His Eminence Decrees…

I received an interesting piece of correspondence today from a reader concerning the coat of arms of the See of Johannesburg, South Africa. The archbishop there, Stephen Cardinal Brislin, who has served there since 2024 (arms below) issued a recent decree determining the appearance and uses of the coat of arms of the archdiocese of Johannesburg and authorizing its use.

His decree specifies that this coat of arms is to be used by all Chancery Staff and Departments of the Archdiocese for all official correspondence. He goes on to say that any department wishing to use it in letterhead must first obtain his permission and that it may not be used for personal use.

It is to be published in the archdiocesan paper which will then constitute its promulgation. This decree will be in effect unless specifically repealed by either him, or one of his successors as archbishop.

The blazon of the arms is: “Azure, within a bordure Or, a pall Proper between, in chief, the letters Chi and Rho enfiling an open crown, to dexter, the monogram of Our Lady and to sinister a pick-axe and shovel in saltire, all Or; all within a bordure Or.”

I think it’s great that in a country where it is not the custom for the Ordinary to impale his own arms with those of the See, a prelate has taken enough interest to devise an archdiocesan coat of arms as distinct from his own coat of arms and then also to regulate its use by his own authority. Far too little attention is paid to heraldry by so many bishops and when they do it is often to “modernize” it or to try to make it more “relevant” and by so doing they ruin it. Here, the archdiocese has a suitable coat of arms—perhaps a bit busy for some, but really not a poor design at all—and is establishing by archiepiscopal decree that its use must be authorized. I applaud this effort on the part of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg.

Archbishop Weisenburger of Detroit

On March 18 the Most Reverend Edward J. Weisenburger (64), originally a priest of Oklahoma City, former Bishop of Salina, Kansas, and most recently Bishop of Tucson, Arizona, will be installed as the 10th Bishop and 6th Archbishop of Detroit, Michigan.

His immediate predecessor, Archbishop Allen Vigneron, had the archdiocese’s coat of arms redesigned into a logo-like emblem in 2017.

Thankfully, Archbishop Weisenburger has chosen to impale his personal arms with the traditional version of the archdiocesan coat of arms adopted in 1937 to indicate a sense of continuity with his predecessors. Excellent choice!

Episcopal Diocese of Wisconsin

A few months ago I was approached about providing assistance to the Episcopal Diocese of Wisconsin on a redesign of their coat of arms. The diocese encompasses the entire state of Wisconsin and is composed of a reunification of three dioceses in the state—Milwaukee, Eau Claire, and Fond Du Lac— into one jurisdiction. Each of the former dioceses had its own armorial bearings and the task at hand was to come up with an entirely new design that could please everyone and borrow some design elements from all three. Not an easy task.

A commission was put together of people from within the state who had some background in various fields like art, communications, web design, or Episcopal Church history, and the bishop (the former bishop of Fond Du Lac). I was asked to be the heraldic consultant and we gathered via zoom for several meetings and exchanged numerous pieces of correspondence with quite a few sketches going back and forth. After identifying themes, common characteristics and ideas for what the new arms should express we began to hone it down to just a few, which quickly became two and then we made final tweaks until we got to the result. I didn’t provide the artwork this time but simply guided the process of designing the coat of arms.

The end result is:

The use of blue was common in all three existing arms, as was images of water. So, the blue field contains two wavy lines as symbolic of the lakes and rivers of Wisconsin as well as a reference to the waters of Baptism. The two crosses fleury in chief are for the Christian faith that undergirds every effort of the people in the diocese and has a subtle nod to the French influence on the region. The fret of three fish is an obvious Trinitarian symbol and also alludes to the three former jurisdictions being united into one. The fish is, of course, an early Christian symbol and is, therefore, a fitting element to use to symbolize three Christian communities now united as one.

I would blazon this: Azure, two barrulets wavy Argent; in chief between two crosses fleury Argent a fret of three fishes Or. The shield is ensigned with a bishop’s miter and a crozier and key in saltire behind the shield all Or.

My favorite little “cheeky” thing that was snuck in are the two crosses on the ends of the fanons that hang from the bishop’s mitre. They are composed of four triangles conjoined at the center…looking slightly like four wedges of cheese since Wisconsin is known as a very large dairy-producing state. The nickname of someone from Wisconsin is the affectionate term: “Cheese-Head”.

