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Our Faith

Faith Rooted in Love

What we believe today — the faith, hope and love that move us — began 2,000 years ago with Jesus of Nazareth, our Lord and Teacher. 

During his short life on earth, he lived what he preached — that we should love each other like God loved us. To show us, he healed the sick and consoled the afflicted. And he called on us to treat each other like brothers and sisters, recognizing in each person the dignity of who we are: “The image and likeness of God.” 

Jesus’ life, message, death and resurrection transformed the history of humanity forever.

The men and women who accompanied Jesus, who listened to his teachings and witnessed his healings, became his disciples. They disseminated his message through what became our Gospels, the Good News that sustain and nourish our faith. The disciples journeyed to to all corners of the world to announce it; that’s where the name “Catholic” comes from, it means “universal.”

From the beginning, his disciples were persecuted, because Jesus’ teachings of fraternity, mercy and justice clashed with governing systems, oppressors and slave owners. They gathered in homes to read the Gospels and the letters from the Apostles, to celebrate the Eucharist and to help each other, especially caring for the most needy among them.

Faith in Action

Today, that community of believers tops 1.3 billion in all corners of the earth, guided by our Holy Father, Pope Francis.

We believe that through personal encounter with the Sacraments and moments of prayer we gain an intimate knowledge of Jesus and his message, and from that knowledge springs the will to love and serve like he did.

In times of crisis, more than ever, we believe we have to return to the source, the living water that is Jesus

Although throughout history the Church has evolved and accompanied social and cultural changes, Jesus’ teachings remain. Like in those first days, we continue to believe and announce Jesus’ message, though we recognize the advances of human knowledge, especially in new technologies.

Our faith is accompanied by the daily work to promote peace, to care for creation and to seek justice. Actions speak louder than words, as the Gospel of Matthew tells us: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

We believe that the Church is not only the parish, the diocese or even the Vatican. It’s people, you and me.

Where Do I Start?

This website presents the opportunities our Diocese offers you to walk with our community, your brothers and sisters, as we learn and practice our faith, deepen our relationship with God, and share the Good News of Jesus of Nazareth.

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“No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.”

(1 John, 4:12)

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Catholic Diocese of San Diego

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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