Monterey Receives Bishop Bejarano

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On February 19, the Most Rev. Ramón Bejarano (56), formerly a priest of Stockton, California and, since 2020, Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego, will be installed as the 6th Bishop of Monterey in Californa. However, the jurisdiction is a much older one. The diocese of Monterey in California was created in 1967 by St. Paul VI. Prior to that it was a part of a jurisdiction going back to 1840 as the Diocese of California (The Two Californias; Both Californias), later changed to the Diocese of Monterey in 1849. It was changed again to the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles in 1859 and in 1922 was changed yet again to the Diocese of Monterey-Fresno. In 1967 Fresno was separated from Monterey to be its own diocese and the diocese then became the Diocese of Monterey in California as it remains today. So, including all those permutations, Bishop Bejarano becomes the 19th Ordinary of the jurisdiction!

In 2020 I was very honored to assist Bishop Bejarano with designing his personal coat of arms to be assumed on becoming the Titular Bishop of Carpi and the Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego. It was once again my honor to assist him in marshaling those arms to those of the See of Monterey.

BLAZON:  Arms impaled; in the dexter: Gules, on a mound issuant in base Argent charged with an open crown Or a latin cross of wood, Or between, to dexter and sinister a bell Argent (Monterey). In the sinister; Paly wavy Or and Azure; on a chief Gules flanked to dexter by an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Or, crowned and wounded Gules, enflamed Or and to sinister a rose Or seeded Gules, a sun in its splendor Or charged with a plate all chevronwise. Shield ensigned with an episcopal cross Or behind the shield and a bishop’s galero Vert cords and twelve tassels disposed in three rows of one, two and three all Vert. On a scroll below the shield the motto: “My Soul Is Thirsting For You”.

EXPLANATION: The diocesan coat of arms alludes to the name of the diocese, Monterey—the mountain of the king—as well as to the history of the area as being settled as one of the historic California Missions.

The personal coat of arms assumed by Bishop Bejarano combines symbols that are meaningful to him reflecting his spiritual life and priestly ministry. The main part of the shield shows a background composed of alternating blue and gold (yellow) wavy vertical lines. These represent flowing waters. This alludes to his chosen motto and also symbolizes the graces that come from the Divine life to quench our thirst for God.

The upper third of the shield, called a “chief” is red because it is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Order of Mercy, the Mercedarians, of which the bishop’s patron saint, Raymond Nonnatus, was a member. The central symbol which is slightly higher than the other two resembles a monstrance because St. Raymond is often depicted artistically holding a monstrance. Furthermore, the Eucharist is, for Bishop Bejarano, the inspiration for his priestly vocation. It was through the Eucharist that he received his call to the priesthood at age seven and which keeps his faith and his ministry going. It represents the call to offer oneself as a living sacrifice.

The monstrance is flanked on either side by an image of the Sacred Heart alluding to the mercy of God and echoing the idea of a sacrificial offering of oneself united to the sacrifice of Christ and of a rose for Our Lady. In particular, it is an allusion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. This is for the bishop’s Hispanic heritage. In connection with the appearance of Our Lady to Juan Diego the miraculous blooming of roses in December occurred.

The motto below the shield is, “My Soul Is Thirsting For You” from Psalm 63. He chose this because he sees it as also connected with St. Augustine’s phrase about our restless heart. (“Our hearts are restless, O God, until they rest in Thee”) The human heart seeks God, and Bishop Bejarano sees the need for evangelization for so many thirsting souls.

The shield is also ensigned with those external ornaments that indicate the bearer is a bishop. The gold (yellow) cross is placed vertically behind and extending above and below the shield. This is often mistakenly thought to be a processional cross like those used in liturgical processions. That is not entirely right. In former times archbishops, and later all bishops, had a cross mounted on a staff carried immediately in front of them while in procession or on solemn occasions. This cross was a symbol of their rank as bishop. While such an episcopal cross is no longer used practically it has been retained heraldically. In fact, there are other clerics who make use of the ecclesiastical hat with its many tassels but the one true heraldic emblem of a bishop, and the only essential one, is the episcopal cross placed behind the shield.

Above the shield is the ecclesiastical hat, called a galero which, in heraldry, replaces the martial helmet, mantling and crest. “The hat with six pendant tassels (green, purple or black) on each side is universally considered in heraldry as the sign of prelacy. It, therefore, pertains to all who are actually prelates.” (Heim, Bruno B., Heraldry in the Catholic Church 1978, page 114) The galero is green with green cords pendant from it and twelve green tassels arranged in a pyramid shape on either side of the shield. At one time in history bishops and archbishops wore green before adopting the more Roman purple we see today. In heraldry the green hat and tassels was retained for prelates with the rank of bishop according to the Instruction of the Holy See’s Secretariat of State, “Ut Sive” of March, 1969.

It was a great pleasure to assist Bishop Bejarano with preparing his armorial bearings once again.

