A MEMBER of chart-top-ping group The Priests will be singing from a new hymn sheet when he moves to a city parish in west Belfast. Fr David Delargy, who has been parish priest of Hannahstown for the past eight years, is moving to St Michael The Archangel on Finaghy Road North on September 25. It is one of more than 30 changes around the Diocese of Down & Connor announced by Bishop Noel Treanor. Previously based in White-house and Crumlin, Fr Delargy is known internationally as one of singing trio The Priests, along with brothers Fr Eugene and Fr Martin O'Hagan. Speaking yesterday, the Ballymena-born cleric said he had "mixed feelings" about the move, which will see him take charge of 7,500 new parishioners, as well as a large secondary school, primary school and nursery. "When you arrive into a parish at the start, you don't really know anybody and people in that parish have been used to the previous priest and his way of doing things - it can be a bit challenging in the beginning getting to know people and people getting to know you," he said. "As time goes by, you find a way of working with people. That all takes time to build up then you are taken out of that, that's difficult. You're sorry to be leaving behind people you have come to know and love and it's hard." A total of 32 priests are affected in the annual clerical changes, including a late addition yesterday of Fr Chris McGuinness, who is on loan from St Patrick's Missionary Society and will be curate at Glenavy & Killead. DOWN AND CONNOR LAST NIGHT ISSUED AN UPDATED LIST OF CHANGES: Canon Sean Rogan - PP Downpatrick, to retire and be Pastor Emeritus and Priest in Residence in Kilcoo Fr James O'Kane - Pastor Emeritus and CC Kilcoo, to be Pastor Emeritus and CC Cushendun Fr John Murray - PP St Michael the Archangel, Belfast, to be PP Downpatrick Fr David Delargy - PP Hannahstown, to be PP St Michael the Archangel Fr Kevin McGuckien - CC St Patrick's, Belfast and Chaplain to Mater Hospital, to be PP Hannahstown and Diocesan Vocations Director Fr Dominic McGrattan - Recently ordained, to be CC St Patrick's and Chaplain to Mater Hospital Fr Laurence McElhill - PP Aghagallon, to retire and be Pastor Emeritus and Priest in Residence in St Teresa's, Belfast Fr Declan Mulligan - CC Newcastle (Maghera), to be PP Aghagallon Fr Colin Crossey - Chaplain to RVH, to be CC Newcastle (Maghera) Fr Robert Sloan - CC St Agnes', Belfast, to be Chaplain to RVH and remain resident in St Agnes' parish Fr Peter Forde - PP Carnlough, to retire and be Pastor Emeritus and Priest in Residence in St John's, Belfast Fr Dermot McKay - PP Glenarm, to be, in addition, PP Carnlough Fr Maurice Henry - PP Crossgar, to retire and be Pastor Emeritus and CC Downpatrick and part-time in Dundrum, resident in Ballykinlar Fr Eugene O'Neill - PP Killyleagh, to be, in addition, PP Crossgar Fr Patrick McCafferty - Assistant Chaplain to Ulster Hospital to be CC Killyleagh and CC Crossgar Fr Michael Murray - PP Upper Mourne, to be Pastor Emeritus and available for supply Fr Sean Dillon - PP Glenavy and Killead, to be PP Upper Mourne Fr Colm McBride - PP Our Lady Queen of Peace, Belfast, to be PP Glenavy and Killead Fr Chris McGuinness - On loan from St Patrick's Missionary Society to be CC Glenavy & Killead, resident in Crumlin Fr Rory Sheehan - PP Portrush to be PP Our Lady Queen of Peace, Belfast Fr Seamus O'Reilly - On loan from St Patrick's Missionary Society to be Adm Portrush Fr Peter O'Kane - PP Holywood, to be PP Strangford and Kilclief following death of Fr Colm McGrady Fr Stephen McBrearty - PP St Anthony's, Belfast, to be PP Holywood and remain lead coordinating Catholic Chaplain to NI Prison Service Fr Henry McCann - PP Portglenone, to be PP St Anthony's, Belfast, with chaplaincy duties in Ulster Hospital Fr Anthony Curran - PP Carrickfergus, to be PP Portglenone Fr Peter Owens - PP St Agnes', Belfast, to be PP Carrickfergus and Episcopal Vicar for Safeguarding Fr Thomas McGlynn - Following sabbatical leave, to be PP St Agnes', Belfast Fr Hugh Kennedy - Adm St Peter's Cathedral, in addition, to pursue theological studies at Heythrop College, University of London Fr Joseph Rooney - To be Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Down and Connor Fr Timothy Bartlett - To be Episcopal Vicar for Education and Director of Public and Social Affairs Fr Michael Spence - Rector of St Malachy's Seminary to be, in addition, Episcopal Vicar for Clergy Fr Paul Morely - On loan from the Diocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly Kerala, India, to be CC Holy Family, Belfast DIFFERENT HYMN SHEET: Fr David Delargy, of classical group the Priests, is moving to the west Belfast parish of St Michael the Archangel
