coat of arms Archives - Diocese of Venice

Blazon: Per fess Azure and Argent; in chief the arms of the Franciscan Order: upon a Latin cross Sable two arms in saltire, the one to dexter uncovered and the one to sinister habited on the Order of Saint Francis, both hands displaying the Stigmata, all Proper; in base the Sacred Heart of Jesus between and above on the dexter side the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to the sinister the Chaste Heart of Saint Joseph, one and two, all Proper.

Motto: ite ad joseph

Explanation

In the upper portion of the shield, the two crossed arms before a cross represent the bare arm of Jesus Christ crucified, the hand bearing the wound of crucifixion, reminding believers of Christ’s sacrificial love and redemption, and the arm of Saint Francis of Assisi clothed in simplicity, emphasizing poverty, humility, and discipleship. Saint Francis also bears the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, which he received on Mount La Verna in 1224. The cross behind the arms signifies that both Christ and Francis are united through the mystery of the Cross. It reflects the Franciscan desire to follow Christ completely, especially in humility, suffering, and love.

In the lower portion of the shield, the silver background represents transparency, truth, and justice. The Sacred Heart of Jesus symbolizes Christ’s divine love for humanity, self-sacrificing, merciful, and redemptive. It is usually shown aflame, in the passion, pierced, and crowned with thorns. The Immaculate Heart of Mary represents her pure and immaculate love, her obedience to God, and unity with her son’s mission. It is usually depicted pierced by a sword, recalling her sorrow and joy. The Chaste Heart of Saint Joseph signifies the faithful, protective, and self-giving love, marked by chastity, humility, and loving obedience to God’s will. The three hearts together symbolize that the human person is revealed through love and is made for self-gift and communion. It expresses that human love, marriage, and the family is a communion of persons, central to the new evangelization, that truth, goodness, and beauty are united. The red hearts also recall the first Franciscan Missionary Martyrs in 1220. When Saint Francis of Assisi heard of their deaths, he declared, “Now I can truly say that I have five Friars Minor,” recognizing in them the authentic spirit of humility, sacrifice, and evangelical love that he desired for his brothers.

The Bishop’s motto, ITE AD JOSEPH, is from Genesis 41: 55, “Ite ad Ioseph; et quidquid ipse vobis dixerit, facite.” (Go to Joseph; and whatever he says to you, do.” “Vayan a José y hagan lo que él les diga.”)

The coat of arms was devised by Bishop Biosca with advice from Very Rev. George E. Stuart and Georgina Wilkinson.

In accordance with the heraldic tradition of the Roman Catholic Church, the Coat of Arms of a Bishop is composed of four elements: a shield with its charges (symbols); a golden processional cross; a green hat (galero) with twelve attached tassels; and appearing below everything, a scroll with the motto written in black.

For his Coat of Arms, His Excellency Bishop Frank J. Dewane selected a design that reflects his life and his heritage. A silver shield has been chosen and symbolizes transparency, truth and finally justice. The chevron, an antique heraldic figure, here in blue, symbolizes the truss of a building, that part under which the community, the Church, assembles. In the Coat of Arms of Bishop Dewane the chevron is charged with three golden crowns to recall the Cathedral of Venice, dedicated to the Epiphany. The crowns, taken from the Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Venice the wise men, astrologers who followed the star in search of Jesus Christ. The blue used for the chevron symbolizes the separation from worldly values and the ascent of the soul toward God.

The Blessed Virgin, under whose protection Bishop Dewane places his new pastoral ministry, is symbolized on his Coat of Arms by a blue star. Further this recalls the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the United States as well as the Marian devotion of Pope John Paul II, whom Bishop Dewane served while working for the Holy See.

The shell is a figure used by Pope Benedict XVI in his coat of arms and expresses the filial devotion of Bishop Dewane to the Holy Father. In addition, the shell is the symbol of the pilgrim, therefore recalling the pilgrimage of Holy Mother Church on earth. The shell is in red, the color which signifies love so as to underline the importance of love and charity on our pilgrimage on earth.

The sailboat is the symbol of the boat of Peter, the church, which is evidenced by the head of the mast shaped as a Cross. Also this boat appears in the Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Green Bay, the place of birth of Bishop Dewane and the Diocese of his priestly ordination. For these reasons it is placed at the base of the shield.

For his motto, the Bishop has adopted a phrase that describes his years of joyfully working in the area of justice and peace since his priesthood ordination and particularly the past fifteen years in his service to the Holy See. The passage on which the motto is based comes from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans 14:17: “… the kingdom of God is not food or beverage, but justice (iustitia), peace (pax) and joy (gaudium) in the Holy Spirit.”

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Coat of arms of Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap.

Bishop Dewane’s Episcopal Coat of Arms