Rt Rev Darren McCartney appointed rector of St Paul’s, Lisburn

Sunday May 28th 2023

The Rt Rev Darren McCartney has been appointed rector of St Paul’s, Lisburn.

Bishop Darren McCartney, rector of Clonallon and Warrenpoint with Kilbroney, Diocese of Down and Dromore, has been appointed rector of St Paul’s, Lisburn.

Darren spent his formative years in Dundrod, Co Antrim, growing up close to the Ulster Grand Prix motorbike circuit. He is part of a close family including parents Jim and Muriel, brothers Don and Duane, and sisters Coleen and Laura.

He attended Lisnagarvey High School and later spent eight years as a plant engineer before training for the ministry and taking up a post as deacon-in-charge and then priest-in-charge of St Luke’s Anglican Church, Diocese of the Arctic, Canada, in the community of Pangnirtung, Nunavut.

Darren returned to Northern Ireland in 2006 and spent three years as a curate in St Nicholas’, Carrickfergus, before becoming rector of St Matthias, Knocknamuckley.

In June 2012, during the Diocesan Arctic Synod, he was elected and consecrated Suffragan Bishop of the Arctic and moved with his wife Karen to Iqaluit, Baffin Island, in January 2013.

Darren has been married to Karen 24 years and they have a seven-year-old son. The family returned to Northern Ireland in 2019 when Darren took up the post of rector of Clonallon and Warrenpoint with Kilbroney. He is also Area Dean for the Mourne, and Warden to the Pioneering Ministers in the Diocese of Down and Dromore.

Looking forward to his move to Lisburn, Darren said: “The journey that has brought us to this point makes me very interested to see what God has in front of us.

“I rest in the knowledge that there is a work waiting and place my confidence in Holy Scripture. Proverbs 16:9 tells us ‘The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.’

“Please pray for my family and for our friends in the parishes we will be leaving and for the Parish of St Paul’s in Lisburn.”

A date for the institution will be announced in due course.