When Fr Aloysius Nato SVD first arrived in Melbourne in July 2010, he spotted a beautiful church from his car window and was told it was Sacred Heart Preston, an SVD parish. Ten years later, he was appointed to serve in that parish – only it was during the Covid lockdown period and there were no parishioners in the pews.

Four years down the track, the parish has returned to full life again and is putting in place action plans to realise its ambition of becoming a vibrant faith community and a missionary parish.

The Divine Word Missionaries are engaged in a range of ministries in Melbourne, including the formation of SVD missionaries at Dorish Maru College, the pastoral care of the Parish of Sacred Heart, Preston, and the fostering of spirituality at the Janssen Spirituality Centre, Boronia. Recently, the SVD community began to welcome asylum seekers to the Janssen Spirituality Centre. The asylum seekers live at the Centre in community detention while their claims are being processed. They are cared for pastorally and assisting with skills and training.