Catholic Beginnings ... continued

Nineteenth century artist's impression of
the First Fleet at anchor in Botany Bay.

Over the next months on this blog, we will give an outline of the beginnings of Catholic life in Australia - to the extent that historical records allow it.  Already we have discovered that there were Catholics amongst the First Fleet of 1788 and that the Church desired to assist them.  

The dawn of Catholicism on this continent is a mixed story of the extraordinary and th ordinary, of piety and laxity, missionary fervour and negligence, remarkable courage and fallen weakness. Outstanding people emerged which figure in this history, whilst much of the story of those years remains unrecorded and forgotten.

Please continue to follow the story here on our blog In Diebus illis.  Our next post will be the remarkable story of the Comte de Lapérouse.