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What's the meaning of this? Bishop Sis' Coat of Arms
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February 13, 2014The coat of arms of the Most Rev. Michael J. Sis, sixth Bishop of San Angelo, features a basket containing five loaves of bread, with two fish, one above and one below the basket. Rooted in ancient Christian iconography, it recalls the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, the only miracle story recorded in all four Gospels.
Just as he did on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus continues to take our seemingly insufficient resources, miraculously multiplies them through the power of his grace, and utilizes them to meet the spiritual and material needs of his people.
The gold Cross above the shield is the Celtic Cross, which has a ring surrounding the intersection. The circle is a symbol of eternity, since Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. It illustrates the endlessness of God's love poured out in Christ's sacrifice on the Cross. The five gems represent the five wounds of Christ.
For his motto, Bishop Sis has selected the phrase "DEI SUMUS ADIUTORES." This Latin phrase, from Saint Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians (I Cor. 3:9), is translated in English as "We are God's co-workers" and in Spanish as "Somos colaboradores de Dios." It expresses the profound biblical truth that God calls us to cooperate with him in his action in the world.
Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and humanity, but in his great mercy he freely chooses to involve human beings as his subordinate helpers. Christ is at work in us through the power of his Holy Spirit. By the overflowing grace of Jesus Christ, members of the Church are given the privilege of cooperating in his work in a variety of ways. These include, for example, the celebration of the sacraments, responsible stewardship, acts of justice and charity to serve our neighbor in need, the vocation of parenthood, the intercession of the saints, and the mission of evangelization. In so many wonderful ways, we are God's co-workers.
