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WELCOME TO SAINT PETER'S PARISH

We extend a warm welcome to all who enter our doors. Since our formation in 1885, our parish community has been committed to serving Nanaimo and beyond, offering liturgical, sacramental, social, and community support. With active ministries spanning from children’s sacramental education to adult programs and a vibrant music ministry, we offer a place for everyone.
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We are actively involved in various social and community initiatives, from hosting the annual winter shelter with Nanaimo Family Life Association to providing grocery assistance and supporting those experiencing grief or illness. We invite you to explore different opportunities and see where you would like to use your gifts.

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OUR PARISH STAFF

PASTOR: FR. HARRISON AYRE

Fr. Harrison Ayre was born and raised in the Lower Mainland. He moved to Victoria to attend UVic, converted profoundly, and began practicing his Catholic faith. After finishing his undergrad, he worked in the St Andrew’s Cathedral office. In 2008, he entered St Joseph’s seminary to begin formation for the priesthood. During this time, he spent one year in service with Mother Teresa’s order, the Missionaries of Charity, serving Christ in the poorest of the poor in both Gallup, NM and San Francisco, CA. He was ordained a Deacon in 2013 by Bishop Richard Gagnon and then ordained to the priesthood on February 7th, 2015, by Bishop Gary Gordon. His assignments include being an assistant at St Patrick’s and St Andrew’s Cathedral in Victoria, Pastor of Holy Family/Notre Dame in Port Alberni, and his current assignment as Pastor of Saint Peter’s in Nanaimo and chaplain to the students at VIU. In addition to his BA and MDiv, he has also completed a Master of Theology (MTh) from Newman Theological College in 2018 in Systematic Theology and is currently in the last 1.5 years of dissertation writing for his PhD from the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, UK. His focus of research is the theology of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) and is attempting to find a key central theme to his work to help further understand Ratzinger’s theological contributions to the Church. He has also written two books: Finding Christ in the Crisis: What the Pandemic Can Teach Us (co-authored with Michael Heinlein) and Mysterion: The Revelatory Power of the Sacramental Worldview. He is also co-host of the Clerically Speaking podcast and has written for numerous Catholic outlets, such as Word on Fire and Our Sunday Visitor.

PAROCHIAL VICAR: FR. ANTHONY PADAYATTY

BIOGRAPHY COMING SOON

PARISH COORDINATOR: MARIA CLEMOTTE

As a lifelong parishioner at Saint Peter’s, Maria joined the staff as Parish Coordinator in October of 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology, and has five years of experience in event planning. Having directed and overseen many university events throughout her undergraduate degree, Maria is passionate about public speaking, communications, leadership, and teamwork. You can find her designing and implementing projects around the Parish, whether coordinating Parish retreats or events for the greater community, overseeing the information and sales for the on-grounds columbarium, working on the website and social media, or developing policies and procedures to streamline processes at the Parish. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, lifting, getting outside, and spending time with friends. 

PARISH PROPERTY MANAGER: DARREN ANDERSON

Darren has been on staff at Saint Peter’s Parish as the Property Manager since August 2023. He is happily married to his high school sweetheart Natalie, and they have a lovely daughter named Mckayla. Darren enjoys quality moments with his family and creating beautiful sacred art in his free time. His role involves overseeing various projects related to our parish buildings and property maintenance and improvement. From developing maintenance plans to handling renovations and insurance matters, Darren is dedicated to enhancing our parish for the future. ​Additionally, he serves as a part-time sacristan, a member of the Cemetery Committee, and leads ministries like the Usher/Greeter Ministry.

PARISH SECRETARY: JINKY ROSS DAGCUTA

Jinky joined the staff as Saint Peter's Parish Secretary in October 2023, overseeing the church office's smooth operation. Her responsibilities include supporting the Pastor, staff, and various ministries through various administrative tasks. She is a working mother and devoted wife hailing from the Philippines. She earned a bachelor's degree in business administration focusing on management and has over a decade of professional experience in administrative and customer service roles, having acquired knowledge in the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her husband, Javier and their daughter, Javi. She has a deep love for traveling and exploring new destinations with her family and friends. As a positive person about every aspect of life, Jinky is happy and blessed to be part of the Parish Office and the welcoming community of Saint Peter’s.​

MUSIC MINISTRY DIRECTOR: ANDREA L'HEUREUX

​​Singing sacred music since the age of 4, Andrea is a singer/songwriter and choral conductor who balances her time as Musical Director at Saint Peter’s, as an occupational therapist at NRGH and as a mother of two children. ​Andrea’s musical achievements include Royal Conservatory of Music Grade 9 in Voice, and Grade 6 in piano, and the release of her debut CD, “Hymns for Her”. She enjoys making music in a home studio with her recording engineer husband, Anthony Maki. Andrea is grateful for the honor of being the musical director at Saint Peter's since October 2018 and enjoys supporting a growing and thriving SATB choir of 25+ singers.

CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COORDINATOR: NATASHA OSSA

Natasha became the Children’s Religious Education Coordinator in October 2023, having already spent years in St Peter’s ministry as a catechism and Sunday school teacher and an active choir member. Holding a university degree in musical teaching and children’s choral instruction, she has spent years as a teacher, starting in the Eastern hemisphere and later transitioning her work to the Western hemisphere. Natasha was born into an atheistic society, and her grandmother secretly baptized her at the age of 16. During her university years, she had to read the Bible for an assignment, and at this time, she discovered the Hail Mary prayer and memorized it. Beyond her professional endeavours, she maintains a profound appreciation for the  Latin language and Gregorian chants and loves the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean.  

