Chapter 11

Chinese Community

Two people in a church setting hold a tall red object with vertical gold writing. Various individuals stand in the background, some wearing masks, holding papers.

Who We Are

Between 80 to 100 families are registered with the San Diego Chinese Catholic Community, based at the St. Thérèse of Carmel Parish, where the pastor serves as their spiritual guide. The members attend a weekly Sunday Mass at the parish. The community has an RCIA program held after the Mass.

History

Christianity has been in China since the 7th century, but Franciscan missionaries didn’t arrive until the 13th century. Chinese immigrants to the United States in the 1990s, including many Catholics, experienced persecution by the Chinese government that heavily regulated Christians, as it still does today.

The Chinese Catholic community started in San Diego with only three families. In 2021, the community celebrated its 25th anniversary at St. Therese of Carmel Parish.

In the early years, there were no local priests to celebrate Mass for them, so they would drive back and forth to Los Angeles to bring one. That has changed. A local priest, Father Anthony Yang, SVD, currently serves as chaplain to this community.

The community reaches out to students or others visiting San Diego from China. They want to let them know are loved by God and can count on the local Chinese community’s support.

Photos

Chinese Community

Ruey Hong
Chair
Margaret Marsh
Committee
Rev. Anthony Yang
Spiritual Advisor

Contact Information

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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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