Chapter 11

Page Category: Ministries

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.

Healing Pathways for Families

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We’re Here to Help Welcome to our Healing Pathways for Families page, intended as a resource hub for individuals and families who seek healing. It is also for faith leaders […]

Culture of Life

A person wearing a Vatican Rome 2018 hoodie smiles, holding two young children wearing pink jackets; one child is eating a lollipop.

Beginning of Life We believe that every life is sacred and that no life—born or unborn—is disposable. All of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching flow from the core belief […]

Prison and Jail Ministry

Hope for the Incarcerated More than 25,000 men and women are incarcerated in 24 jails, prisons, and detention facilities located in the two counties that comprise the Diocese of San […]

Restorative Justice

Two people hugging in a room with several others seated on chairs. The room has beige walls and closed double doors.

Seeks Healing and Accountability Restorative Justice practices are centuries old, deeply rooted in indigenous philosophies and ancient people of faith that value healing over punishment. Native American and First Nation […]

Care for Creation

Care for Creation

Our mission is to spread Catholic teaching of creation care concerning our duty to be good stewards of our common home.

Separated or Divorced

A person sitting holds a ring in their hands, with another person in the background sitting with arms crossed. Both individuals are dressed in casual attire, with a focus on the hands and ring.

The Church accompanies separated and divorced Catholics through their grief and their pain. Learn more about finding healing through the light of living your faith.

Learn About the Annulment Process

Spine of a maroon book titled "Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition," resting on a wooden shelf.

Divorced Catholics who wish to remarry in the Church must first be granted a declaration of nullity, commonly referred to as an annulment. When an annulment is granted, a Church […]

Marriage Formation

Two hands with elegant wedding rings rest on top of each other. The top hand has a diamond ring, and the bottom hand wears a simple band. Both show well-manicured nails and blurred background.

Congratulations on your engagement! We’re so glad that you’ve chosen to marry in the Catholic Church. It is a cause for great joy! We are privileged to accompany you on […]

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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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