Chapter 11 Court Required Notification

Aux. Bishop Dolan Issues Statement in Response to Announced Deportation Plans

Aux. Bishop Dolan Issues Statement in Response to Announced Deportation Plans

(SAN DIEGO, July 12, 2019) — Auxiliary Bishop John Dolan, of the San Diego Catholic Diocese, issued the following statement today:

“There is news that broad immigration enforcement actions are imminent across the country, though the San Diego border region has not been mentioned as a target of them.

“The U.S. Catholic Church respects the right of nations to control their borders. However, this should be done in a way that is just and compassionate. The prospect of large-scale actions stokes panic, disrupting families and communities while not deterring unauthorized migration.

“We recognize that this is a difficult time in our communities.  We continue to stand with our immigrant brothers and sisters, regardless of their immigration status. We urge them to resist acting hastily on rumors, continuing to take care of their families as needed.

“And we urge them to take prudent steps. They should know their rights in this country. They can review a useful guide in English and Spanish on this site https://cliniclegal.org/resources/know-your-rights-law-enforcement, prepared by the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

“They should prepare themselves and their families, many with U.S.-born children, for potential detention. Catholic Charities in San Diego offers a useful bilingual workbook that can be downloaded at emergencysafetyplan.org. Through this agency, our Church offers a wide variety of services for immigrants and may be reached Monday through Friday in San Diego at (619) 287-1270, in South Bay at (619) 498-0722 and in Imperial County at (760) 370-3914, and through the bilingual email of immhelp@ccdsd.org.

“Our Church continues to call for the Administration and Congress to work together to reform our immigration system in a way that is just and advances the common good.

“Our faith compels us to recognize that our Lord was both a refugee and immigrant during his time on earth, and to follow His example of compassion and love for our brothers and sisters in these difficult days.”

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About the Coat of Arms

Bishop Pulido’s coat of arms is divided into four quarters with wavy horizontal lines from top to bottom. The blue and white lines represent the Blessed Virgin Mary. They also suggest water, which alludes to Jesus washing the feet of His disciples and to the waters of baptism. The red and gold lines represent the Holy Spirit and fire. The colors also can be seen as referring to the Blood that (along with water) poured from Jesus’ side at His crucifixion, as well as to the bread (gold) and wine (red) transformed into the Eucharist. At the center is a roundel featuring a symbolic representation of the “mandatum” (washing of the feet), which he believes exemplifies service to all humanity. The roundel’s outer edge is a line composed of small humps; it is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Diocese of Yakima, where Bishop Pulido served as a priest before being named a bishop.

About the Coat of Arms

Bishop Pham’s coat of arms depicts a red boat on a blue ocean, which is crisscrossed by diagonal lines suggesting a fisherman’s net. This symbolizes his ministry as a “fisher of men,” as well as how his own father had been a fisherman. The boat is also a symbol of the Church, which is often referred to as the “barque of Peter.” At the center of the sail is a red beehive (a symbol of the bishop’s baptismal patron saint, St. John Chrysostom, who was known as a “honey-tongued” preacher). The beehive is surrounded by two green palm branches (an ancient symbol of martyrdom; the bishop’s ancestors were among Vietnam’s first martyrs). The eight red tongues of fire around the boat are a symbol of the Holy Spirit and a representation of the diversity of ethnic and cultural communities. The red of the boat, the beehive and the tongues of fire allude to the blood of the martyrs.

About the Coat of Arms

The coat of arms combines symbols that reflect Bishop Bejarano’s spiritual life and priestly ministry. The main part of the shield shows four wavy vertical lines on a gold background. 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 is red because it is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Order of Mercy, of which the Bishop’s patron saint, Raymond Nonnatus, was a member. The central symbol resembles a monstrance because St. Raymond is often depicted holding one. The Eucharist is Bishop Bejarano’s inspiration for his 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. It is an allusion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, and highlights the bishop’s Hispanic heritage.

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