holland and Van Diemen's Land
1835
Polding arrives in Sydney as bishop
1836
Governor Bourke's Church Act provides government funds for all
major churches
1836
South Australia first settled
1836
Financing secured for a Catholic orphanage
1836
Foundation of St Patrick's Church, Parramatta
1837
Bishop Ullathorne's writings attract Catholic support for a mission
1838
First Marist priests at Woolloomooloo
1838
Caroline Chisholm from the Sisters of Charity arrives in Sydney;
1839
Catholic newspaper Australasian Chronicle founded
1840
End of convict transportation to New South Wales
St Mary’s Cathedral - Sydney
St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney
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