[Church in wales] A former Catholic priest has become team vicar in Canton – two years after being received as a curate into The Church in Wales.

Revd Phelim O’Hare, who was formerly a priest in the Roman Catholic Church in Northern Ireland and left to marry, was licensed as team vicar of the Rectorial Benefice of Canton in a special ceremony at St John’s Canton, by the Assistant Bishop of Llandaff, David Wilbourne.

Phelim, who has been assistant curate (NSM) in the parish for the past two years as well as chaplain at the Cathedral School in Llandaff, takes over as team vicar from Revd Martin Colton, who has moved to Surrey.

Phelim, who grew up in a faith family, felt a calling to enter the priesthood from his teens – serving as a Roman Catholic priest in Northern Ireland for three years before leaving active ministry to marry.

He moved to Wales twelve years ago, along with his wife Dr Annette Daly, with whom he now has two young sons, and worked as a teacher and chaplain at St David’s Catholic College for ten years before being received into The Church in Wales.

“There was a process of unfolding awareness of what it was that God wanted me to do. My original calling was to be a priest within a parish setting and it is wonderful to return at last to this original calling after twelve happy years as a school chaplain. To be rooted once again within parochial ministry as a married priest with Annette and our two boys is a double blessing,” said Phelim.

“I know a lot of people here in the parish already, having spent two years as curate but I am really looking forward to now being able to spend more time with them and getting to know everyone better.

“My time in Canton so far has seen a number of initiatives come to fruition and especially those which focus on working with young people, such as Messy Church, which I plan to continue. We are also keen to explore how the Church can reach out to people in ways that go beyond traditional worship forms such as cafe style church, using and creating a labyrinth and incorporating music from shows like Les Mis to convey spiritual truths.”

In his spare time, Phelim is a keen golfer.

Bishop David, who carried out the licensing service on September 2,  said, “Phelim comes to the post of team vicar of Canton with a rich experience of school chaplaincy and teaching, as well as recent parish ministry in Canton itself, and also previously in Northern Ireland, where Phelim served as a Roman Catholic parish priest.

“He has a relaxed and easy manner to which folk warm, combined with a depth of learning which he communicates with a light and inspirational touch. He has the heart of a parish priest and longs to both be Christ to his flock and celebrate Christ in their midst.