Bishop John Noonan in front of St. James Cathedral | Credit: Ann Rodriguez-Soto/The Florida Catholic

It’s been a little less than a month since Bishop John Noonan officially became the bishop of the Diocese of Orlando. Over the last few weeks, Bishop Noonan has been getting acquainted with his new diocese and is beginning to make the changes he believes are necessary for the local church. In the last couple of weeks, Noonan has appointed new heads of deaneries and appointed some familiar faces to positions that have opened up since Archbishop Thomas Wenski was appointed as shepherd of his native Miami.

On Friday, January 7, 2011, Bishop Noonan made the following Deanery appointments:

• Dean of the Northern Deanery: Very Rev. John Giel — Marion, Lake and Sumter Counties
• Dean of the Central Deanery North: Very Rev. Stephen Parkes — Seminole and Orange Counties
• Dean of the Western Deanery: Very Rev. Peter Puntal — Polk County
• Dean of the Central Deanery South: Very Rev. Esaú Garcia — Orange and Osceola Counties
• Dean of the Eastern Deanery: Very Rev. Esaú Garcia — Volusia County
• Dean of the Southern Deanery: Very Rev. Sean Heslin — Brevard County

On Friday, January 14, 2011, Bishop Noonan made the following appointments to the Diocesan Administration:

• Mrs. Carol Brinati, former Secretary of Evangelization and Director of Communications, as Chancellor of Administration — The position of Chancellor of Administration was vacated by Sr. Elizabeth Worley in July 2010. As you may recall, Sr. Elizabeth followed Archbishop Wenski to Miami and has been named the Chancellor of Administration of the archdiocese.
• Mr. Dan Hardester as Secretary of Evangelization — According to the diocesan E-Scroll, Mr. Hardester has served the Diocese of Orlando in multiple offices and ministries. Most recently, the incoming Secretary of Evangelization served as Diocesan Media Center Director, a position he will continue to carry out. Before then, Mr. Hardester served as Director of Faith Formation for a few local parishes. He has also been instrumental in the development and implementation of Why Catholic?
• Mrs. Teresa Lantigua Peterson as Director of Communications — Mrs. Peterson has served the Diocese of Orlando as a freelance reporter/photographer for The Florida Catholic. She has also been instrumental in the creation of the Light of Faith Awards and E-Faith.

While more changes are likely to take place within the diocese as Bishop Noonan becomes more acquainted with his new see, the changes are not expected to be drastic. So, my fellow Catholics in Orlando, don’t worry about any further changes to the diocesan administration or to your local parish. No major changes are on the horizon, at least according to several sources.

Bishop Thomas Wenski is pleased to announce the appointment of Very Reverend Gregory Parkes, J.C.L. as Vicar General of the Diocese of Orlando. Father Parkes assumed this role on November 1. He serves along with Monsignor Patrick Caverly who has served as Vicar General of the Diocese of Orlando since 1992. Father Parkes will continue to serve as Diocesan Chancellor of Canonical Affairs and Parochial Administrator of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Celebration.

A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general has executive power over the whole Diocese regarding administrative matters, except those matters the Bishop has reserved for himself.

Father Parkes was ordained to the priesthood on June 26, 1999 by Bishop Norbert Dorsey. He attended the North American College in Rome from 1996 – 2000 where he earned a Licentiate Degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. After returning to the Diocese of Orlando, Father Parkes was assigned as Parochial Vicar of Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando where he served from 2000 – 2004. In addition, he was appointed Defender of the Bond and served in the Marriage Tribunal during this same period. In December 2004, Bishop Thomas Wenski appointed him Chancellor of the diocese. Father Parkes was appointed Parochial Administrator of the newly formed Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Celebration in March 2005.

Father Parkes serves as a member of the Diocesan Finance Committee, Priest Placement Board, Presbyteral Council, Incardination Committee, College of Consultors, and is on the Board of Trustees of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. He has two brothers, Very Reverend Stephen Parkes who is Parochial Administrator of Most Precious Blood Catholic Church in Oviedo, and Christopher Parkes who is married and lives in Maryland.

PHOTO SOURCE: Diocese of Orlando