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.