Topic 7 - One Important Person In The History Of Religion

Question 1

What was religion in Australia like before Archbishop Mannix’s influence?

Answer 1

• Many Catholics joined the labor party at the beginning of the 20th century. They thought it would give Catholic schools more support and recognition in society
• in 1910 the Labour Party won both the state and federal elections. It soon became clear that the values and beliefs of the Catholics were not actually respected within the party.
• the Catholic faith was not taken seriously and didn’t have a public place in society
• the Catholics did not openly object to this treatment and focused more on rivalry between Christian denominations.

Question 2

What did Archbishop Mannix do for Australian History?

Answer 2

• Daniel Mannix was an Irish born Catholic who fought for the rights of Australian faith
• Mannix arrived in Melbourne in 1913
• Mannix was assertive and outspoken
• in a local newspaper he was called “the most aggressive and proactive Catholic prelate in Australia”
• 1914, with support from the Catholic Federation, Mannix began to encourage Catholics to avoid voting for voting for anti-Catholic politicians. He also warned the Labor party that if they did not start catering for the Catholics needs, they would get a huge withdrawal of votes.
• During this time, Catholics were 1/4 of the population but only held 1/10 of the wealth

Question 3

What was the result of Archbishop’s work and how did it impact religion in Australia?

Answer 3

• Mannix’s influence was greatly appreciated in the Catholic community of Australia.
• through out the years of the Mannix’s involvement, the number of parishioners increased from 150,000 to 600,000
• the number of churches increased from 160 to 300
• social groups of which Mannix inspired included Young Christian Workers, the Knights of the Southern Cross, the Children of Mary and St Vincent De Paul society