Moth To Westminster

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On February 14th, the Feast of Ss. Cyril & Methodius, Co-Patrons of Europe but also the day many more see as St. Valentines Day the Most Rev. Charles Philip Richard Moth (67), since 2015 the Bishop of Arundel & Brighton, who served before that as the Bishop of the Armed Forces since 2009 and who is originally a priest of the Archdiocese of Southwark will be installed as the 12th Metropolitan Archbishop of Westminster but also the 24th Ordinary of a jurisdiction which has existed since 1622 as the Vicariate Apostolic of England and Wales, later changed to the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District in 1688. (Incidentally, the Ordinary of the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District was responsible for any Catholic clergy serving in N. America in what later became the USA until the erection of the See of Baltimore in 1789.

His episcopal coat of arms which he has used since his episcopal ordination in 2009 will be impaled with the arms used by the See of Westminster which itself has undergone several minor changes over the years but which has consistently appeared in its present form since the tenure of Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor. The College of Arms will create a divisal of arms for a Catholic bishop but the Catholic dioceses in England and Wales are not considered bodies corporate of law and so they do not receive grants of Arms from HM College of Arms. (Lord Lyon has granted arms to all the Catholic dioceses in Scotland and will grant arms to a Catholic bishop.)

Ad Multos Annos!

NOTE: The artwork shown is not official. rather, it was cobbled together from various sources

Bishop Peter Bui in Phoenix

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On Tuesday, February 17, the Most Rev. Peter Dai Bui (56), a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona will be ordained a bishop as the Titular Bishop of Ausafa and serve as the second Auxiliary Bishop of Phoenix.

BLAZON:  Argent, on a Latin cross reversed throughout Azure between two roses Gules barbed Vert and seeded Or, the Star of the Sea (Stella Maris) at the center point Or, charged with the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Gules (Bui). Shield ensigned with an episcopal cross Or behind the shield and a bishop’s galero Vert cords and twelve tassels disposed in three rows of one, two and three all Vert. On a scroll below the shield the motto: “Omnia in Caritate Fiant”.

EXPLANATION: The personal coat of arms assumed by Bishop Bui combines symbols that are meaningful to him reflecting his family, his spiritual life and priestly ministry. The main part of the shield shows a silver (white) background on which there is a large blue Latin cross which is upside down. This cross is a symbol of St. Peter who, tradition holds, was crucified upside down because he said he wasn’t worthy to die in the same manner as Christ. So, his tormentors turned him upside down. At the center point where to two bars of the cross intersect there is a gold (yellow) eight-pointed star which is a symbol of Stella Maris, the Star of the Sea, an ancient title of Our Lady. The Bishop was born in a fishing village on Phụ Quoc Island. His father was a fisherman, who used the stars to navigate and who also had a strong devotion to Our Lady. In fact, in 1977 when the Bishop’s family escaped from Vietnam in his father’s fishing boat, his father recounted that he used the constellations and prayers to the Blessed Mother to navigate the family to safe shore in Bangkok. Superimposed on the star is the traditional devotional image of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus enflamed, wounded and encircled by a crown of thorns.

In the upper part of the shield on either side of the cross are two red roses with gold (yellow) seeds and green leaves. This symbol is used in heraldry to represent Our Lady under her title of the Mystical Rose (Rosa Mystica) and it also is used to represent St. Thérèse of Lisieux who was popularly known as “The Little Flower”. These two symbols allude to the Bishop’s devotion to the Mother of God and to St. Thérèse.

The motto below the shield is, “Omnia in Caritate Fiant” from 1 Cor 16:14. It can be translated as, “Let all that you do be done in love”.

The shield is also ensigned with those external ornaments that indicate the bearer is a bishop. The gold (yellow) cross is placed vertically behind and extending above and below the shield. This is often mistakenly thought to be a processional cross like those used in liturgical processions. That is not entirely right. In former times archbishops, and later all bishops, had a cross mounted on a staff carried immediately in front of them while in procession or on solemn occasions. This cross was a symbol of their rank as bishop. While such an episcopal cross is no longer used practically it has been retained heraldically. In fact, there are other clerics who make use of the ecclesiastical hat with its many tassels but the one true heraldic emblem of a bishop, and the only essential one, is the episcopal cross placed behind the shield.

Above the shield is the ecclesiastical hat, called a galero which, in heraldry, replaces the martial helmet, mantling and crest. “The hat with six pendant tassels (green, purple or black) on each side is universally considered in heraldry as the sign of prelacy. It, therefore, pertains to all who are actually prelates.” (Heim, Bruno B., Heraldry in the Catholic Church 1978, page 114) The galero is green with green cords pendant from it and twelve green tassels arranged in a pyramid shape on either side of the shield. At one time in history bishops and archbishops wore green before adopting the more Roman purple we see today. In heraldry the green hat and tassels was retained for prelates with the rank of bishop according to the Instruction of the Holy See Secretariat of State, “Ut Sive” of March, 1969.

It was my privilege to assist Bishop Bui in devising and depicting his coat of arms.

Archbishop Hicks of New York

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On February 6, 2026 the Most Rev. Ronald Hicks (58), originally a priest and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago and, since 2020 the Bishop of Joliet, Illinois will be installed as the 14th Bishop and 10 Metropolitan Archbishop of New York, one of the most prestigious Sees in the United States and in the whole world.

