Members at World Youth Day in Sydney, 2008

After WWII, immigration from Malta to Australia was encouraged with assisted passages for would‐be immigrants. Fr George Preca called on the Members to offer their services and go to Australia to continue the mission in this new land.

The first parish where the Members began formally their activities was at St Mary Star of the Sea, West Melbourne. This was a flourishing parish under the guidance of Archbishop Justin Simonds.

There was a large Catholic population of Italian and Maltese people. It was into this backdrop that the Members arrived in 1956. These Members formed the nucleus of the first Australian Centre at West Melbourne.

The early Members were full of enthusiasm for the work of evangelisation. They had to find employment and fit in with the Australian psyche, and managed to make themselves known and understood in a culture that knew very little about this new form of lay apostolate.

Today in Australia we are present in New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.