WINTER SHELTER

The Nanaimo Family Life Association runs the annual Winter Shelter in Saint Peter's Parish Hall. This year, the shelter is operating from November 2nd, 2024, until March 29th, 2025. Each night, 40 first-come, first-serve beds are available in a mixed-gender setting from 8:00 pm to 7:30 am, providing a safe, warm place for guests experiencing homelessness. A meal is served in the evening, and breakfast is provided in the morning. Guests are welcome to return every night. 

For all Winter Shelter Inquiries, please contact the shelter manager, Jody Braybrooks, at 250-591-5600. 

Are you interested in supporting the Winter Shelter through volunteering? Simply fill out our volunteer application form and we will be in touch with you! 

OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH

 A BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR MISSION CHURCH ON GABRIOLA ISLAND
In the 1920s, priests from Kuper Island began visiting Gabriola Island to offer Mass in private homes. In 1925, under the guidance of Fr. DeWeerts S.M.M., the DeMontfort Fathers took on the task of building a church. The site was generously donated by John Silva, a 40-year resident of Gabriola Island, who also provided logs for the construction of the 40' x 20' church. Dan McConvey contributed his labor, while Mr. DeLong donated funds and pews.
The Women’s Auxiliary played a vital role by providing altar linens and other essentials for the Mass. Community members contributed through donations of paintings, money, and labor. In 1926, a half-acre of land was formally purchased from John Silva for just $1.00, marking the completion of the Log Church's home.

On July 19, 1926, the mission boat "Maris Stella" (Star of the Sea) embarked on its maiden voyage along the East coast of Vancouver Island, carrying the Right Reverend Bishop O'Donnell of Victoria. Despite a stiff headwind, the boat reached Gabriola Island at 9 AM, where the Bishop blessed and officially opened the new church. During the ceremony, he sprinkled the walls with Holy Water and led the congregation in prayer, dedicating the church and altar to God.
The newly constructed church, built of logs, harmoniously blended with its surroundings. Not only was it solid, but it also captured the community's spirit beautifully.

In 2005, the re-dedication of "Our Lady of Victory Mission" took place, celebrating 80 years since the church’s establishment. The Most Reverend Bishop Richard Gagnon officiated the event, joined by Reverend Dariusz Zarebski, the Parish Priest of St. Peter's in Nanaimo. The congregation had worked tirelessly to refurbish the church and its grounds, creating a welcoming space for worship.
During the re-dedication Mass, Bishop Gagnon blessed the church and its altar, draping it with linen in preparation for the Eucharist. After Mass, he led the congregation in song to the grotto, which he blessed with Holy Water from Lourdes, acknowledging the community’s efforts and the hope that the gardens would serve as a place for meditation and prayer.

MASS SCHEDULE: 2nd Sunday of each month, 2:30 pm

WINTER SHELTER

The Nanaimo Family Life Association runs the annual Winter Shelter in Saint Peter's Parish Hall. This year, the shelter is operating from November 2nd, 2024, until March 29th, 2025. Each night, 40 first-come, first-serve beds are available in a mixed-gender setting from 8:00 pm to 7:30 am, providing a safe, warm place for guests experiencing homelessness. A meal is served in the evening, and breakfast is provided in the morning. Guests are welcome to return every night. 

For all Winter Shelter Inquiries, please contact the shelter manager, Jody Braybrooks, at 250-591-5600. 

Are you interested in supporting the Winter Shelter through volunteering? Simply fill out our volunteer application form and we will be in touch with you! 

OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH

 A BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR MISSION CHURCH ON GABRIOLA ISLAND
In the 1920s, priests from Kuper Island began visiting Gabriola Island to offer Mass in private homes. In 1925, under the guidance of Fr. DeWeerts S.M.M., the DeMontfort Fathers took on the task of building a church. The site was generously donated by John Silva, a 40-year resident of Gabriola Island, who also provided logs for the construction of the 40' x 20' church. Dan McConvey contributed his labor, while Mr. DeLong donated funds and pews.
The Women’s Auxiliary played a vital role by providing altar linens and other essentials for the Mass. Community members contributed through donations of paintings, money, and labor. In 1926, a half-acre of land was formally purchased from John Silva for just $1.00, marking the completion of the Log Church's home.

On July 19, 1926, the mission boat "Maris Stella" (Star of the Sea) embarked on its maiden voyage along the East coast of Vancouver Island, carrying the Right Reverend Bishop O'Donnell of Victoria. Despite a stiff headwind, the boat reached Gabriola Island at 9 AM, where the Bishop blessed and officially opened the new church. During the ceremony, he sprinkled the walls with Holy Water and led the congregation in prayer, dedicating the church and altar to God.
The newly constructed church, built of logs, harmoniously blended with its surroundings. Not only was it solid, but it also captured the community's spirit beautifully.

In 2005, the re-dedication of "Our Lady of Victory Mission" took place, celebrating 80 years since the church’s establishment. The Most Reverend Bishop Richard Gagnon officiated the event, joined by Reverend Dariusz Zarebski, the Parish Priest of St. Peter's in Nanaimo. The congregation had worked tirelessly to refurbish the church and its grounds, creating a welcoming space for worship.
During the re-dedication Mass, Bishop Gagnon blessed the church and its altar, draping it with linen in preparation for the Eucharist. After Mass, he led the congregation in song to the grotto, which he blessed with Holy Water from Lourdes, acknowledging the community’s efforts and the hope that the gardens would serve as a place for meditation and prayer.

MASS SCHEDULE: 2nd Sunday of each month, 2:30 pm