This was a long process but one that undertaken seriously by people dedicated to their task. My gratitude to Fr. Chris Corbin for shepherding the commission along as its chair and for providing the final artwork as well! The arms is also used by the diocese on its diocesan seal.

Cardinal McElroy Installed in the Capital

On March 11, His Eminence Robert Cardinal McElroy (71), Cardinal Priest of San Frumenzino ai Prati Fiscali, previously Bishop of San Diego (2015-2025) and originally a priest and Auxiliary Bishop (2010-2015) of San Francisco, was installed as the 8th Archbishop of Washington, DC.

At his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop he assumed a coat of arms which he then substantially changed when he moved to San Diego. In 2022 when he was created Cardinal I was privileged to assist him in preparing his coat of arms and at that time some further revisions and improvements to the design were made. At this most recent move, his personal arms, unchanged any further, were marshaled to those of the archdiocese and the episcopal cross was changed to an archiepiscopal cross.

From the website of the archdiocese we find the following:

Arms impaled. In the dexter: Quarterly Azure and Gules, a cross bottony over all quarterly Or and Argent; 1, a crescent Argent; 2, three mullets of six points fesswise in chief Argent; 3, as many mullets of five points fesswise in chief Argent; 4, a head erased affronté and winged all Argent. In the sinister: Per fess Azure and Vert, in chief the stylized silhouette of Mission San Francisco de Assis above, in base, that of Mission San Diego both Argent; in base below to dexter a dove turned to sinister volant wings addorsed and to sinister, an oak leaf both Argent scales Or.

The shield is ensigned with an archiepiscopal cross Or in pale behind the shield and surmounted by a cardinal’s galero with cords and fifteen tassels on either side in five rows of one, two, three, four and five all Gules.

On a scroll below the shield is the motto: “Dignitatis Humanae.”

The arms of the Archdiocese of Washington were devised in 1947 by William F. J. Ryan and modified in 2001 by Anthony W. C. Phelps, when the cross bottony was substituted for the original cross of chain links in silver. Cardinal McElroy’s arms were devised originally by Rev. Timothy Pelc. The present blazon of his arms was done by Rev. Guy Selvester. The rendering of the impaled arms was done by Georgina Wilkinson.”

Abbess of Eichstätt (better late than never)

The Benedictine nuns of St. Walburga Abbey, Eichstätt elected Mother Elizabeth Hartwig, OSB as their abbess on October 28 of last year. On November 30 she received the abbatial blessing from the Rt. Rev. Barnabas Bögle, OSB, Abbot of Ettal.

Her assumed coat of arms depicts, in chief, the bread and roses that are symbols of her patroness, St. Elizabeth of Thuringia. In base the three wavy lines represent rivers from three places of importance in her life: the Elbe in Torgau where she grew up; the Saale in Jena where she studied; the Altmühl in Eichstätt where she became a nun. The motto says “We are bound together by the love of Christ”.

The coat of arms was designed by one of the nuns of the Abbey, Sister Caritas Dirr.

One of “The Quints” for Chicago

On Wednesday, February 26 the Most Rev. Lawrence John Sullivan (59), a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago for the last 33 years, will be ordained as the Titular Bishop of Lamphua and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Bishop-Elect Sullivan is one of five new auxiliary bishops appointed for the archdiocese by Pope Francis.

The blazon of the arms is: Vert, between two bars in chief and in base, four fleurs-de-lis fess wise all Argent; on a chief wavy Or between two Tau crosses the winged head of the lion of St. Mark 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: ”Walk Humbly With God”.

The armorial bearings of Bishop Sullivan symbolize his birthplace, his personal devotions and the place in which he has spent his life and ministry as a priest.

The basic design of the field echoes the design on the flag of Chicago, his native place. The background color has been changed to green as a nod to the Irish heritage of the Bishop. The two blue bars and four red stars on the Chicago flag have been differenced here and changed to two silver (white) bars and four silver (white) fleurs-de-lis. These fleurs-de-lis represent multiple things. One fleur-de-lis is taken from the coat of arms of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin who ordained the Bishop a priest; the second is taken from the coat of arms of Blaise Cardinal Cupich who will be the principal consecrator ordaining him to the episcopacy; the third is from the coat of arms of Mundelein Seminary where he received his priestly formation; the fourth is not from a coat of arms but is a heraldic symbol of St. Joseph, the patron saint of his College Seminary. It goes without saying that the fleurs-de-lis also figure prominently in the coat of arms of the archdiocese of Chicago. So, the design combines symbols from the city and the archdiocese where Bishop Sullivan was born, grew up and has served as a priest and will now serve as a bishop. Lastly, the fleur-de-lis is, itself, a heraldic symbol of Our Lady.

