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Justice

Justice and Mercy

When Jesus encounters the woman caught in the act of adultery as she is about to be put to death by a group of men, He asks one question, “Who among you is without sin?” Jesus was teaching us to find ways to be merciful, and still find ways to hold an offender accountable. “Go, and sin no more.”

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Restorative Justice

Restorative justice is Biblical Justice, and justice is at the very heart of our Gospel message. Restorative justice is an alternative approach to justice that values healing over punishment. Restorative justice practices were present in the days of the early church and reflect the most basic tenets of sacred Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching. Restorative holds offenders accountable even as it opens paths to healing, especially with victims.

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Prison and Jail Ministry

Ministry and care for the prisoner is one of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy and central to putting our Catholic faith in action. Our ministry is guided by Jesus’ own words: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me” (Matthew, 25:35-36).

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Pen Pal Programs
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A person stands in a small chapel in front of a table, with three colorful stained glass windows depicting religious figures behind them. The room has a crucifix on the wall and white statues with chairs on either side.

Prisoner Reentry and Reintegration

Clergy, diocesan staff and volunteers accompany those being released from incarceration through the diocese’s prisoner reentry and reintegration program. They support Kairos House, a transitional housing facility located in central San Diego for men recently released from prison or jail. They offer spiritual support, faith formation and liturgies for the house’s residents who are Catholic or are interested in joining the faith.

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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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