Chapter 11

Page Category: Pastoral Offices

Youth and Young Adult Ministry

A clergyperson in ornate vestments stands at an altar with an open book, surrounded by chalices and candles. Hands are clasped in prayer by another individual in similar attire.

The Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry exists to guide teens, Pastoral Juvenil, and young adults 18-39 in their journey with Christ and His Church.

SDSU Newman Center

A group of six people seated on a patio sofa, smiling, with containers of food on a table in front. A wooden fence and patio umbrella are in the background.

SDSU Newman Center We provide a place for students to form friendships, worship, and nurture their faith while attending San Diego State University. Upcoming Events About Us Catholic Campus Ministry, […]

Schools

Three children in school uniforms, with plaid ties and light blue shirts, smile with their arms around each other. A logo on the shirts reads "St. Catherine Labouré Academy."

Schools Our office supports the Church’s mission of building Christ’s Kingdom of justice, love and peace while delivering instructional excellence. Find a School About Us Resources Welcome to Our Schools […]

Missions

Three children smile and hold up beaded necklaces with cross pendants. One child has a bandage over their eye. They are indoors, with colorful posters on the walls behind them.

Missions The Catholic Church is a universal one. Our office coordinates local efforts to support and celebrate the works of the Church around the world. Mission Stories Mission Bringing Universal […]

Liturgy and Spirituality

A clergymember in white robes holds up a wafer during a religious ceremony. Several chalices are on the altar, and another person stands in the background. A blurred crucifix is visible in the background.

The Office for Liturgy and Spirituality promotes the ongoing renewal of liturgical and spiritual life in the Diocese of San Diego. Upcoming Events Mission Our office: Oversees and coordinates the […]

Family Life and Spirituality

A man holds a young child dressed in white, surrounded by people seated in a crowded auditorium. The child looks towards the camera while others smile and watch the event.

The Office for Family Life and Spirituality offers resources that strengthen family faith through marriage formation, mental health support, and pastoral care.

Life, Peace and Justice

A person with long blonde hair pushes a stroller with a young child in it during a street protest. The person is holding signs that read "Pray to End" and "I Am the Post-Roe Generation." Several others are walking alongside.

The office advocates for human dignity and the sanctity of life for all persons, from conception to natural death.

Diocesan Tribunal

Three books stacked on a dark surface, the top one being small and red, with bookmarks peeking out.

The Diocesan Tribunal specializes in matrimonial annulments and canonical appointments in the Diocese of San Diego.

Diocesan Institute

Diocesan Institute

The Diocesan Institute offers certification programs and theological courses in English and Spanish for adults.

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in English and Spanish.

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Nuestra Vida es Misión

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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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