Chapter 11 Court Required Notification

Obispo McElroy de San Diego ofrece oraciones y felicitaciones al presidente electo Biden, vice presidenta electa Harris

SAN DIEGO (Nov. 7, 2020) – Bishop Robert McElroy of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego issued a statement Nov. 7 offering his prayers and congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Biden is only the second Catholic elected to the presidency.

The text of the Bishop’s statement:

“I want to offer my prayers and heartfelt congratulations to President-elect Biden, Vice President-elect Harris, and all of the men and women across our country elected to national, state, and local office this week.

“In a time of pandemic and grave social divisions, the American people have entrusted you with the profound mission of transforming our political culture so that real dialogue and action rooted in broad consensus characterize our government at every level. You are women and men from different parties, regions, races, cultures, and ideological visions. It is precisely for this reason that you can become the architects of healing, unity, and progress for our country in the years to come. May God bless you abundantly in your service to this land that we all love deeply.

“The inauguration of President-elect Biden will represent a historic moment for the Catholic community, as he will become only the second Catholic in American history to serve in the Presidency. I pray that in the difficult challenges he will face, the Catholic faith he inherited from his parents will be a source of enduring hope and joy, consolation and comfort, and direction and wisdom.”

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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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