Monthly Archives: June 2023

Bishop Senior of Harrisburg

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The Most Rev. Timothy C. Senior (63) a priest of Philadelphia who has served as Auxiliary Bishop there since 2009 was installed as the 12th Bishop of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His arms, assumed in 2009, are now impaled with those of his See. The black and white bordure in his personal arms are an interesting allusion to his love of playing the piano.

Potence of the Golden Fleece King-of-Arms

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On a recent visit to the Schatzkammer (treasury) of the Hofburg Palace in Vienna I had the chance to reacquaint myself with a real treasure: the heraldic collar, called a potence, of the King-of-Arms of the Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece. It’s truly amazing and covered in the armorial bearings of the knights of the Order. A feast for the eyes…but it must have been awfully hard on the collar bone and shoulders!

Archbishop Sheehan of Santa Fe

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On June 3 the Most Rev. Michael Sheehan, Archbishop Emeritus of Santa Fe where he served from 1993-2015, passed away. He was 84.

His armorial bearings had a rather unusual charge. “Issuing from the bottom of the Archbishop’s arms is the silver (white) dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, in Rome, which is placed below a gold (yellow) Roman Numeral two (II) to signify that Archbishop Sheehan was in St. Peter’s on the day that Vatican Council II opened.”

Uh-huh.

All I can say, while meaning no personal disrespect to the deceased archbishop, is: nice try.

Canadian Heraldic Authority

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Sincere good wishes to the Canadian Heraldic Authority (Autorité Héraldique du Canada) as they celebrate their 35th anniversary!

In 1988 the Queen of Canada issued letters patent granting permission for the Governor General “to exercise or provide for the exercise of all powers and authorities lawfully belonging to Us as Queen of Canada in respect of the granting of armorial bearings in Canada”. On June 4, 1988 Governor General Jeanne Sauvé authorized the creation of the CHA.