At the time he became a bishop in 2018 Archbishop Hicks assumed a coat of arms designed by the late Deacon Paul Sullivan which was then marshaled to those of the See of Joliet by me in 2020. Now, as he is translated to the See of New York he once again changes the impalement of his arms to reflect his new position.

BLAZON:  Arms impaled, in the dexter: Argent, on a saltire between four Greek crosses all Gules, the sails of a windmill arranged in saltire Argent. (Archdiocese of New York); in the sinister: Azure, on a fess wavy Argent a sprig of rosemary Proper; in chief a sword and a quill in saltire Or below a heart Gules fimbriated Argent; in base a sprig of lily of three blossoms Argent. (Archbishop Hicks). The achievement is ensigned with an archiepiscopal cross Or behind the shield and an archbishop’s galero Vert cords and twenty tassels disposed in four rows of one, two, three and four all Vert. On a scroll below the shield the motto: “ Paz Y Bien”.

On the left side of the shield as we view it is the coat of arms of the Archdiocese of New York. It is composed of a silver (white) field on which is displayed a red saltire; a cross in the form of the letter “X.” This is known in heraldry as a “Cross of St. Patrick,” and by its use an allusion is made to the titular patron of the cathedral church in New York and of the archdiocese. Upon the saltire is a silver (white) mill-sail (a wind mill), which is also seen in the seal of New York City, to reflect the Dutch heritage of the founders of the city that was originally known as “New Amsterdam.” Within the four areas of the field created by the saltire are seen four small red crosses with arms of equal length, referred to as “Greek crosses” in heraldry, for the four Gospels, emblematic of the Church’s mission to bring “The Good News” to those entrusted to its care.

The personal coat of arms assumed by Archbishop Hicks combines symbols that are meaningful to him reflecting his life and priestly ministry. On a blue field we see a silver (white) wavy bar across the center, heraldically known as “a fess.” This is indicative of water, symbolizing Lake Michigan, to honor the bishop’s home town of South Holland, Illinois. On the fess wavy is a sprig of rosemary, depicted “proper,” that is, as it appears in nature, to honor the martyred archbishop of El Salvador, St. Oscar Romero. The Spanish word for the herb rosemary is “romero”  and the saintly bishop had this as a charge in his own coat of arms as well.

Above the fess are a quill pen and sword, both gold (yellow) and crossed in a saltire, alluding to St. Paul, because the sword was the instrument of his execution and martyrdom and the pen of his writings that were so important for the archbishop, who grew up in an ecumenical family. These charges are placed below a red heart, outlined or fimbriated in silver (white) in order to set it off from the blue field. This heart is included to remember the archbishop’s service with the NPH (Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, “Our Little Brothers and Sisters”), a “heartfelt people,” who care for orphans and abandoned children throughout Central and South America.

Below the fess is a silver (white) three-blossom sprig of lilies that is taken from the arms of  the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, where the archbishop attended the seminary, earned his doctorate in ministry and served on the faculty and staff.

The motto below the shield is, “Paz Y Bien” the Spanish for “Peace and Good”. This phrase, attributed to St. Francis, emphasizes that true peace comes from Christ and all the good he shares through his word and sacraments.

The external ornaments include a gold archiepiscopal cross with two horizontal bars (sometimes referred to as a patriarchal cross) placed vertically behind the shield decorated with red jewels. This is often mistaken for a processional cross like the one used in liturgical processions. However, like other heraldic ornaments the archiepiscopal cross has its origins in something which is no longer actually used. At one time all bishops had, in addition to the processional cross at the head of the procession, another cross carried directly in front of them by a cleric. This other cross was a sign of the office of bishop. It originated as a custom that such a cross was carried before archbishops only. Later, the cross was adopted for use by all bishops so archbishop’s added a second horizontal bar to their crosses to distinguish them from the episcopal cross of simple bishops. While no longer actually used it has remained a symbol of the archiepiscopal office in heraldry. There are other clerics who make use of the ecclesiastical hat with its many tassels but the one true heraldic emblem of an archbishop—and the only essential one—is the archiepiscopal cross placed behind the shield.

It is not, as is sometimes supposed, a symbol of the office of Metropolitan because the archiepiscopal cross is used by all archbishops, even those who are not Metropolitan Archbishops.

Above the shield is the ecclesiastical hat, called a galero which, in heraldry, replaces the martial helmet, mantling and crest. “The hat with pendant tassels (green, purple or black) on each side is universally considered in heraldry as the sign of prelacy. It, therefore, pertains to all who are actually prelates.” (Heim, Bruno B., Heraldry in the Catholic Church 1978, page 114).  This broad-brimmed green galero was, at one time, worn by bishops and archbishops in outdoor processions and cavalcades. No longer used it remains a heraldic symbol of the office of (arch)bishop. In Catholic heraldry the color and number of tassels on the galero indicates the rank of the bearer. Green is used in the coats of arms of bishops and archbishops because, again at one time, green was the color worn by those prelates before they later adopted the familiar Roman purple. The double barred archiepiscopal cross and the green galero with twenty tassels signifies the coat of arms of an archbishop according to the Instruction of the Holy See, “Ut Sive” issued in 1969.

