Chapter 11 Court Required Notification

Declaración de la Diócesis sobre Nuevas Demandas

Diocese Statement on New Demands

SAN DIEGO (January 2, 2020) – While we cannot respond to specific information in these lawsuits, five of the six men named in today’s press conference were known sexual predators whose names have been posted on our website . All are deceased. Two belonged to Catholic orders (Koerner and Brown) and were not priests of the diocese. The sixth, Alexander Pinter, worked briefly in San Diego in the early 1960s, then moved to the Diocese of Oakland. The Diocese of Oakland posted Pinter’s name on its list of priests who had been accused, but the Diocese of San Diego never received a complaint about him.

At least one of these men was rightly sentenced to prison for their crimes. We offer our deepest apologies and prayers to his victims and to all victims of clergy sexual abuse.

Notwithstanding legal issues, we have a moral obligation to provide help to any victim-survivor of abuse and we urge your attorney to contact us so we can arrange for counseling at our expense. There are no preconditions and this offer continues regardless of whether a lawsuit is filed against the diocese.

Child sexual abuse is an act of evil, no matter when it occurs. As a result of reforms implemented beginning in 2002 — including mandatory training for all clergy and all diocesan employees, annual training for students in Catholic schools and religious formation programs, strict background checks and enhanced oversight — there has not been a new incident of child abuse reported in nearly 20 years.

Information about the steps the diocese has taken to prevent and report abuse can be found on our website at www.safeinourdiocese.org .

Finally, we encourage any victim-survivor of sexual abuse to participate in the Independent Compensation Program established last year as an additional avenue to file a legal claim. There is no cost or obligation to victims, it is confidential, and they do not have to be US citizens. If they participate in this bilingual program and decline an offer of compensation, they have not given up their right to pursue their claim in court. In most cases, a qualifying victim will receive an offer of compensation within 90 days of filing their claim.

Contact : Aida Bustos – 619-850-1384 Mobile

Related Posts

Clergy Announcement, Nov. 10

November 18, 2024
read More

The Pathway to Ecological Citizenship & Spirituality: A Virtual Introductory Workshop

October 30, 2024
The Catholic Climate Covenant, the Diocese of San Diego’s Creation Care Ministry coordinated an expert-led 2-part series providing an overview of the spirituality of Laudato Si’.
read More

San Diego Roman Catholic Diocese to File Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on Monday, June 17

June 13, 2024
read More

Stay Connected

Stay Informed

Follow the news about our Catholic community,
in English and Spanish.

The Southern Cross

Our Life is Mission

Nuestra Vida es Misión

Follow Us

Contact us
Copyright © 2025.

Catholic Diocese of San Diego

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.

Topics