The fifth bishop of the Diocese of Orlando, John Noonan, was born in Limerick, Ireland, and immigrated to New York when he was 18. He later moved to Miami, where he studied for the priesthood at St. John Vianney College Seminary and St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary. After graduating with a Master of Divinity, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Miami on Sept. 23, 1983. His first pastoral assignment was as parochial vicar for St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Pompano Beach.
He served as chaplain for Youth Ministry in Broward County from 1985 to 1987, and as dean of men at St. John Vianney College from 1989 to 1993, he helped young men discerning a priestly vocation. He was supervising principal at Msgr. Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens from 1993 to 1994 and at St. Brendan High in Miami from 1994 to 1996.
Bishop Noonan pursued additional studies and received a Master of Education from Boston College in 1996. He then served as rector-president St. John Vianney College Seminary between 1996 and 2005.
Pope Benedict XVI named him auxiliary bishop of Miami on June 21, 2005. He was ordained to the episcopacy on Aug. 24, 2005, at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Miami.
The Holy Father appointed him bishop of Orlando on Oct. 23, 2010, and Bishop Noonan was installed Dec. 16, 2010, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. Bishop Noonan, who is fluent in English, Gaelic and Spanish, has taken as his motto “God before me and God with me,” from the Breastplate of St. Patrick, the patron of his native Ireland.
For more about Bishop Noonan, visit the Diocese of Orlando website.
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