It was a great pleasure and a real privilege for me to assist the Archbishop with the preparation of his armorial bearings.

Archbishop of Vienna

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On January 24, 2026, the Most Rev. Josef Grünwidl (62) a priest of the Archdiocese of Vienna, Austria who has served, since 2025, as Administrator of the Archdiocese will be ordained and installed as the 33rd Archbishop of Vienna in succession to Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP, (81) a Dominican friar who served as Archbishop since 1995.

The armorial bearings assumed by Archbishop Grünwidl are typically, and wonderfully simple as are so many Austrian bishops’ coats of arms. It is also very common to quarter personal arms with those of the See in that part of the world. His chosen quarters marshal well with the beautifully simple arms of the See of Vienna.

His motto translates to: “Receive the melody of God”.

We wish him, Viel Glück und alles Gute! Ad Multos Annos!

Bishop O’Connell of Albany

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On December 5 the Most Rev. Mark William O’Connell (61), a priest and, since 2016, an Auxiliary Bishop of Boston will be installed as the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Albany, New York.

BLAZON: Arms impaled. In the dexter: Azure, a beaver springing Tenné holding in its dexter paw a bishop’s crozier Or; in chief to sinister a crescent Argent. In the sinister: per fess Argent and Vert, a saltire between in chief and in base two trefoils facing the centerpoint all Counterchanged; overall a stag’s head erased Tenné. On a chief barry wavy Azure and Argent; overall a fish naiant Or. The shield is ensigned with an episcopal cross Or and a bishop’s galero with cords and twelve tassels flanking the shield disposed in three rows of one, two and three all Vert. On a scroll below the shield is the motto, “Invenimus Messiam”.

The armorial bearings of Bishop Mark O’Connell impale the coat of arms of his episcopal See with his personal coat of arms. These evoke his family and heritage as well as his ministry. The coat of arms is composed of a shield with its charges (symbols), a motto and the external ornamentation.

The arms of the Diocese of Albany are composed of a blue field on which are placed a beaver standing on one foot and holding a bishop’s crozier below a silver (white) crescent in the upper right corner.  The beaver holding a crozier in the arms of the See come from the fact that the original name of Albany was “Beaverwyck” as it was a major outpost on the route for traders. In addition, the beaver is an animal closely associated with Canada, where the Bishop was born. It holds a crozier as an indication of Albany as the seat of a bishop. The crescent alludes to the Immaculate Conception, the titular of the cathedral church. 

Bishop O’Connell’s personal coat of arms was originally assumed when he became a bishop in 2016. That design has now been modified by the bishop so that his personal arms have a rather different appearance. I think I have commented on this blog numerous times in the past about how I generally do not favor the idea of an armiger later redesigning and changing his arms. I think it is done far too often, especially among the American episcopate. Nevertheless, it is sometimes strongly desired especially when there may be circumstances involving the adoption of the original coat of arms that influenced that original design. Upon further reflection it may sometimes occur that an armiger has second thoughts about the arms assumed, or simply has a strong desire to try to improve the coat of arms. Under such circumstances a move such as this one—being transferred to become a diocesan bishop—provide a kind of “natural” occasion to modify the existing coat of arms. In this case, the bishop had a clear desire to simplify the design of his personal arms because he was cognizant of the custom in N. America for impaling the personal arms with those of the See. Sometimes, such an impalement renders the personal arms—when they are an especially complex design—difficult to see clearly. So, right from the start of this commission the Bishop requested that some modifications be made in order to simplify the overall look of his personal coat of arms to make it more easily discernable when impaled with those of Albany. After discussing my usual attitude towards modifying existing arms I reluctantly agreed to do what I was being asked and then, I must admit, took to the task with enthusiasm.

The basic design of the main part of the field is based on the arms traditionally associated with the name O’Connell but with some significant changes in order to “difference” them from the original and make them unique to Bishop O’Connell. So, the background divided in half with the upper portion silver (white) and the lower portion green is taken from the O’Connell arms. To this is added a saltire (a cross in the shape of an “X”) as a symbol of St. Andrew, to whom the Bishop has a great devotion, and who was crucified on an X-shaped cross. This saltire is “counterchanged” meaning it’s colors are reversed with the background colors. Above and below the saltire are two trefoils (which also resemble shamrocks). These are also counterchanged to maintain the green and white color scheme. They are depicted facing each other, as it were, with their stems in an attitude towards the center of the shield. In this way they appear to be mirror images of each other. They, too, are taken from the original O’Connell arms. While there are three in the original only two are depicted here for a sense of symmetry. They allude to both the Holy Trinity and the Bishop’s Irish heritage. In addition, the color green is an allusion to the bishop being a canon lawyer because green is the academic color usually associated with Canon Law.

Placed in the center overall there is a stag’s head. This is retained from the arms the Bishop assumed in 2016 where it served there, as it does again here, as a reference to the full stag usually depicted in the arms of O’Connell. For purposes of creating another difference from the original while at the same time hearkening back to the coat of arms the Bishop first assumed, the head of the stag cut off at the neck, rather than the whole animal, has been depicted. Instead of being depicted facing the viewer and colored red it is shown in profile and is colored Tenné. This tone is used in heraldry as a representation of the color brown, which doesn’t exist in heraldic art. The closest approximation of brown that can be used while maintaining heraldic tradition is this “stain”, as opposed to a tincture, called Tenné.

