St Mary''s cathedral is the first site to the Catholic church built in Sydney. It was founded in 1821, the Catholic priest came to Australia in 1820, formally so st Mary''s cathedral is also known as the Mother of the Catholic Church in Australia (the Mother Church of Australian Catholicism). Built in 1865 in the cathedral was destroyed by fire. The reconstruction project was started in 1865, spent more than 60 years, completed in 1928.