Chapter 11

Suppression Notice

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Order Friar Servants of Mary (Servites)

A clergymember in ceremonial attire hands a red book with religious symbols to another clergymember in a decorated hat. A person in casual clothes takes photos in the background, with a congregation sitting on grass nearby.

Three American Friar Servants of Mary (Servites) arrived in Tongoland, the name soon changed to Zululand, in 1948 to serve in the Catholic missions of the Zulu nation. They started their work at Our Lady of Ingwavuma Mission and soon established five centers and dozens of out stations to evangelize and minister to the peoples […]

The Catholic Diocese of Idah, Nigeria

A group of clergymembers in white robes participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony outside a building with columns. A crowd of people, including children, stands nearby.

The Catholic Diocese of Idah was canonically erected on December 17, 1977 with its’ first bishop being Most Rev Dr. Ephraim Silas Obot to nurture and cater for the spiritual needs of the peasant farmers and petty traders that make up the diocese. Idah Diocese is an Ecclesial jurisdiction predominantly inhabited by Catholics, Muslims, and […]

May – Rosary Month

A group of people stand in a room, smiling at the camera. Two individuals in the front hold boxes containing colorful, decorative cakes. Shelves with various items are visible in the background.

Greeting some 30,000 pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, May 1, Pope Francis said: “Today, we begin the month dedicated to the Mother of God. I would like to invite the faithful and all communities to pray the rosary every day during the month of May for peace.” As we begin May – the […]

Cardinal-designate Issues Statement about Abortion Ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court

Cardinal-designate Issues Statement about Abortion Ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court (SAN DIEGO, June 24, 2022) – Cardinal-designate Robert McElroy, of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego, issued the following statement after today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: “Today is a day to give thanks […]

El Cardenal Designado Emite un Comunicado Sobre el Fallo de Aborto de la Corte Suprema

Cardinal Designate Issues Statement on Supreme Court Abortion Ruling (SAN DIEGO, June 24, 2022) – Cardinal-designate Robert McElroy of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego issued the following statement following today’s US Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: “Today is a day for thanksgiving and celebration. Catholic social teaching tells us […]

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 combines the Diocese of San Diego’s coat of arms on the left side, and his on the right. On his, a red boat on a blue ocean sits on 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 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, 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 communities.

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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