On the upper third of the shield, called a “chief” we see a background composed of blue and silver (white) wavy bars. This is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Boston where Bishop O’Connell served as a priest and an Auxiliary Bishop. The two white lines also represent the two rivers of Albany. Over the wavy lines there is a gold (yellow) fish. This symbol is borrowed from the arms associated with the name Delaney which was the Bishop’s mother’s name. In the Delaney arms it represents the “Salmon of Wisdom” associated with the legend of the mythical warrior, Fionn. In addition, it is worth noting that the fish was the earliest symbol used by the infant Church as a symbol of the faith. The word for fish is ICHTHUS in Greek. Using the letters of the Greek alphabet to spell the word fish, early Christians secretly bore this symbol as it created an acronym with the hidden meaning “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior”. The fish was a pictorial representation of this phrase and thereby formed a secret symbol for the first Christians.

The fish upon the waves, therefore, alludes to the Bishop’s maternal family, the Archdiocese of Boston, the Diocese of Albany as well as the concept of the Apostles—and their successors, the bishops—are called to be “Fishers of Men”. In a further allusion to St. Andrew we know that St. Andrew was present during the miracle of the loaves and fishes, where he identified a boy with five loaves and two fish, which Jesus then multiplied to feed a crowd of five thousand people. This event highlights Andrew’s role in bringing others to Jesus and his participation in the early ministry of Christ.

The external ornaments include a gold episcopal cross placed vertically behind the shield. This is often mistaken for a processional cross like the one used in liturgical processions. However, like other heraldic ornaments the episcopal cross has its origins in something which is no longer actually used. At one time all bishops had, in addition to the processional cross at the head of the procession, another cross carried directly in front of them by a cleric. This other cross was a sign of the office of bishop. While no longer actually used it has remained a symbol of the episcopal office in heraldry.

Similarly, the broad-brimmed green galero was, at one time, worn by bishops in outdoor processions and cavalcades. No longer used it remains a heraldic symbol of the office of bishop and takes the place of the helmet, mantling and crest that would appear in the coat of arms of a layman. In Catholic heraldry the color and number of tassels on the galero indicates the rank of the bearer. The single barred episcopal cross and the green galero with twelve tassels signifies the coat of arms of a bishop according to the Instruction of the Holy See, “Ut Sive” issued in 1969.

The motto chosen by Bishop O’Connell appears on a scroll below the shield. “Invenimus Messiam” which translates to “We Have Found the Messiah” is taken from John 1:41. The words are attributed to Saint Andrew who purportedly used them when greeting people for the first time as a way of announcing the coming of the Lord, His great work of Redemption, and his Resurrection. Bishop O’Connell’s spirituality is deeply rooted in this spiritual dictum.

I was very pleased to assist the Bishop with the modifications to his original coat of arms and to do the current artwork as well.

Passing of an Excellent Priest

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The Rev. Daren Zehnle, 47, a priest of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois died on November 27 after suffering a stroke the day before. He was a truly exceptional priest who had served his diocese as a parochial vicar, high school chaplain, pastor, vocation director and recently as a college chaplain. He has engaged in studies in both liturgy and canon law. Shortly after he was ordained years ago he asked me to design a coat of arms for him. He was an enthusiastic armiger frequently making use of his armorial banner. May he rest in a very well-deserved peace.

Andrew Windsor-Mountbatten

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After renouncing the use of and later experiencing the further removal of any titles, honors and military ranks, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s armorial bearings revert to those granted to him originally before any other honors or titles were bestowed upon him.

That is, the royal arms differenced by a label of three points (for the son of a Sovereign) the center point of the label charged with a blue anchor. The Royal arms, suitably differenced, are allowed to be used by him as the son of the Sovereign at the time of his birth regardless of any removal of his titles and honors.

I had wondered if he would be allowed to continue to use the supporters and the crest but apparently he is.

Jefferson City’s New Bishop

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On October 28 the Most Rev. Ralph Bernard O’Donnell (56), a priest of the Archdiocese of Omaha since 1997, will be ordained a bishop and installed as the 5th Bishop of Jefferson City, Missouri.

The arms that he has assumed which are impaled to the recently redesigned arms of the See of Jefferson City were designed and emblazoned by Dom Pachomius Meade, OSB of Conception Abbey. He also worked on the redesign of the diocesan coat of arms.

Checchio to be Coadjutor of New Orleans

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Today it was announced that the Most Rev. James Checchio (59), the 5th Bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV to become the Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans, Louisiana. He expects to take up his new responsibilities in late November. His current coat of arms will need slight modification to add another row of tassels to the galero and a second horizontal bar to the cross. However, it is customary for a Coadjutor Archbishop or Bishop to use his personal arms alone on the shield until such time as he succeeds to the See and then he may marshal his personal arms with those of the See on the same shield.

