On July 9, Bishop Mark Seitz will be installed as the new bishop of El Paso, Texas. The bishop himself explains the symbolism of his coat of arms on the diocesan website:

In the diocesan arms (left) the blue and white honor Our Lady under the title of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the United States.  The wavy border symbolizes the Rio Grande River.  In the diocesan crest the river surrounds the “Ysleta”, or little island, which was the first name of El Paso. The two long triangular forms represent the mountains that form the pass for which the diocese is named.  They are topped by trefoils.  These, along with the triangular mountains, both invoke the Trinity which is at the foundation of the Faith.  The trefoils are also a homage to the titular patron of the Cathedral, St. Patrick. The star above the lower image is both a remembrance of the Lone Star for which Texas is named and the North Star, a reference to the full early name of “El Paso del Norte”.  For Christians, the North Star is also Christ who points them to their true home in heaven. In the upper left-hand corner is an anchor from the coat of arms of St. Pope Pius X, who erected the diocese.

The bishop’s personal arms contain the red “Rose for Life”.  The trefoil (shamrock) speaks to his Irish heritage. The pattern dividing the chief from the rest of the field is intended to honor the Native American heritage that he shares and his desire to serve our first Americans. It is really rather un-heraldic and un-blazonable. The winged lion is the symbol for St. Mark the Evangelist.

The coat of arms of the Most Rev. David Walkowiak who was ordained and installed today as Bishop of Grand Rapids, Michigan. In his personal arms the bend with wavy lines alludes to St. Mary’s Seminary in Cleveland where he studied for the priesthood. The five small silver lines or “barrulets” that make up the waves stand for the five great lakes. The crowned harp is an allusion to King David, his baptismal patron, who is thought to have composed the Psalms. In base the flour-de-lis is a symbol of Our Lady and also of St. Joan of Arc, the patroness of the parish in Ohio where the bishop used to serve as a pastor.

The arms of the diocese represent falling water or rapids in the Grand River, hence, Grand Rapids and the cross moline alludes to a mill rind thus symbolizing the agrarian roots of the region.

The colors of the arms of the diocese of Fargo, Or and Azure, are traditionally used to allude to the Virgin Mary, who is invoked as patron of the diocese under the title of her Immaculate Conception. In the center of the Cross is a horseshoe, alluding to William George Fargo (1818–81), the namesake of the See city and co-founder of Wells Fargo & Co. In dexter chief (upper left) is a garb of wheat which recalls the important agricultural product of North Dakota, as well as the bread that becomes the Body of Christ in the celebration of the Eucharist.

The arms of Bishop Folda utilize the colors and general design of the arms of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska for which the bishop was ordained a priest in 1989. In the blue chief is a star to represent Our Lady. Next to the star is a dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit and an attribute of Saint Gregory the Great, the pope and doctor of the Church, who is often depicted with the dove hovering at his ear as he writes. Bishop Folda served as Rector of Saint Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, Nebraska, from 1999 to 2013. On the red pale is a Chi-Rho, the ancient monogram for Our Lord composed of the first two Greek letters in the name Christ. Rising from the base of the shield is an eagle, which has been used from ancient times to allude to St. John the Evangelist, Bishop Folda’s baptismal patron.

Bishop Folda will be ordained and installed in Fargo on June 18, 2013.

Not thrilling, but nice.