Michael Brooks
Australia has seen a decline in religiosity, with a decrease in the number of Christians and an increase in immigration of people with different faiths. In the 2021 census, 43.9% of Australians identified as Christian, with the largest Christian denomination being Catholic at 20%. This is a decrease from the 2016 census, which found that 22.6% of Australians identified as Catholic. Historically, Australia's Christian population was predominantly Anglican, but since the 1980s, Catholicism has been the largest Christian denomination, constituting around one-quarter of the overall population. The Catholic Church in Australia is the largest non-government provider of welfare and education services and is culturally diverse, with Mass being celebrated in over 30 languages.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Catholics in Australia | 20% (21.5% of those who answered the question in the 2021 census) |
| Number of Catholics in Australia | 5,075,907 (2021 census data) |
| Number of Catholic students in more than 1,700 schools | 760,000 (2016) |
| Number of Catholics in Australia (2016 census) | 5,291,839 (22.6% of the population) |
| Number of Catholics in Australia (2011 census) | 5,439,257 (25.3% of the population) |
| Percentage of Catholics born outside of Australia in non-English speaking countries | 19.1% (2016) |
| Percentage of Catholics born in English-speaking countries outside Australia | 5.6% (2016) |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic population decline
The percentage of Catholics in Australia has been declining. In the 2021 census, 20% of the Australian population identified as Catholic, a decrease from 96.1% in the 1901 census. This decline can be attributed to the widespread decline in religiosity and the diversifying immigration intake, which has lowered the percentage of Christians in Australia. The gold rush in the 1850s also contributed to the decline, as it led to increased immigration and the dispossession of Indigenous Australians, resulting in the spread of Christianity and the decline of Indigenous languages and beliefs.
Historically, Catholicism in Australia faced suppression and discrimination. Australia's first cardinal, Patrick Francis Moran, believed that Catholics' political and civil rights were threatened, and the Church faced deliberate discrimination. Despite these challenges, the Catholic Church in Australia has had a significant impact on social welfare and education. The Church put significant energy and resources into creating an alternative education system and is now the second-largest provider of government-funded social services in the country.
However, the Catholic Church in Australia is currently facing a rapid decline in membership. For every 100 new Catholics, more than 800 people leave the Church, and 56% of former Catholics become religious "nones." This decline is not unique to Australia, as the Catholic population has also decreased in the United States, with a stable number of around 19% since 2014. The decline in the Catholic population is a challenge that the Church needs to address, and simplistic answers or ignoring the problem will not suffice.
While the Catholic population is declining in some regions, it is important to note that it is growing in others, such as Oceania, which includes Australia. The 2025 Pontifical Yearbook released by the Vatican's Central Office of Church Statistics revealed a growing Catholic population and a decrease in pastoral workers. The number of permanent deacons, who often serve in areas with fewer priests, has been increasing vigorously, with a 2.6% increase from 2022 to 2023.
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Catholic immigration history
According to the 2021 census, 20% of the Australian population identifies as Catholic, making it the largest Christian denomination in the country.
The first presence of Christianity in Australia began with British colonisation in 1788, when most of the convicts and free settlers were members of the Church of England, with smaller numbers of Nonconformist Protestants, Catholics, and other faiths. The first religious census in 1828 divided the early colony into four groups: Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and Pagans.
During the 1800s, there was a significant wave of Irish migration to Australia due to the Great Irish Famine. This resulted in Irish Catholics becoming a greater proportion of the population in Australia than they had been in Ireland. The Irish Catholics played a significant role in the labour movement and the foundation of the Australian Labor Party. They were often in direct political opposition to the Anglicans and Presbyterians, who were typically involved in conservative politics. This dynamic characterized Australian society and politics in the 1920s and 1930s, with sectarian antipathy between the two blocs.
In 1885, Patrick Francis Moran became Australia's first cardinal. He believed that Catholics' political and civil rights were threatened in Australia, and he saw deliberate discrimination against Catholics in various aspects of society. Moran was also a proponent of Australian Federation, but he refused to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 because precedence was given to the Church of England.
In the mid-1900s, Australia experienced a rapid growth in the number of Catholics due to the influx of many post-war immigrants from continental Europe and Malta. After World War II, Australia's immigration patterns diversified, and more than 6.5 million migrants arrived in the following 60 years, including more than a million Catholics from Italy, Malta, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Germany, Croatia, and Hungary. This shift in immigration patterns contributed to Catholics outnumbering Anglicans as the most populous Christian church in Australia since the 1986 census.
In recent decades, there has been a sharp decline in sectarianism in Australia, and sectarian loyalty to political parties has diminished. Additionally, the ethnic composition of Australian Catholicism has continued to evolve, with the emergence of strong Chinese, Korean, and Hispanic Catholic communities.
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Catholic education in Australia
Australia has a long history of Christian influence on its education system, dating back to the arrival of British colonists in 1788. The Church of England, or the Anglican Church, originally held legal privileges in early colonial Australia, while Catholicism was suppressed. Despite this, Catholics have played a significant role in shaping education in the country.
