BISHOP RENE H. GRACIDA The personal insignia of Bishop Rene H. Gracida depicts a series of blue and silver lozenges from the coat of arms of St. Vincent Benedictine Archabbey at Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where the bishop studied for the priesthood. The blue and silver diamonds give witness to the Bavarian origins of Abbot Boniface Wimmer under whose leadership at Latrobe the Benedictine Order grew in the United States. The palm tree and the two crosses are taken from the coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Miami where Bishop Gracida was serving as Vicar General at the time of his call to the e p i s co p a c y. The two parts of his shield thus serve to identify the ecclesiastical lineage of the bishop both with regard to his priesthood and his e p i s co p a c y. His motto, “Abyssus AbBishop Rene H. Gracida yssum InvoCoat of Arms cat,” taken from Psalm 41:8 (Vulgate), is translated “Deep is calling to deep” and expresses the program and spirit of the bishop who from the depth of his heart seeks to hear the word that comes from the heart of the Lord that His will may be done.
BISHOP ROBERTO O. GONZÁLEZ The coat of arms of Bishop Roberto O. González Nieves, OFM displays an image of Our Mother of Divine Providence who is the heavenly patroness of the people of Puerto Rico, his native commonwealth. Mary, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, is on a field of the Pentecostal color red. The blue “chief ” above her denotes truth and perseverance and contains two golden Tau Crosses emblematic of the Franciscan Order. The dove with the olive branch of peace is a special symbol of the bearer’s family and represents Bishop González’s brother José who died while studying for the priesthood.
18
SOUTH TEX AS CATHOLIC | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013
A story in The dove’s attitude of “rising” suggests readiness to carry the Gospel message of the Prince of Peace. A silver or white border encompasses the coat of arms of the bishop even as the joy of redemption s h o u l d s u rround us all. The red, white Bishop Roberto O. González and blue are Coat of Arms the colors of the flag of Puerto Rico. His motto “Vita Per Jesum” proclaims that we have “Life through Jesus.”
BISHOP EDMOND CARMODY The shield of Bishop Edmond Carmody symbolizes his family, his priestly and missionary service and his devotion to the people, especially to the poor. The green shield in the upper left corner of the bishop’s coat of arms is the color of hope and stands for his birthplace, Ireland. The gold cross that divides his shield is taken from the papal shield of Pope John Paul II and shows the bishop’s union with Rome and solidarity with the Holy Father. In the upper right side of the shield is a silver star on a blue field. As with the coat of arms of former bishops of Corpus Christi, this star denotes the state of Texas, the site of his priestly vocation and episcopal ministry. The sprouting oak stump comes from the Carmody family crest and recalls the strength of the oak, its roots in the earth, that even though cut down to the stump is capable of generating new life. The green leaves signify new hope and life. The www.SouthTexasCatholic.com