Chapter 11

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Chaplaincies

A group of healthcare workers and a chaplain stands in a hospital corridor, all wearing masks and identification badges. The healthcare workers wear a variety of scrubs with different patterns, and the chaplain is in a black shirt with clerical collar.

The diocese supports chaplains who deliver pastoral care at hospitals, prisons and detention facilities, military bases, the airport and port.

How to Become Catholic

A group of people seated and standing in a Catholic Church. They appear attentive, with a few individuals singing or speaking. The room is well-lit with rows of people and a visible ceiling with recessed lighting.

Discover how to join the Catholic Church in San Diego, from the initial decision to baptism and full participation in the Christian community.

Special Needs

A person in a gold garment offers a communion wafer to another person wearing a black vest and name tag. Several people stand in the background inside a church with stained glass windows.

Catholic parishes and schools in San Diego adapt programs to include people with special needs in their faith community.

Papal Blessings and Audiences

A clergymember in white robes is seated, talking to two people in a crowded outdoor setting. One person wears a blue headscarf and glasses around their neck, while the other has shoulder-length hair and is smiling.

Learn how to request Papal Blessings and free tickets for papal events, including audiences and masses, through the Catholic Diocese of San Diego.

Request an Archive

Request an archive

Request archives or sacramental records using the online archives request form. The information is free, but donations are appreciated.

Catholic Mutual Group

Catholic Mutual Group logo in dark blue on a black background, featuring a square emblem with stylized elements above the text.

Catholic Mutual Group’s Online Training Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls Fire Safety Preventative Maintenance Your Ministry: Everything Matters and Everyone Has a Role Safe and Successful Parish Festivals The Business […]

Parish Materials

ACA Videos Embed these videos to your website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyArqRfHySo 2025 Annual Catholic Appeal Download This Video 2025 Cooperación Anual Católica Download This Video To use video on parish website: Hover […]

Websites

The Catholic Steward Subscribe to this blog for weekly stewardship reflections that can be published. View Website Parish Catalyst Parish Catalyst is an excellent resource for helping parishes navigate challenging […]

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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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