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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/subWoofer_0870 on 2024-11-11 05:57:49+00:00.

In the early days of the British colony in Sydney, Australia, the authorities viewed the Church of England as part of the establishment, and required convicts to attend church every Sunday in an attempt to install “good morals”. This grated somewhat on those of the convict population who were from a Roman Catholic background (particularly the Irish).

As the colony developed, and grants of land were made further away from Sydney Cove (the initial settlement point), churches of the Church of England flavour were set up, and ministers appointed to preach to and pastor the locals. Fairly early in the days of the colony, a settlement was established at Windsor, about 40km/25miles northwest of Sydney Cove. Settlers farming on granted land nearby could apply to have convicts to work as farm labourers and domestic servants. These arrangements involved written contracts, specifying the responsibilities of the landholders and the convicts. These contracts included the stipulation that the convicts must attend the church service at “St Matthew’s Church, Windsor” every Sunday.

The Roman Catholic priests in Sydney did not take this lying down. In 1840, St Matthew’s Catholic Church was set up in Windsor. Convicts in the area of a Roman Catholic persuasion could comply with the letter of their employment contracts without having to be subject to that nasty Protestantism.