Bishop Checchio has served as Bishop of Metuchen since 2016. He will assist the Most Rev. Gregory Aymond (75) in the duties of shepherding the Archdiocese of New Orleans until the conclusion of their current bankruptcy proceedings which are expected to last until the end of this year. As Coadjutor Archbishop, Checchio will then automatically have the right immediately to succeed to the See.

It just so happens that it was my great privilege and pleasure to prepare the armorial bearings for Archbishop Aymond when he became Archbishop of New Orleans in 2009.

Another UK Archbishop

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After seeing my recent post about the coat of arms of the Archbishop of Southwark another readers reader of this blog pointed out to me the coat of arms of another prelate from the UK. Archbishop Paul Gallagher (71) is the Secretary for Relations with States & International Organisations, in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See.

Ordained for Liverpool in 1977 he entered the diplomatic corps of the Holy See in 1984. Gallagher previously served as Nuncio to Burundi, to Guatemala and to Australia. He had also served as an official in Tanzania, Uruguay and the Philippines and became an archbishop in 2004.

Archbishop of Liverpool (updated)

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After recently posting the armorial achievement of the Archbishop of Southwark another reader of this blog was kind enough to send me the armorial bearings of the Most Rev. John Sherrington (67), the current Metropolitan Archbishop of Liverpool. Archbishop Sherrington, installed last May was previously an Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and, prior to that, was a priest of the Diocese of Nottingham.

(artwork: Quentin Peacock)

Archbishop of Southwark, UK

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One of my regular readers recently sent me this rendering of the armorial bearings of the Most Rev. John Wilson (57), the current Metropolitan Archbishop of Southwark. The archdiocese takes in everything in London south of the River Thames and the County of Kent. (London north of the Thames is the Archdiocese of Westminster, making London one of the only cities to contain not only more than one diocese but actually to contain two ARCHdioceses).

It is interesting to note the quartering with the pall (pallium). This mirrors the original use of the pall. In the days before diocesan coats of arms the pall was employed by any Metropolitan Archbishop as a heraldic charge indicating his status as a Metropolitan.

Parish of St. Matthew

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I recently was commissioned to design a coat of arms for the Parish of St. Matthew in Flint, Michigan.

BLAZON:Quarterly, the horizontal line wavy, Azure and Argent overall a cross moline quartered and Counterchanged;  in the first and fourth quarter a mullet of six points Or; in the second and third quarter a money bag Gules bound Or.

EXPLANATION: The armorial bearings of the Parish of Saint Matthew, Flint, Michigan in the Diocese of Lansing reflect its location and it titular patron saint. The cross is not only the symbol of our faith and of the center of activity in any parish but in this form is borrowed from the diocesan coat of arms to indicate the parish is located in that diocese. The horizontal division line has been made wavy as a reference to the Flint River, and so as a reference to the city in which the parish is located. The money bags are a symbol of the parish’s patron, St. Matthew who was a tax collector before he became a disciple. The six-pointed star is from the arms of St. Pius X who was pope at the time the parish was erected. In addition, part of the former parish of St. Pius X has been incorporated into the parish of St. Matthew, so it alludes to that as well.

The blue and white motif from the diocesan coat of arms predominates throughout. The money bags are red to recall St. Matthew’s martyrdom. By means of these symbols the coat of arms of the parish alludes to both its patron and the local church in which it is located.

Bishop Chau

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On September 8 the Rev. P. Bismarck Chau (58) will be ordained a Bishop in the Church and become the Titular Bishop of Catrum and Auxiliary Bishop to HE, Joseph Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Newark, NJ.

BLAZON: Argent on a triple mound issuant in base Sable a Latin cross Azure charged with a fleur-de-lis Argent; on a chief wavy Azure flanked by oak leaves Argent a human hand couped with the first two fingers raised in an attitude of benediction Or. Shield ensigned with an episcopal cross Or behind the shield and a bishop’s galero Vert cords and twelve tassels disposed in three rows of one, two and three all Vert. On a scroll below the shield the motto: “Dios Es Mi Fuerza”. (God is my strength)

EXPLANATION: The armorial bearings of Bishop Bismarck Chau reflect his family name, his Baptismal patron, the country of his birth and his ministry. The shield is composed primarily of the colors blue and white. These are the colors of the flag of Nicaragua where the bishop and his family originate. In the lower portion of the shield on a silver (white) background we see rising from the bottom of the shield a mound of three black hillocks. The three stylized hills represent that Nicaragua is known as a land of volcanoes. The hills create a kind of stylized mountain and the black color represents the black volcanic ash.

In addition, this stylized mound of rocks is also a nod to St. Peter whom Jesus called “the rock” on which He would build His church. Pedro (Peter) is the Bishop’s baptismal name. The black color of the rocks also has another meaning. The Chau–or Zhou–dynasty in China from which the family name is derived, was known for establishing an
extensive system of bronze metal-working. The black color emulates the dark color of bronze and so pays tribute to the Bishop’s family name.