The upper third of the shield, called a “chief” is separated from the rest of the field by a wavy line alluding to both Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. On this gold (yellow) chief are two red crosses in the famous Tau shape. These represent the Bishop’s devotion to St. Francis of Assisi. This shape of cross is associated with the saint because he himself used it. Whenever writing anything, St. Francis placed a Tau cross at the top of the page.

Between these two crosses is the haloed head and wings of the Lion of St. Mark also depicted in red. This magnificent creature is symbolic of St. Mark as referenced in the prophecy of Ezekiel 1-2 and also in the Book of Revelation. St. Mark is the Bishop’s favorite evangelist and he likes and is drawn to the very human side of Christ depicted so well in Mark’s gospel. In addition, in his own personal spirituality Bishop Sullivan feels we are called to see Christ present in the world and that we see this in others and we, too, are called to be that presence of Christ for others, revealing the face of God–the very human God in Christ– to them. The combination of the colors green, gold and red are also used on the national flag of Lithuania and so they are a recognition of the Bishop’s Lithuanian ancestry as well. 

The motto below the shield is “Walk Humbly With God

The shield is also ensigned with those external ornaments that indicate the bearer is a bishop. The gold (yellow) episcopal cross, not to be confused with a processional cross, is placed vertically behind and extending above and below the shield. 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 Secretariat of State, “Ut Sive” of March, 1969.

It was my pleasure and my privilege to assist Bishop-Elect Sullivan with the creation of his coat of arms. I was responsible for the design and also provided the artwork.

New Bishop in Oslo

The Most Rev. Frederik Hansen (45) was ordained a bishop on January 18 and became Coadjutor Bishop of Oslo, Norway with the automatic right of succession to Bishop Bernt Ivar Eidsvig, CRSA, who is currently 71. When he succeeds to the See, Bishop Hansen will be the 9th Bishop of Oslo.

In the interests of full disclosure, the new bishop, who spent some time working for the diplomatic corps of the Holy See and was in residence in a parish in my native diocese of Rockville Centre, NY contacted me upon his appointment to design his coat of arms. However, he later was informed that the diocese of Oslo had already secured the services of another heraldist, Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta.

The Bishop’s arms are quartered with those of the Diocese of Oslo, somewhat unusually for someone who is not yet the diocesan bishop but more of a “diocesan bishop-in-waiting”. This will, of course, save him the trouble of having a new rendering made when the time comes that he succeeds to the See. nevertheless, it is unusual because he does not yet possess jurisdiction over the See.

For his personal arms, seen in the second and third quarters, the heraldic colors, blue and silver, are from Drammen’s city coat of arms. The “IHS” is the monogram of the name “Jesus” and points to Jesus’ holy name and Bishop Hansen’s devotion to “the name above all names” (Phil 2,9–10) which is given to mankind for salvation (see Acts 4,12). The open book refers to Bishop Hansen’s work in church administration and in priestly formation and teaching. The two croziers allude to two Norwegian saint-bishops: St. Torfinn, bishop of Hamar, and St. Eystein, Primate-Archbishop of Nidaros.

Despite not having worked on this project I’d say the bishop was in good hands and has achieved an excellent result (pun intended).

Native Cheesehead Goes Back to Wisconsin

On January 14, 2025 the Most Rev. Jeffrey Grob (63), a priest and, since 2020 an Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, will return to his native Wisconsin and be installed as the 12th Archbishop of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The armorial bearings he assumed in 2020 were slightly modified and impaled with those of Milwaukee and are:

The blazon is: Arms impaled. In the dexter: Gyronny of eight Gules and Argent, at the counterpoint a hurt charged with an eagle displayed abaissé Argent. In the sinister: Azure in base an antique plow Or; in chief between two fleur-de-lis a crescent all 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, “Jesus The Vine”.

