Chapter 11 Court Required Notification

Page Category: Topics

Diocesan Synod on Families

Synod Transforms Ministry to Today’s Families “Think big.” That’s what Bishop Robert McElroy urged the delegates of a synod on family life to do in 2016. The goal was to identify measures […]

Diocesan Young Adult Synod

Diocese Convened Synod to Welcome Young Adults In the fall of 2019, Bishop Robert McElroy convened a synod that asked young adults from every parish to “dream big” about how […]

Protection of Children

Historic Response to Child Abuse “The monstrous crime of the sexual abuse of children and young people,” as the pope calls it, is arguably the most painful issue the Catholic […]

Social Ministry

Catholic Charities Steps Up in Unprecedented Crisis On March 12, 2020, the pandemic was beginning to pick up steam in the San Diego region and beyond. Health authorities had begun […]

Immigration

‘Our Faith Inspires Us to Welcome the Stranger’ “Vino” Pajanor, executive director of Catholic Charities, said the organization has been working around the clock to humanely receive thousands of immigrants […]

Diversity and Unity

‘Powerful Gift of Cultural Diversity’ In the very first homily he delivered in the Diocese of San Diego, Bishop Robert McElroy noted that virtually every nationality and culture was vibrantly […]

Eucharist Initiative

Diocese takes Eucharist Initiative to Every Parish The statistic was shocking: Only one third of U.S. Catholics believe that the bread and wine at Mass are transformed into the Body and […]

Synod on Synodality

Synod on Synodality A synod in the Catholic Church refers to an assembly of bishops and other members of the Church, convened to discuss and make decisions on the pressing […]

Protection of Life

Shepherd Advocates for Life at Every Turn At every opportunity, Bishop Robert McElroy advocates for the sacredness of life, from conception to natural death.   He’s led every one of […]

Care for Creation

A group of people stand around a person demonstrating seed planting at a wooden table, with seed trays and a plastic bag of seeds. The setting appears to be outdoors, with trees and picnic tables in the background.

Diocese Leads Response to Environmental Crisis “I ask every parish community and every believer to see the call to save the earth as God speaking directly to us in the […]

Stay Connected

Stay Informed

Follow the news about our Catholic community,
in English and Spanish.

The Southern Cross

Our Life is Mission

Nuestra Vida es Misión

Follow Us

Contact us
Copyright © 2025.

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.

Topics