As servants at the end of the ministry year, let us together take some time to give thanks and renew our hearts and minds. We will share in a day of walking generously with Jesus who invites us: "come to me you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest". We will […]
Como servidores al final del año ministerial, juntos tomemos tiempo para dar gracias y renovar nuestros corazones y mentes. Acompáñenos este día de la mano de Jesús quien nos invita: "vengan a mi todos los que están fatigados y yo les daré descanso". Compartiremos en oración, escucha de tema, reflexión individual y celebración de la […]
End of Year Retreat: Jubilee of Hope - Bearers of Jesus' Love, Mercy, and Compassion Join us for a transformative journey of reflection, renewal, and spiritual growth as we celebrate the Jubilee of Hope. Together, we will embrace the boundless love, mercy, and compassion of Jesus Christ and share these blessings with the world. This […]
Retiro de fin de curso: Jubileo de Esperanza - Portadores del Amor, la Misericordia y la Compasión de Jesús. Únete a nosotros para un viaje transformador de reflexión, renovación y crecimiento espiritual mientras celebramos el Jubileo de la Esperanza. Juntos, abrazaremos el amor, la misericordia y la compasión sin límites de Jesucristo y compartiremos estas […]
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Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego
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.
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.
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.
