In the MGL Darwin mission, the Prison Ministry has a special place. Many of the priests and brothers have visited the adult prison and the Youth Detention Centre over the years. St Martin de Porres Catholic Aboriginal Community elders and the MGL have led this ministry since the late 1990s when Fr Steve Fletcher was invited to Darwin to be St Martin’s Chaplain.
The Ministry currently has about 12 members over two teams and a small group can visit twice a month at the Detention Centre, two to three times a month with the women and three times a month with the men.
The team leads the men, women and children in song, gospel dramas, bible reflection, healing prayer, and other activities during their hope-filled Church Services.
Fr Dan says, “This is truly Jesus’ heart, ‘to set prisoners free.’ Watching the Holy Spirit touch hearts and bring healing and hope has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.”
Br Veko MGL also shares, “Visiting women, men and children in the prison makes me realise that God is working even in a place we don’t expect. Seeing them respond to our presence, and even asking us to pray for them surprised me. I realised how much they are longing for God and especially for healing.”
“Fr Dan has an incredible gift of ministering to them, whether they are men, women or children. It makes me really sad to see how kids in the prison have to go through life which is different to normal kids in school. I can see how physically and spiritually the kids are affected by their life in the prison which has children between the ages of 10 and 16 years. Despite this, God is still working through us. We are constantly praying for healing, and for them to have God’s love in their hearts.”
“Watching the Holy Spirit touch hearts and bring healing and hope has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.”
“One thing that is important, that opened my heart to this ministry, is that our presence to them is very important. I believe that God uses us to heal them even in the small things we do, like singing, dancing and the stories that Fr Dan tells them. There is where the healing starts and joy is sparkling.”
Find out more about the Darwin MIsson and spiritual healing in prison.
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