The armorial bearings of Archbishop Grob 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 given 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 Milwaukee. 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 Milwaukee are composed of a field composed of eight sections in alternating colors of red and silver (white). The colors are taken from the flag of Switzerland, the birthplace of Milwaukee’s first Archbishop, John Henni. The four red sections meet at the center in a symbolic reference to the meeting of waters, the Milwaukee and Menomonee rivers and Lake Michigan in Milwaukee. Over the center point is a blue roundel called a “hurt” in heraldry. This, in turn, is charged with a silver (white) eagle with its wings spread out. This is a symbol of St. John, the titular patron of the cathedral church.

The personal coat of arms of Archbishop Grob symbolize his origins, his personal devotion and the place in which he has spent his ministry as a priest and auxiliary bishop. The field is blue and the main charge is a large gold (yellow) antique plow. This not only alludes to the ministry of spreading the Gospel as symbolized by plowing a field to prepare for seed to be sown but is an allusion to the bishop’s early life growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm.

Above the plow are a silver (white) crescent, a symbol of Our Lady under her title of the Immaculate Conception who is the patroness of the USA. The two silver (white) fleur-de-lis represent several things. First, they are a symbol of St. Joseph to whom the bishop has a special devotion as a kind of patron saint because he was born on the Solemnity of St. Joseph (March 19). The fleur-de-lis is a stylized version of the lily and St. Joseph is often depicted holding a staff from which lilies are blossoming. Second, they allude to St. John XXIII who used them in his own coat of arms. The bishop has a devotion to this great 20th Century saint. Finally, there are two fleur-de-lis in the coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Chicago where the bishop had served as a priest and bishop.

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.

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 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.

The motto chosen by Archbishop Grob appears on a scroll below the shield, “Jesus The Vine”.

It was my privilege and my pleasure to design the archbishop’s original coat of arms in 2020 as well as to modify them (the original plow-blade alone was replaced with an entire antique plow) and marshal them to the arms of his See.

Cardinal McElroy Translated to Washington, DC

Today, the Holy Father announced to transfer of Robert Cardinal McElroy (70), the Bishop of San Diego, to succeed Wilton Cardinal Gregory (77) as Metropolitan Archbishop of Washington, DC.

I did not design the Cardinal’s coat of arms but I did prepare the current emblazoning on his elevation to the College of Cardinals.

In addition to a new impalement and the addition of an archiepiscopal cross it will be interesting to see if the Cardinal modifies his personal arms at all. The two charges in chief represent two California historic Mission Churches in San Francisco (where he served as a priest) and in San Diego (where he has been serving as diocesan bishop).

Of course I’m no fan of bishops modifying their arms when they move but I could see how he might wish to eliminate these two very Californian references. On the other hand, they both also serve to honor the places of his origin and previous ministry. So, retaining them could also be a good thing. Time will tell.

Below is how his coat of arms may appear after he is installed in Washington:

Danish Coat of Arms Updated

HM, King Frederik X has undertaken to issue a new, updated version of the Danish royal coat of arms dated December 20, 2024. The new version, prepared by Ronny Skov Andersen, simplifies the overall design.

It removes the three crowns of the Kalmar union and gives the arms of the Faeroe Islands and Greenland their own quarterings. It also places the arms of Denmark, originally the arms of the House of Estridsen, in the first quarter and instead of repeating it in the fourth quarter the arms of Schleswig are placed there. In addition, the Dannebrog, the cross that divides the shield into four quarters, has been returned to a more traditional form with the ends of the arms slightly flared. Overall, there remains the dynastic inescutcheon for the arms of the House of Oldenburg. The new version is:

The blason could be written as: A shield quartered by a cross pattée throughout Argent fimbriated Gules; first quarter Or, three lions passant in pale Azure crowned and armed Or langued Gules, nine hearts Gules (for Denmark); second quarter Azure a ram passant Argent armed and unguled Or (for the Faroe Islands); third quarter, Azure a polar bear rampant Argent (for Greenland); fourth quarter, Or two lions passant in pale Azure armed Or langued Gules (for Schleswig). Overall an escutcheon Or two bars Gules (for Oldenburg) the whole surrounded by the Collars of the Order of the Dannebrog and the Order of the Elephant. Supporters two woodwoses armed with clubs Proper standing on a pedestal. All surrounded by a mantle Gules doubled Ermine crowned with a royal crown and tied up with tasseled strings Or.

This replaces the version of the coat of arms that had been modified after the reign of King Frederik IX by Queen Margrethe which had been in use since 1972. (below)

I think this updated version is aesthetically more pleasing. It is a slightly less busy composition and the juxtaposition of the arms of Denmark and those of Schleswig provide a more pleasing visual. There is no longer the multiplication of lions and the two quarters with fields Or look better on a diagonal from each other, as do the two quarters with fields Azure. It all seems less imbalanced. I also happen to think the style of the cross looks better that the simple cross throughout.

