Bishop John Noonan | Diocese of Orland website

Two weeks ago, Father Waldemar Maciag received a call from Bishop John Noonan with joyful news. He would be incardinated into the Diocese of Orlando on January 26, 2025. This significant event was made even more special as his mother, sister, and nephew traveled from Poland to witness it.

Bishop Noonan addressed the congregation at St. Lawrence in Bushnell, saying, “It’s time to adopt Father Waldemar.” These words resonated deeply with Father Maciag. "After 19 years in the diocese, I already felt a sense of attachment. It means a lot," he expressed. He further shared that his connection with priests and Bishop Noonan in Orlando has grown stronger than his ties to the Diocese of Radom in Poland where he was ordained.

Father Maciag spent only three years working in Radom before moving to Sweden for five years and then settling in Florida. His visits to Poland are infrequent, occurring just once annually, which has led him to feel distant from his former bishop there. "Everything here has become part of me. Those are my roots, but I am attached here," he said.

He appreciates Bishop Noonan's support in allowing him to integrate his artistic and musical talents into evangelization efforts—skills he nearly lost after an accident injured his hand early in his vocation.

Reflecting on the past 26 years away from Poland during important holidays and events, Father Maciag remarked, “It felt like the finger of God made it possible for my family to be at my incardination.”

The cassock he wore for this occasion held personal significance as well; it was crafted from fabric purchased during a visit to the Holy Land three years ago on his 25th ordination anniversary and sewn by his mother Teresa who learned sewing under Communist rule in Poland.

At a jubilee celebration in 2022 celebrating priesthood service milestones within diocesan communities worldwide (including those serving outside their home countries), Father Maciag reflected: “The greatest part of being a priest is being a part of something bigger than myself and experiencing all the graces and blessings that come from God." He added how challenging leaving one's homeland can be without divine assistance: "For any person to leave his own country—and go thousands miles away from loving home—needs grace God provides."

To learn more about Father Maciag’s art click here.