Rising from the mound is the blue cross of faith charged with a silver (white) fleur-de-lis. The Bishop sees this as symbolizing the fact that he is who he is because of Christ; because he died on the Cross to give us life and made us all into a new creation. The cross not only symbolizes salvation and freedom, but also strength. God gave Jesus strength to carry his cross to the end. The fleur-de-lis has long been used in heraldry as a symbol of Our Lady. Mary was also a source of strength for Jesus, at calvary especially, at the foot of the Cross. It is worth noting that of all the symbols of Our Lady that could have been chosen the fleur-de-lis was used because it is a heraldic charge that also appears in the coat of arms of Pope Leo XIV who appointed Bishop Chau to the episcopacy as well as the coat of arms of Cardinal Tobin, whom the Bishop will serve and support by his own episcopal ministry. Thus, it honors those two figures important in the life of Bishop Chau.

The upper third of the shield, called a “chief” is separated from the rest by a wavy line representing water. The water alludes to Nicaragua being also known as a land of lakes, and is also symbolic of the waters of Baptism through which we all pass to become part of the Body of Christ. On this chief we see a gold (yellow) colored hand in blessing. This is symbolic of the divine blessing on all the Bishop’s endeavors. Gold is a color often used in heraldry to evoke divinity. In addition, this divine hand in blessing is also an allusion to the Bishop’s work with the Deaf Community. American Sign Language uses the hands arranged in different gestures to communicate. The hand is flanked by two silver (white or gray-ish) oak leaves. These are borrowed directly from the coat of arms of Bismarck as a representation of the Bishop’s given middle name which he most often uses and by which he is most commonly known and called.

The motto below the shield is taken from Isaiah 49:5 saying (in Spanish), “Dios Es Mi Fuerza”,  which, in English, translates to: “God is My Strength”.

It was my great pleasure and honor to design the Bishop’s armorial bearings and to prepare the artwork as well.

Archbishop Rivituso of Mobile, Alabama

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September 3 will see the Installation of the tenth Bishop and third Metropolitan Archbishop of Mobile, Alabama. The Most Rev. Mark Steven Rivituso (63), a priest and, since 2017, an Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis, MO will be installed at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

I had marshaled and emblazoned the coat of arms of his immediate predecessor, Archbishop Thomas Rodi, and so the archdiocese contacted me about doing the same thing for the new archbishop.

BLAZON: Arms impaled. In the dexter: Azure issuant from a crescent in base Argent a rosebush with three blossoms all Or. In the sinister: Azure, a cross fleuretty Or, charged near its base with a crescent Argent and in base twelve mullets of five points, six to dexter and six to sinister Argent. The shield is ensigned with an archiepiscopal cross Or and an archbishop’s galero with cords and twenty tassels flanking the shield disposed in four rows of one, two, three and four all Vert. On a scroll below the shield is the motto, “The Love of Christ Impels Us”.

EXPLANATION: The armorial bearings of Archbishop Rivituso impale the coat of arms of his archiepiscopal See with his personal coat of arms. The coat of arms is composed of a shield with its charges (symbols), a motto and the external ornamentation. The shield is described (blazoned) in terms that are archaic to our modern language, and this description is presented as if viewed by the bearer with the shield being worn on the arm. Thus, where it applies, the terms dexter (right)  and sinister (left) are reversed as the device is viewed from the front.

It is customary in heraldry that the arms of a Diocesan Bishop, or Ordinary, are joined side by side on the same shield with the arms of his See. In this case, these are the arms of the Archdiocese of Mobile. Such marshaling is called impalement and employs the same method used when joining the coats of arms of two people who are married. In this way, the coat of arms, like the episcopal ring, is symbolic of the archbishop being “married” to his archdiocese.

The arms of the Archdiocese of Mobile depict a blue background on which is a silver (white) crescent moon toward the bottom. This is a symbol of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception which is the titular of the cathedral-basilica. From this crescent springs a rosebush that has three roses . The blossoms, leaves and stem are all gold (yellow).

The personal coat of arms of Archbishop Rivituso symbolize his origins, his personal devotion and the place in which he has spent his ministry as a priest and auxiliary bishop.The shield is blue with a gold (yellow) cross with the ends of the arms terminating in fleurs-de-lis borrowed from the coat of arms of the Archdiocese of St. Louis where the Archbishop served as both a priest and Auxiliary Bishop.

At the bottom of the cross is a silver (white) crescent moon with a scattering of twelve silver (white) stars on either side. This alludes to Our Lady under her title of the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the United States. In the Book of Revelation she is described as having the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.

In addition, the crescent is placed near the bottom of the cross to signify Mary at the foot of the cross where Jesus asked St. John to care for her. In giving His mother to His Beloved Disciple, Christ also gave her to all of us as the Mother of the Church. In addition, the crescent and twelve stars symbolize the twelve apostles along with Mary, the Queen of the Apostles.

On a scroll below the shield is the Archbishop’s motto, “The Love of Christ Impels Us” taken from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians (Chapter 5; verse 14). It means that as Christians and believers in Jesus as the Christ in all that we do and are the love of Christ impels us.

It was my great pleasure and privilege to prepare the Archbishop’s new coat of arms.

