Toggle ScrolliPage Nav

PRIESTS

PASTOR: FATHER 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.
ASSISTANT PRIEST: FATHER KENNETH UWAOMA
​Fr. Kenneth was born on March 1, 1971, in Nigeria. He began his priestly formation in October 1983 at Bonus Pastor Minor Seminary in Osina and completed it at St. Mary’s Seminary, Umuowa, in 1988. He then proceeded to St. Joseph’s Major Seminary in Ikot Ekpene, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy in 1993 and a Master's degree in Theology in 1998. He was ordained a priest on August 15, 1998. Fr. Kenneth served as Associate Pastor at St. Joseph’s Parish, Umuna (Orlu Diocese), from 1998 to 2001, and as Pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish, Otulu, from 2001 to 2008. In September 2008, he moved to Canada and served as Associate Pastor at Notre Dame Parish in Dawson Creek, BC, and later as Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Kitimat, BC, from February 2009 to 2014. He returned to Nigeria in 2015 and was appointed Chaplain of St. Damian’s Hospital in Okporo until 2018, after which he served as Pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish in Uli from February 2018 to March 2025. While on vacation in Calgary, Fr. Kenneth met Bishop Gary Gordon during a priests' retreat, and after a conversation about ministry in the Diocese of Victoria, Bishop Gary contacted Fr. Kenneth’s bishop in Nigeria, who gave his approval for the move. Fr. Kenneth is now serving as Assistant Priest in the Diocese of Victoria, and we are pleased to welcome him to our community.

OPERATIONS

OPERATIONS MANAGER: CALLUM MCKENZIE
Born in Kelowna, Callum moved to the Island for high school. After graduating, he completed his Red Seal and re-established McKenzie Electric, a legacy family company, with his dad.
As a teen, Callum felt disconnected from the faith he was raised in until encountering the Catholic faith through his now-godfather. After a deep conversion, brought about by experiences God used to soften his hard-headedness. Callum developed a deep love for the faith and the community it enlivens.
Since attending his first YAG meeting, Callum has remained actively involved in the Church: initially through electrical work, then by joining the choir, and now by leading altar serving and the Liturgy Pillar. He also serves as Operations Manager of St. Peter’s, a role that allows him to contribute to the parish in meaningful ways. Callum describes his work as feeling aligned with his purpose and considers himself blessed to do it as a career, a gift he attributes to the unwavering support and endless patience of his wife, Jacqueline.

​ADMINISTRATION

OFFICE MANAGER: JINKY ROSS DAGCUTA
Jinky joined Saint Peter’s Parish as a Secretary in October 2023 and now serves as the Office Manager. She plays a key role in ensuring the church office runs smoothly, providing essential support to the Pastor, staff, and parish ministries. Her calm presence, organizational skills, and heart for service make her a valued member of the team. Originally from the Philippines, Jinky holds a degree in Business Administration and brings over a decade of administrative and customer service experience from the Philippines and the UAE. She is a devoted wife to her husband, Javier, and a proud mother to their daughter, Javi.
Jinky enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and cherishing life’s simple joys. She feels blessed to be part of the Saint Peter’s community. Through her role as Office Manager, she looks forward to continuing to serve, grow, and contribute to the life of the parish in meaningful and joyful ways. ​
​
​ PARISH SECRETARY: DANIELA GUEVARA
Daniela joined the staff at Saint Peter’s as Parish Secretary in May 2025. Originally from Quito, Ecuador, she recently completed her Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media at Vancouver Island University (VIU). Throughout her time at VIU, Daniela was actively involved in student life, welcoming new students, organizing cultural events, and serving as a Peer Helper. One of her favorite roles was co-hosting “Culture Couch,” a weekly gathering that celebrates global traditions through food, music, and conversation. She also worked with VIU’s marketing department, contributing to social media content creation.
Daniela grew up in the Catholic Church and has always found joy in participating in the choir. She is passionate about faith, community, and creative communication, and feels blessed to serve the welcoming community of Saint Peter’s.

​MUSIC MINISTRY

​​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. Since October 2018, Andrea has been honored to serve as Musical Director at Saint Peter’s, where she takes great pride in leading and nurturing a vibrant SATB choir of over 25 dedicated singers. ​Her remarkable productivity and dedication have helped grow the choir into a dynamic and thriving group, all while fostering a warm and inclusive environment for the singers.

​CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION COORDINATOR: NATASHA OSSA
​Natasha became the Children’s Religious Education Coordinator in October 2023, having already spent years in Saint Peter’s ministry as a catechism and Sunday school teacher and an active choir member.  She brings remarkable dedication, creativity, and organization. Her ability to plan engaging lessons, connect with children, and support families in their faith journey has made her an invaluable and productive leader in the parish community. 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.