Brothers History
 The
Missionaries of God's Love began within the Disciples of Jesus covenant
community in Canberra in 1986, under the guidance of Fr. Ken Barker. Some
young men, who belonged to the covenant community, approached Fr. Ken,
expressing a call to priesthood, but also wanting to remain part of the
community. They agreed to meet weekly before the Blessed Sacrament for a
year in order to listen to the Lord's direction. At the end of that time
they began to share a common life together in a fraternity house, seeking
to live the gospel in a radical manner, by imitating Jesus in his poverty,
and developing a strong life of prayer and brotherhood. They began to
understand that their commitment to contemplative prayer, adoration of
Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and charismatic worship, was meant to
empower them to bring God's love to others, especially to the alienated
and marginalised in society.
Gradually young men have been ordained as priests and sent out to assist
in the Church's mission of the "new evangelization". In 1991 a
mission was established in Papua New Guinea. This was followed in 1996 by
a mission in Darwin, working with an urban aboriginal community. Also, in
the same year, a mission was opened in Manila ministering within a so-called
"squatter" area. In 1998 the Missionaries were given
responsibility for the parish of Narrabundah in Canberra, where they are
seeking to build a Eucharistic Centre. They also have held responsibility
for the chaplaincy to Canberra University since 1995.
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