PRIESTS

FATHER HARRISON AYRE, PASTOR

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: FATHER ANTHONY VARGHESE PADAYATT

Fr. Anthony Varghese, a dedicated member of the Missionary Society of Heralds of Good News, was ordained a priest on March 27, 1993. A clerical society of apostolic life of pontifical right, the Heralds of Good News is devoted to the mission of evangelizing and sanctifying people through the apostolic work of its members. The Society’s guiding patrons are Mary, Queen of Apostles, and St. Joseph the Worker. Fr. Anthony's mission is deeply rooted in the Divine Plan, continuing the work of Jesus Christ who sent His disciples to spread the message of salvation. His priestly ministry has taken him across various regions, from India to Canada, where he served for ten years in the Archdiocese of Regina, Saskatchewan. His experiences have spanned parishes, schools, and seminaries, contributing to his deep understanding of pastoral care and missionary work. After completing his service in Canada, Fr. Anthony returned to India as per the Society's regulations.
Born in Kerala, India, the land where St. Thomas the Apostle evangelized in 52 A.D., Fr. Anthony is part of a rich Christian heritage that dates back to the establishment of seven Christian communities by St. Thomas, who also sent many missionaries to the wider world. Now, Fr. Anthony has returned to the Diocese of Victoria for a few more years of pastoral ministry, dedicating himself to the growth and spiritual development of St. Peter’s Parish in Nanaimo, Canada. With the support of the community and trusting in Divine Providence, Fr. Anthony seeks to offer his knowledge, experience, and health to serve the people of St. Peter’s Parish to the best of his ability.