Bishop Pham of San Diego

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On July 17, 2025 the Most Rev. Michael Pham (58), a priest of the Diocese of San Diego who, since 2023 has also served as Auxiliary Bishop there, will be installed as the VII Bishop of San Diego.

The arms that he assumed when he became a bishop in 2023 remain unchanged, as is most correct. They have, however, simply been marshaled with the existing, and very nice, coat of arms of the diocese.

BLAZON: Arms impaled. In the dexter: Or, a cross throughout Gules between in the dexter chief quarter a Spanish stew pot and in the other three quarters a nail all Sable (San Diego) In the sinister: Per fess wavy Argent and Azure; in base fretty Argent; in chief a fishing boat Gules with a sail unfurled Argent charged with a beehive Gules flanked by two palm branches to dexter and sinister Vert; in chief eight tongues of fire all Gules. Shield ensigned with an episcopal cross Or behind the shield and a bishop’s galero Vert cords and twelve tassels disposed in three rows of one, two and three all Vert. On a scroll below the shield the motto: “United in Christ”.

EXPLANATION: The Bishop’s coat of arms, is composed of a shield upon which there are symbolic charges, a motto and the external ornaments of rank. The shield which is the most important feature of any heraldic device is blazoned (i.e. described) in heraldic language from the point of view of the bearer with the shield being held on his arm. Thus, where it applies, the term “dexter” (right) and “sinister” (left) are reversed as the device is viewed from the front.

By heraldic custom observed in North America, the arms of a diocesan bishop are “impaled” side by side on the same shield to the arms of his jurisdiction, in this case, the Diocese of San Diego. This signifies that the diocesan bishop is “married” to the See. The same method of impalement is employed in the coat of arms of two married people who are armigerous.

The coat of arms of the See of San Diego is composed of a gold (yellow) field and symbols of San Diego (St. Didacus in Latin), the diocesan patron saint. Diego was born to poor Spanish parents shortly before the year 1400. His love of poverty never left him. As a Franciscan brother he was a selfless servant of the poor and was known to heal the sick with the Sign of the Cross, the central charge of the diocesan coat of arms. The Spanish stew pot in the upper left quadrant indicates Diego’s boundless charity and tireless efforts to feed the hungry. San Diego had a special devotion to the Lord in his Passion, symbolized by the three nails in the other three quadrants. Diego died on Nov. 12, 1463, at the Franciscan monastery in Alcalá, Spain, pressing a crucifix to his heart and repeating the words of the Good Friday chant: “Dulce lignum, dulce ferrum, dulce pondus sustinet” (Precious the wood, precious the nails, precious the weight they bear.)

The personal coat of arms assumed by Bishop Pham when he was made Auxiliary Bishop in 2023 combines symbols that are meaningful to him. The shield is divided horizontally to depict a silver (white) sky above a blue wavy ocean. The ocean is criss-crossed by diagonal lines in order to create a pattern suggestive of a fisherman’s net. It represents that after 1975 while still living in Vietnam the bishop’s father became a fisherman to provide for his family. In addition, the net indicates not only the task of an apostle (or a successor to an apostle) of being a “fisher of men” but it also alludes to the New Evangelization where we are exhorted to put out into the deep (Duc in Altum). This symbolizes both the bishop’s priestly and episcopal ministry. 

In the upper part of the shield the boat also alludes to the work of a fisherman. In addition, a boat, in heraldry, is often used as a symbol of the Church itself, often referred to as the barque of Peter, who was himself, a fisherman. On the sail of the boat in the center is a red beehive flanked by two green palm branches. The beehive is a symbol of St. John Chrysostom, the bishop’s baptismal patron saint who was renowned for his inspiring preaching. So, he was known as a “honey-tongued” preacher. The palm branches are an ancient symbol of martyrdom. The bishop’s family comes from the first diocese in the north of Vietnam where his ancestors were among the first martyrs for the faith in that part of the world.

On either side and above the boat are eight red tongues of fire. They are symbols of the Holy Spirit which descended on the Apostles as tongues of fire at Pentecost. This was the beginning of their ministry to go out into the world to preach the Gospel so it is another symbol of Evangelization. Several flames represent a diversity of communities. Bishop Pham strengthened the cultural communities found in the diocese and shared them with the larger Catholic community. He has served as Episcopal Vicar of the Office of Ethnic & Intercultural Communities. So, symbols of the Holy Spirit were seen to appropriately reflect this ministry. It also reflects how, on Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended, people from different places, languages and cultures heard the Apostles speaking in their own languages. The red of the boat, the beehive and the tongues of fire is a further allusion to the blood of the martyrs.

It was my great pleasure to design and emblazon the bishop’s arms in 2023 when he became a bishop. At this time it was also my pleasure to marshal them to the arms of the See and emblazon them once again.

Update For a Promotion

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In January of 2019 I posted about the very nice arms granted to a clergyman in the UK. Fr. Adam Gaunt had received beautiful Letters Patent for his fine coat of arms and was eager to share them with me.

I recently saw online that he posted about some modifications to the ornamentation of his arms reflecting the fact that he has recently been named a Canon of York in the Church of England. So the galero now has six red tassels pendant on either side.

(artwork by Danilo Martins)