St. Peter's
Nanaimo BC

V9R 2G8

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Who we are

St. Peter's Parish Mission Statement

We, the parish community of St. Peter's, are committed to reach out to others in faith and love by affirming the Gospel and teachings of Mother Church. We seek to encourage greater participation in the life of the Church in order to strengthen and grow in our faith, celebrate sacramental life in hope and be active in works of charity.

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Location of worship

St. Peter's
301 Machleary Street
Nanaimo, BC V9R 2G8
Canada
Phone: 250-753-3570
Fax: 250-753-1507
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Church Pastor

Father Harrison Ayre
Father Harrison Ayre
Pastor
301 Machleary Street
Nanaimo, BC V9R 2G8
Canada
Phone: 250-753-3570
Fax: 250-753-1507
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Denomination

Roman Catholic



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Affiliations

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Church Website


St. Peter's on Social Media


12th Sunday in Ordinary Time - June 20th, 2021



Facebook Video: St. Peter's Facebook Video




Leadership

Leader Name:
Father Harrison Ayre   Edit
Leader Position:
Pastor   Edit
Formal Title:
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Leader Address:
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Phone:
Fax:
250-753-1507   Edit
Leader Email:
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Leader Bio:
Fr. Harrison Ayre was born in Pitt Meadows, BC, son of two loving parents and has two younger siblings. He moved to Victoria to attend UVic after high school and began his long journey of post-secondary education in studying computer science. While at University, he had a profound conversion and began to practice his Catholic faith. He eventually graduated from UVic with a degree in Philosophy with a minor in Medieval Studies.

After graduation, he worked at St Andrew’s Cathedral, first as the office assistant, then as office manager. During this time he began to take seriously the call to priesthood. After attending a seminar in Poland on John Paul II’s theology and philosophy of the human person, he decided he had to go to seminary, and entered St Joseph’s seminary in 2008. While in seminary, he went on a mission year and spent a year working with Mother Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Gallup, NM, and San Francisco. He was ordained a Deacon in 2013 and a priest on February 7th, 2015. He has served at St Patrick’s Parish, St Andrew’s Cathedral, Holy Family/Notre Dame, and now as pastor of St Peter’s here in Nanaimo.

He also completed his Master’s of Theology (MTh) from Newman Theological College in 2018 and is now a PhD Candidate in Systematic Theology at the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, UK. His research is around Joseph Ratzinger’s theology of the human person and how we can understand that through a sacramental lens.

Fr. Harrison loves the Church and the life that comes from being in her. In his spare time he loves to read and write. He absolutely loves reading philosophy and theology. He has written many articles for SimplyCatholic.com and hosts a weekly podcast with his friend, Fr Anthony Sciarappa, called Clerically Speaking. He has a love for good Belgian and craft beer, books, and culturally interesting movies and TV shows. Some of his favourite saints are St Augustine, St Thomas Aquinas, Sts John and Paul (apostles), and St Theresa of Calcutta.   Edit
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Other Church Leaders:
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Leadership Photos



Administration

Admin Name:
Debbie McMillan   Edit
Admin Position:
Parish Coordinator   Edit
Admin Address:
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Phone:
Fax:
250-753-1507   Edit
Admin Email:
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Mailing Address

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Driving Directions to St. Peter's

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B To:
301 Machleary Street, Nanaimo, BC
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St. Peter's Mass Times

Regular mass, confession, & Adoration schedule & 2023 Lent schedule

​Masses

Saturday 4:30pm
Sunday 10:30am
Tuesday 7:00pm
Wednesday 9:30am
Thursday-No Public Mass
Friday 9:30am

Confessions

Tuesday: 6:30pm-6:55pm
Friday 9:00 - 9:25am
Saturday 3:00 - 4:00pm

Adoration

Tuesday: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
​Friday: 10:00am - 4:00pm