It is exciting to see heraldry—long erroneously thought by the ignorant to be stagnant and encrusted with the weight of history and therefore irrelevant to today’s society—being updated and dynamic. The current situation calls for an updated symbol of the monarchy. This was true in 1972 and it is just as true some 52 years later. I applaud the efforts of His Majesty and also Ronny Andersen and those who worked with him to devise this updated coat of arms.

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg

In his annual Christmas greeting, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg announced he will abdicate in favor of his son and heir, Hereditary Grand Duke, Guillaume.

The royal coat of arms consists of the arms of Luxembourg, (Barry of ten Argent and Azure, a Lion rampant queue forchée Gules crowned, armed and langued Or), quartered with the arms of the House of Nassau, (Azure billetty Or, a lion or armed and langued Gules). In the greater version of the coat of arms there is an inescutcheon overall of the arms of the dynastic house of Bourbon-Parma (Azure three fleurs-de-lis Or within a bordure Gules charged with eight escallops Argent). The dynastic arms of Bourbon-Parma are not usually included in the middle and lesser versions of the Grand Ducal coat of arms.

The Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the head of state of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has been a grand duchy since March 15,1815, when it was created from territory of the former Duchy of Luxembourg. It was in personal union with the Kingdom of the Netherlands until 1890 under the House of Orange-Nassau. Luxembourg is the world’s only sovereign grand duchy and since 1815, there have been nine monarchs.

The grand ducal family consists of heirs and descendants of the House of Nassau-Weilburg, whose sovereign territories passed cognatically from the House of Nassau to the House of Bourbon-Parma, itself a branch of the Spanish royal house which is agnatically a cadet branch of the House of Capet which originated in France.

Feast of St. Nicholas

Some years back there was a discussion about the devisal of attributed arms for St. Nicholas of Myra (aka Santa Claus). My fellow heraldry enthusiast, Michael Quigley, proposed this design.

Attributed arms are created for individuals who didn’t bear a coat of arms themselves. Either, they are fictitious characters, they simply didn’t have a coat of arms or they may have lived prior to the development of heraldry.

St. Nicholas was definitely a real person but he lived from A.D. 270 – 343, roughly nine hundred years before heraldry existed.

This fanciful coat of arms employs an Eastern mitre and the traditional 3 gold coins associated with St. Nicholas from the story of him ransoming three children from being sold into slavery. It also uses deer (reindeer) supporters, fir twigs and the colors green and red so associated with the legend of Santa Claus and Western Christmas lore and custom.

December 6 is the feast of St. Nicholas.

Cardinal Bychok

His Eminence, Mykola Bychok, CSsR (44) is a Ukrainian Catholic who serves as Eparch of Ss. Peter & Paul of Melbourne since 2020. On December 7 he will become the Church’s youngest cardinal.

The arms he assumed upon becoming a bishop were designed by others for him and he was not entirely satisfied with them. With his upcoming creation as a cardinal he saw this as an opportunity to tweak the design of his coat of arms.

The redesigned coat of arms does not depart that much from what he originally had but cleans it up a bit and adds the external ornament unique to Cardinals.

The blazon is: Tierced in pall; in chief, Gules a rose Argent, barbed and seeded Or between three bezants; in dexter base Azure a trident (tryzub) topped with a Greek cross, all Or; in sinister base Or a Latin cross on a perch of a staff topped by a sponge in bend and a spear in sinister bend all Azure. The shield is ensigned with the galero of a cardinal of the holy Roman Church with cords and 30 tassels disposed in five rows of one, two, three, four and five all Gules; the whole within a mantle Gules lined ermine surmounted by the Eastern mitra Gules; in saltire behind the mantle a crozier and a cross both Or.

The charges in chief symbolize the place he is from; the trident (differenced by the addition of a cross) is a symbol of Ukraine; the cross, sponge and spear are borrowed from the arms of the Redemptorist Order of which he is a member.

I was very happy to consult on this redesign and work to put it together with Mr. Richard d’Apice of the Australian Heraldry Society. As with all our collaborations the artwork has been deftly provided by Mr. Sandy Turnbull, also of the Australian Heraldry Society.