A letter from Bishop Noonan to St. Mary Catholic Church & School

My Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
Grace and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. What will separate us from the love of Christ? These are the words of Scripture from St. Paul to the Romans. St. Paul tells us nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Who brings us to know Christ? We do.

Your pastor, Father Ivan Olmo, is leaving to serve the holy people of Annunciation Parish. I am grateful to Father Olmo for bringing you to Christ and guiding you to understand your baptismal call so that you are also able to bring those whom you encounter to know Jesus.

Father Juan Osorno is appointed parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish on August 15 to guide you in your Catholic faith. He comes to you from Holy Redeemer Parish in Kissimmee. Let me introduce you to him briefly:

Father Juan Osorno was born in Donmatias- Antioquia, Colombia, a small farming town that grew into an industrial center. Although he describes his family as “I 00 percent Catholic,” his journey to the priesthood was not always clear to him. When he was 6, he had a dream about becoming a priest. Too young to understand the call, he thought nothing of it. The idea resurfaced when he was 11, but confounded by how to go about proceeding, he decided to let it go. The call came again at 22, when fellow parishioners saw his devotion and urged him to join the priesthood. Once again, he hesitated. It was not long afterwards that he began to drift away from the Church. After time away from the Lord, and after turning away from his family so they would not see his sorrow, he decided one day to partake in the Sacrament of Penance. He compared his return to that of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. His family welcomed him back unconditionally. “I felt an embrace and I felt the real thing that would fulfill the emptiness in my heart,” he said. “St. Augustine said it really well: My heart is restless until it rests in you.” After coming to the United States, Father Osorno answered God’s call. He credits the parishioners of St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Orlando with his final commitment. He attended St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary and was ordained on May 27, 2017 by Bishop John Noonan. He has been serving as parochial vicar for Holy Redeemer Parish since his Ordination.

Please welcome Father Osorno with grace and faith. I pray with you during this time of transition. May we be through, with and of God, that nothing can separate us from Him.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend John Noonan
Bishop of Orlando