Shipping container donations to poor in Fiji may end with retirement of Gymea priest Monsignor Brian Rayner

After his appointment to St Catherine Laboure Catholic parish in 2005, Monsignor Brian Rayner led parishioners in sending shipping containers packed with donated goods to the poor in Fiji

About 290 containers have so far been sent under what is known as the Pacific Mission program.

They carry clothing, bedding, furniture and other household goods, as well as personal items and education materials.

The containers are shipped to the Bishop of Suva, from where items are distributed to schools, aged care facilities, a maternity hospital, two Boys Towns for underprivileged teenagers learning trades and a hostel for troubled youth.

Items that can't be used are sold to provide cash for the various institutions.

The parish has also raised more than $200,000 for the needy in Fiji through special collections at Easter and Christmas, while some very large donations have been received for building projects.

Monsignor Rayner, who will retire as Parish Priest at the end of July, said he did not know whether the shipping containers project would continue.

"It will be up to the new parish priest [who hasn't yet been named] - he may have other projects he wants to start," he said.

Former state MP and present-day Sutherland Shire councillor Barry Collier is among parishioners who hope the project will continue, describing it as "positive, consistent and down-to-earth help".

Monsignor Rayner said his time as Gymea had been his "most wonderful experience during 48 years as a priest".

"I have found the people very supportive," he said.

"I haven't focused on maintaining the church, but have tried to get across the idea of being missionary in our approach to poorer areas in Australia and countries such as Fiji, Laos, East Timor and the Philippines."

While pursuing that agenda, he has also built up the size of his congregation, with much larger numbers at services than many other parishes, and redeveloped the primary school through an injection of more than $12 million.

His tenure hasn't been without its dramas.

He was in conflict with some parishioners when he rented out the church hall to a childcare operator - a move which provides $250,000 a year income - he was critical of the St Vincent de Paul centre at Sutherland for sending "good quality" items to the tip and he successfully fought the local hotel's bid for 24-hour trading.

Monsignor Rayner also gave evidence to the Royal Commission on Child Abuse which contradicted Cardinal George Pell's testimony.

He is forbidden - as are all priests - by the Pope from talking about the issue of women priests, but makes the guarded comment, "I believe in the equality of men and women in everything we do".

As a young priest, Monsignor Rayner worked in the Brighton-Le-Sands parish before leaving in 1983 to become a full-time naval chaplain. He saw active service in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

In 1996, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his naval service.

From 2003-2005, Monsignor Rayner was the Chancellor and Vicar General for the Sydney Archdiocese, based at St Mary's Cathedral, where he worked alongside Cardinal Pell.

Monsignor Rayner intends to continue living in the shire.