By Bishop John Noonan - The Archdiocese of Miami
Thank you Father Richard Walsh for your kind words and especially the care you have given the diocese over these past months. For the welcome and help I have received from the diocesan staff, thank you. It is indeed an honor and a privilege to be here with you this morning as your new bishop. It is also only fitting that it should be at such an event as this in honor of Mary the Mother of God. At the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel said to Mary, �Peace be with you.� I, too, pray that the peace of the Lord may be with all of you too. A peace that transforms people's lives. Mary�s response to God�s call to become the mother of Jesus is the greatest and most powerful response ever given by any living person. Mary�s response is a great example of Humility, a great example of Faith and a great example of Love. We are all called to imitate Mary�s example of discipleship, a discipleship of authenticity in faith and love for the Lord.![Bishop John Noonan](https://www.miamiarch.org/Atimo_s/articles_images/imported/10102223110228.jpg)
Photographer: FILE PHOTO
Bishop John Noonan
I am deeply grateful to God and our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for his confidence in me and his consideration in appointing me to become your bishop. I promise to preach and to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And to the best of my ability to be a bishop and shepherd to the people of the Diocese of Orlando. I thank Archbishop Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio of Pope Benedict to the U.S.A., for conveying the wishes of the Holy Father to me.
Archbishop Wenski: your former bishop and now the Metropolitan Archbishop of Miami, I am grateful for his support. I appreciate the fine work he has done here in the Diocese of Orlando.
I look forward to learning from you, the people, about this great Diocese of Orlando. I have much to learn and see over the next few months. I also look forward to working with the many fine priests, religious priests and sisters of the diocese. Some I have known from seminary days as rector or as fellow priests. In the next few weeks and months I hope to be able to visit all the parishes throughout the diocese. In that way we may be able to get to know each other. I pray that together we may not only hear the Word of God but that we may also live the Word of God in our daily lives. In the words of St. Augustine to the people, �For you I am your bishop but with you I am a Christian.�
My motto as a bishop comes from the book of Exodus 3:12: �God be before me and God be with me.� These are the words that God used in calling Moses to lead the People of Israel out of Egypt. These too are the words of St. Patrick when he began to preach the Gospel to the people of Ireland. Like Mary�s prayer in the Gospel, �Let it be unto to me according to thy Word,� I pray that God will be with you and me to lead us to his ultimate gift which is the promise of eternal life, a life forever like Mary with the Lord. Thank you for being here today and I ask only that you pray for me as I will also pray for you.
To read article "Miami Auxiliary appointed Bishop of Orlando" click here.
To read a statement from Archbishop Thomas Wenski click here.
Comments from readers
The People of God at St. Agatha Church & School congratulates you. We will miss you. We thank you for the time that you were with us here at St. Agatha. Our Pastor, Fr. Garcia and all the priests, sisters, lay staff and all of us, thank you and wishes you God's love and joy in your new appointment. Please do not forget to come to have a cup of cuban coffee with us.
Fraternally yours in Christ,
Fr. Rolando G. Garcia, Pastor
The Diocese of Orlando will be truly blessed to be under your guidance and direction. We will miss you in South Florida. Rest assured that all of us will be praying for you so that the Lord may continue to bless you with the Wisdom and Charismas that He has bestowed upon you. Dear Bishop Noonan:
The Diocese of Orlando will be truly blessed to be under your guidance and direction. We will miss you in South Florida. Rest assured that all of us will be praying for you so that the Lord may continue to bless you with the Wisdom and Charismas that He has bestowed upon you.
We thank the Lord and you for all that you have done for us in South Florida.
Your servant in Christ,
Sergio J. Guzman, Esq
Congratulations are in order!
Although the Diocese of Orlando must be rejoicing about your appointment as their new Bishop, it is with much happiness and a true-felt sadness, that I congratulate you. You have been an inspiration to all of us in many ways. I will never forget the first homily that I heard from you at St. Agatha with Bishop Estevez on one of our graduations. The sutdents enjoyed it and so did we. You went through memory lane with them. Again, congratulations and many the Lord continue to guide you as He has always done.
In His name,
Carlota E. Morales, Ed.D.
Principal
Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School
I was so happy to hear the news today. Congratulations!
I've read your most beautiful and spiritual statement to the people of Orlando… so fatherly and pastoral. How wonderful!
You'll be a great Ordinary with the grace of God… �God be before me and God be with me�; what a beautiful motto, Bishop.
Again, I rejoice with you and the people of Orlando but certainly we will miss you in Miami… your joy and your always friendly presence.