Chapter 11 Court Required Notification

El Obispo de San Diego Anuncia la Creación de un Programa Nuevo de Indemnización Para las Víctimas de Abuso Sexual por Sacerdotes

SAN DIEGO – San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy issued this statement today:

“The Diocese of San Diego joined five other Catholic dioceses in California in announcing the creation of a Compensation Program designed to provide compensation for the pain and suffering that victims and survivors have experienced as a result of their abuse.

“A copy of the announcement is available on this site .

“Victims and survivors of sexual abuse by a priest of the Diocese of San Diego, including undocumented immigrants, are encouraged to seek compensation regardless of when such abuse occurred.

“The program will be headed by Mr. Kenneth Feinberg and Ms. Camille Biros of the Feinberg Law Firm in Washington, DC The two have developed a reputation for their fair and compassionate handling of claims arising from the 9/11 tragedy in New York and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and more recently for their treatment of sexual abuse victims in programs currently underway in the archdioceses of New York and Philadelphia and in other dioceses in Pennsylvania and Colorado.

“Once the program is up and running in California, Administrator Feinberg has indicated that most claims will be settled in 90 days or less.

“Any settlement paid for as part of this program will be paid for with diocesan funds and insurance funds. No parish resources will be used, nor will donations from the Annual Catholic Appeal be used.”

“No amount of money can repair the wrong that was done to these victims of sexual abuse by priests, but we can and must finish the job of compensating them for what was done to them.

“To that end, I ask that you keep these victims of abuse in your prayers, so that they may experience healing from a faithful and loving God.”

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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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