After serving as priest in Dunedin’s Mercy Parish caring for the South Dunedin community, his new larger Southland beat will cover Invercargill south and extend as far as Western Southland.
"I think I’ve still got enough petrol in the tank. So I’m youngish, young enough, but I have enough experience to cover a reasonably wide area."
He did not want to define goals at this stage, but expected visiting the region’s Catholic schools as well as maintaining regular services at Rimu, Riverton, Tuatapere, Nightcaps and Bluff, would keep him busy.
"I don’t want to pre-empt and say I’m here to do XYZ."
"But I think it's essential that our faith communities are actively engaged in the life of the wider community in whatever way we can do that," Fr Aynsley said.
"I think working co-operatively is really important."
Connections have been made with other church communities and he hoped to contact local iwi and explore Invercargill’s refugee resettlement programme.
"I’m keen to be part of that support — it’s the outward looking ... that’s my primary focus.
"Pope Francis said ... that when the church become inward-looking, becomes sick ... I think [outward-looking] is a really good model."
After completing his Tiwai-based fitter-welder apprenticeship, Fr Aynsley went to seminary college based in Mosgiel.
He believed he shared good company with Southern-born Bishop Michael Dooley, who also had completed a fitter-turner trade.
"I’d always known the priesthood was where I was called to be and the time at Tiwai was almost like good formation ... I loved working there and probably grown a lot in confidence.
"You learn to respect all sorts of people ... I loved it.
"In terms of the transition, I went from doing hands-on work to having to learn to study and all of that."
His parishioners had always been down-to-earth people.
"It appeals to me, that people are grounded."
Building good relationships was central to his job, but after 35 years away, he expected he might be starting from scratch.
Getting involved in the community in the days ahead would be pivotal to getting to know people within his parish, he said.
"You can’t do your job unless you’re building relationships."
Connecting with the city’s school staff and parents was one possible avenue.
He expected he might know many parents from when he was here before.
Fr Aynsley has replaced Fr Brendan Wood, who transferred to Alexandra — close to where Fr Wood grew up.
- By Toni McDonald