Our Lady of Victory - Gabriola Island
2nd Sunday of the month
Mass at 2:30pm

2023 Lent & Easter Mass Times & Scheduling Changes

February 22: Ash Wednesday Masses, 9:30 am & 7:00 pm
March 6-8: Lenten Parish Mission, 7:00 pm (starting at 6:30pm on March 8)
March 28: Extra Confessions, 6:00-7:00 pm
March 30: Chrism Mass, 7:00 pm
April 4: Extra Confessions, 6:00pm-7:00 pm
April 5: Extra Confessions, 6:30pm-8:30pm
April 6: Holy Thursday Mass 7:00 pm, Adoration after Mass until Midnight
April 7: Good Friday Service, 3:00 pm
April 8: Holy Saturday, time TBD
April 9: Easter Sunday Masses, 10:30 am & 12:30 pm
April 16: Divine Mercy Sunday, 2:00 Adoration & Confessions with Benediction at 3:00pm and Anointing of the Sick

It's been more than a year since the last mass times update. Please make sure to contact the church to confirm mass times.

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Worship Languages

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Dress Code

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Sunday School / Children and Youth Activities

Under 12s:
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Under 18s:
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Local outreach & community activities

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Other activities & ministries

Volunteering in the Diocese of Victoria
Pastoral Care to the Sick and Homebound
Music
Church Groups
- CWL
- Knights of Columbus
- St. Vincent de Paul
Religious Education
- Understanding the Catholic Faith
- Children’s Religious Education
- Children’s Liturgy of the Word
- Scripture Study
- Liturgical Calendar
Adoration
Bereavement Committee
Welcoming Committee
Sacristans
ProLife
Decorating
Greeters & Ushers
Lectors
Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EOMOHC)
Altar Servers   Edit

Special Needs/Accessibility

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Prayers and Hymns

Main Bible:
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Hymns and Songs:
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Other information

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Additional Info:
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St. Peter's Church Nanaimo Photos




St. Peter's History

On January 7th 1854, the missionary parish of Nanaimo was formed. Bishop Demmers blessed the first chapel and placed it under the invocation of St. Peter. It remained a mission chapel until 1876 when Bishop Charles Seghers installed Fr. Lemmens as the first resident parish priest.

The sisters of St. Ann arrived on April 18th 1877. Within a few days a school was opened. A new church was built and was opened for midnight Mass on Christmas Day 1878. In 1879 construction was started on a new convent on land donated by Bishop Seghers.

In 1910, a disastrous fire destroyed both convent and church. A new building was constructed and opened by 1911. Wellington had become a ghost town so Fr. Heynan transferred the church from Wellington to Nanaimo. A bell in the present St. Peter’s church bears this inscription, “this bell was bought after the fire of July 11th 1910.” After many years of devoted service Fr. Heynan retired in 1937. His successor was Fr. Lewis MacLellan, the first local priest to be installed as pastor of Nanaimo. The early priests had come from Belgium and Holland.

A campaign to raise funds for a new St. Peter’s church was undertaken and on the feast of St. Joseph, in March of 1958 Bishop Hill turned the first sod. The church was opened and dedicated on May 1st, 1960.

After many years of service the sisters decided to close the convent in 1966. In 1968 the parish celebrated a mortgage burning. Fr. Phillip Hanley, was the new pastor. In 1969, Monsignor Baker, passed away and now lies buried beside the church he helped to build. There is not much more information available until the arrival the Salvatorian Fathers in 1998.