In the 19th century, following the withdrawal of state aid for church schools, the Catholic Church invested significant resources into establishing a comprehensive alternative education system. This system was primarily staffed by religious orders such as the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Mercy, and the Sisters of St Joseph, founded by the revered Australian Catholic Saint Mary MacKillop. MacKillop travelled throughout Australasia, establishing schools, convents, and charitable institutions. By 1900, there were 115 Christian Brothers teaching in Australia, and by 1910, 5000 sisters from various congregations were teaching in schools.
The Catholic education system in Australia has evolved and changed over time. Following the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, the Church experienced a decline in vocations, leading to a priest shortage. However, Catholic education under lay leadership has expanded. Additionally, Australia's post-World War II multicultural immigration program brought Catholics from diverse backgrounds, including Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Vietnam, and Sudan, further diversifying the Catholic population and the student body of Catholic schools.
Today, the Catholic Church in Australia is a significant provider of government-funded social services, second only to the government itself. Through organisations like Catholic Social Services Australia and the St Vincent De Paul Society, the Church offers a range of social welfare and educational services to the community.
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Catholic social services
According to the 2021 census, 43.9% of the Australian population identifies with a Christian denomination, making Christianity the largest religion in the country. Within this group, 20% of the population, or 47.3% of those who answered the question, identify as Catholic.
Catholicism was introduced to Australia in 1788 with British colonial settlement. The first religious census in 1828 divided the early colony into four groups: Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and Pagans. The gold rush of the 1850s led to a significant increase in Irish Catholic immigration, among other religious traditions. From the 1950s onwards, there was a rapid growth in the number of Catholics due to the influx of many post-war immigrants from continental Europe and Malta.
Today, Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) is the Catholic Church's peak body for social services in the country. It envisions an Australian society that reflects and supports the dignity, equality, and participation of all people. CSSA carries out its mission by interacting with Catholic organizations, governments, other churches, and people of goodwill to develop social welfare policies, programs, and other strategic responses that enhance the human dignity of every person. They support the economic, social, and spiritual well-being of the Australian community and provide social services to over a million Australians a year in metropolitan, regional, and remote areas. CSSA also manages several government contracts, including Job Network, the Personal Support Program, Disability Open Employment Services, and Family Relationship Services programs.
CSSA is a national federation of Catholic social service organizations and has 54 member organizations. Membership is drawn from Catholic social services organizations operating under the authority of a diocesan bishop or a religious order, and from Catholic lay associations. Individuals and other Catholic social policy organizations that operate at the state or local levels can become Associate Members. The body also seeks to influence Australian governments and the community on welfare issues and is a co-sponsor of the Dropping Off the Edge Report (DOTE), which maps disadvantage in Australia.
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Catholic Mass attendance
Christianity is the largest religion in Australia, with 43.9% of the population identifying as Christian in the 2021 census. The Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination, with 20% of the population identifying as Catholic. This represents a decline from previous censuses, with 96.1% of the population identifying as Christian in the 1901 census.
The Catholic Church in Australia has experienced a sharp drop in Mass attendance in recent years. The Australian Catholic Mass Attendance Report 2021 showed that the number of Massgoers dropped by about a third between 2016 and 2021, from 623,400 to 417,350. The nationwide Mass attendance rate was 8.2% in 2021, down from 11.8% in 2016. This likely puts Australia at the lower end of the global spectrum for Mass attendance.
Some of Australia's 33 dioceses saw especially sharp declines in Mass attendance between 2016 and 2021. For example, the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle in New South Wales had a 48% reduction in attendance, with a Mass attendance rate of just 3.7% in 2021, well below the national average. The Archdiocese of Sydney, one of the country's most prominent, saw a 34% decline in Mass attendance over the five-year period, from 93,365 to 61,247.
However, it is important to note that the decline in Mass attendance cannot be solely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other factors, such as changes in the demographics of the Catholic population, the presence or absence of immigrants, and the attendance patterns of different age groups, also play a role. For instance, the number of people aged 18-29 attending Mass has doubled from 6.5% in 2016 to almost 12% in 2021.
Despite the overall decline in Mass attendance, some dioceses have reported increases in the number of people entering the Catholic Church through the RCIA program and the number of catechumens or candidates for baptism. Additionally, the Catholic Church in Australia remains the second-largest provider of government-funded social services, and around a quarter of students attend church-owned schools.
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Frequently asked questions
According to the 2021 census, 20% of Australians identify as Catholic.
In 2021, 5,075,907 Australians identified as Catholic.
Yes, the percentage of Catholics in Australia has decreased over time. In 2011, 25.3% of Australians identified as Catholic, and in 2016, the percentage had dropped to 22.6%.
The number of Catholics in Australia has been increasing. Between 2006 and 2011, the number of Catholics increased by 6.1%. However, between 2011 and 2016, the number of Catholics decreased by 2.7%.
Since the 1986 census, there have been more Catholics than Anglicans in Australia.
