Catholics in majority by 2007, boosted by Playford era post-war migration from Europe

St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Wakefield Street, Adelaide.

By 2007, the Roman Catholicism was the largest faith denomination in South Australia, 21% of the state’s population.

The church benefited from the late 1930s rapid growth in South Australian manufacturing industry that transformed the state economically and socially.

After World War II, to meet the demand for labour, the state drew many immigrants from the United Kingdom and Europe. This wave of migration boosted the size of the Catholic community.

Catholics became active in South Australian politics, especially in the Labor Party.

Between 1947 and 1966 the Catholic proportion of the state’s population rose sharply, from 13% to 20%.

In suburban Adelaide, many new parishes were created and there was a wave of church building.

Enrolments in Catholic schools in South Australia jumped from about 9600 in 1946 to 24,500 in 1960, 44,700 in 2003. In 2014, South Australia has more non-Catholic students (44%) than any other mainland state.

The start of federal state aid during the 1960s removed a long-standing Catholic grievance. It also enabled lay teachers to gradually replace religious orders and Catholic education to be reorganised.

The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) pushed the South Australian church into many new directions: ecumenism; changes in worship (English replacing Latin in the Mass); greater involvement of lay people in leading worship and in ministry; parish pastoral councils; increased Bible study; a greater openness to the wider community and to issues of social justice. Women became prominent in parish and diocesan leadership.

But this sparked a conservative reaction, especially under Pope Paul II when Rome reasserted its authority.