Fr. Zarebski was the first Salvatorian priest to become a pastor at St. Peters. Under his guidance the spiritual life of the church had been invigorated. He initiated 40 hours adoration of the Blessed Sacrament weekly, and outdoor processions on the feast of Corpus Christi. He encouraged devotion to the Divine Mercy and many other devotions. Fr. Zarebski was moved to Burnaby in 2006 and was replaced by Fr. Waldemar Podlasz who continued to enhance the parish spiritual life by encouraging the beauty of the liturgy. Beautiful flowers always adorned the altar and for special occasions such as Christmas and Easter the altar was especially glorious. In July of 2013, Fr. Piotr became pastor, moving from Calgary to Nanaimo. While only with the parish for a short year before being asked by his Provincial Superior to return to the Seminary in Poland as a Formator, Fr. Piotr made a lasting impression on the parishioners. In July 2014, Fr. Krzysztof Pastuskza joined us from the mainland and is now serving the communities in north Vancouver Island. Currently St. Peter's Parish is under the care and administration of Most Reverend Gary Gordon, Bishop of Victoria.

St. Peter’s Catholic Women’s League was chartered on October 20th, 1937 at a meeting at St. Ann’s convent. They raise funds for needy cases by catering; teas, bazaars, and rummage sales. The Missions both domestic and foreign have been aided by these funds through the years. Education has also benefited by C.W.L. scholarships. Contributions were made to the cost of building St. Peter’s church which was dedicated May 1st, 1960. The main altar and crucifix above it and the stained glass window was also donated by the C.W.L.

During the late nineteen forties a need for a fraternal organization for men became evident. A council for the Knights of Columbus was organized in Nanaimo and was called mid island council. The local Knights have also established a scholarship fund. Each Christmas season the council works with the St. Vincent de Paul society to aid needy families with gifts and a special food hamper. The Knights hope to ensure the rights of the unborn. All concerned citizens must be made aware and be prepared to raise their voices in support of their right to life. A memorial has been erected beside the church in remembrance of all victims of abortion.

It is estimated that there are more than 1,200 Catholic families in St. Peter’s the number of individuals participating in the Sunday Eucharist is approximately 700.

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St. Peter's Historical Photos

St. Peter's FAQs

Question: Where is St. Peter's located?
Answer: St. Peter's is located at 301 Machleary Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Question: Who is St. Peter's's pastor?
Answer: St. Peter's's pastor is Father Harrison Ayre.

Question: What time is mass at St. Peter's?
Answer: Regular mass, confession, & Adoration schedule & 2023 Lent schedule ​Masses Saturday 4:30pm Sunday 10:30am Tuesday 7:00pm Wednesday 9:30am Thursday-No Public Mass Friday 9:30am Confessions Tuesday: 6:30pm-6:55pm Friday 9:00 - 9:25am Saturday 3:00 - 4:00pm Adoration Tuesday: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ​Friday: 10:00am - 4:00pm Our Lady of Victory - Gabriola Island 2nd Sunday of the month Mass at 2:30pm 2023 Lent & Easter Mass Times & Scheduling Changes February 22: Ash Wednesday Masses, 9:30 am & 7:00 pm March 6-8: Lenten Parish Mission, 7:00 pm (starting at 6:30pm on March 8) March 28: Extra Confessions, 6:00-7:00 pm March 30: Chrism Mass, 7:00 pm April 4: Extra Confessions, 6:00pm-7:00 pm April 5: Extra Confessions, 6:30pm-8:30pm April 6: Holy Thursday Mass 7:00 pm, Adoration after Mass until Midnight April 7: Good Friday Service, 3:00 pm April 8: Holy Saturday, time TBD April 9: Easter Sunday Masses, 10:30 am & 12:30 pm April 16: Divine Mercy Sunday, 2:00 Adoration & Confessions with Benediction at 3:00pm and Anointing of the Sick

Question: What is St. Peter's's Facebook page?
Answer: https://www.facebook.com/STPetersNanaimo/

Question: What is St. Peter's's live streaming page?
Answer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2My_gygdNo

Question: What is St. Peter's's website?
Answer: https://www.stpetersnanaimo.ca/

Question: What denominaiton is St. Peter's?
Answer: St. Peter's belongs to Roman Catholic denomination.

The power of Christian prayer "The little estimate we put on prayer is evidence from the little time we give to it."
E.M. Bounds
St. Peter's listing was last updated on the 8th of March, 2023
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