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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Fr. Miguel A. González is currently the Rector of St. James Cathedral, and the Vicar for Priests of the Diocese of Orlando.

Fr. Miguel was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Orlando on May 23, 1998. He first served as parochial vicar at St. James Cathedral Church, Orlando, and was transferred to St. John Vianney Parish in the fall of 2000. Four years later, on December 15, 2004 Bishop Thomas Wenski named Fr. Miguel full time Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Orlando. In March of 2011, after seven successful years as the Vocations Director, Bishop John Noonan named him Parish Administrator and later Pastor of St. John Vianney Parish. In early October of 2016, Bishop Noonan named him Administrator of St. James Cathedral Parish.  He was appointed Rector of St. James July 1, 2017.

In addition to his priestly duties, Fr. Miguel is the spiritual advisor to the Orlando Council of Catholic Women and enjoys games of dominos, cooking and visiting the area’s theme parks.

Prior to becoming a priest for the Diocese of Orlando, Fr. Gonzalez worked as an on-air personality and music program director for a commercial Spanish music radio station in Orlando, Florida.

Matthew Hawkins was born in Miami, but considers himself an Orlando native. His family moved to Orlando when he was only 7 months old and he has lived in the same house ever since. Describing his family as a “clash of two cultures,” he explains that his mother was raised Eastern Orthodox and his father, a member of the Assembly of God. “Very much two worlds coming together and colliding. I think they settled,” he said. “They compromised somewhere in the middle and raised my sister and me in the Presbyterian Church.” It was not until he was in college at the University of Florida that he was introduced to the Catholic Church.

His discernment eventually took him to St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach by way of a Franciscan community, which he had considered. However, the Lord was calling him, “…towards the people, their families and their daily lives—walking with them throughout the journey from Baptism to Marriage to their daily sustenance in the Eucharist and Confession and ultimately laying them to rest in funerals and Anointing of the Sick.”

Although his family struggled to understand his calling at first, his parents and sister fully support him. Hawkins is quick to note the joy they are taking in the preparations and how far they have all come since he first shared news of his vocation. He is thankful for their love and the support of his community, Annunciation Parish in Altamonte Springs.

Fr. Matthew was ordained by Bishop John Noonan to the priesthood May 26th, 2018 at St. James Cathedral.

Deacon Carlos Sola from Puerto Rico where he was ordained in 1991 in the Diocese of Caguas.  Carlos has been married to his wife, Marie Cosme for more than 35 years and they have one daughter, two sons and three grandchildren.  Over the 21 years serving as a Deacon, Carlos has been very involved in preparing couples for marriage, advising youth and teaching Holy Scripture and Catechesis.  He has a degree in Electronics Engineering and Psychology, he enjoys working with both couples and individuals who are searching for Christ in the midst of the challenges in their lives.

Carlos has worked to help design and implement parish pastoral plans as well as working within the Diocese to prepare new candidates to become deacons.  Deacon Carlos is presently producing a weekly radio program: “The Reign of God is within us”.  The program broadcasts every Friday at 5:30 pm by Buena Nueva FM 104.1 Subcarrier.  He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Movement for a Better World, an international Catholic movement based in Rome.

Deacon Patrick McAvoy was born in Evanston, Illinois. He later moved with his family to Atlanta. He attended the University of Georgia and is continuing studies at Saint Leo’s University.  He was a parishioner at Holy Family in Orlando when he was ordained at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe on June 13, 2009 by now Archbishop Wenski. Deacon Pat assists in RCIA and sacramental preparation for reconciliation, first communion, marriage and infant baptism. He says, “Baptism calls us all to do what priests, deacons and the religious are called to do. We just need to realize that we are all in this together. Our Holy Father is making that point quite clearly when he says ‘joyfully live your life for Christ!’”