Acclaimed history of the Catholic Church in Australia, first published in 1968 as TThe Catholic Church in Australia: A short history 1788P1967', in 1977 as TThe Catholic Church and Community in Australia: A history', and under the present title as a third revised edition in 1985. This edition includes a 4-page TAfterword from the nineties'. Includes an index, note on sources, and 14-page guide to further reading. The author holds a personal chair in history at the University of NSW. His TVanished Kingdoms: The Irish in Australia and New Zealand' (1990) was shortlisted for the National Book Council's Non-Fiction Award.