Motto
“VENI PER MARIAM”
For his episcopal motto Bishop Fernandes has chosen words taken from a famous short prayer of the Servant of God, Monsignor Luigi Giussani, the founder of the lay ecclesial movement Communion and Liberation, with which Bishop Fernandes remains close: “Veni Sancte Spiritus, veni per Mariam” (“Come Holy Spirit, come through Mary”).
Interpretation
In the right side of the shield (in heraldry, right and left are exchanged from the observer point of view since it is customary to consider the right and the left side from the perspective of the soldier who, in ancient times, held his own shield) we find represented the Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Columbus. The Arms consist of a blue field, or surface with wavy bars in the base, heraldic symbols of water. Water is a key symbol of baptism, and its presence is a reminder that the Bishop is the primary sacramental minister in his diocese. The blue and white colors also recall Bishop Fernandes’ close association with the Missionaries of Charity, founded by St. Theresa of Calcutta. The ancient sailing ship in silver (white) with the letter M in red on its sail represents the Santa Maria, a decked ship of one hundred tons which brought Christopher Columbus to the New World. The See City was named for Columbus in 1812.
In the left side of the shield, we see Bishop Fernandes’ personal coat of arms; on a golden (Or) field, there is a “chevron” red (Gules) with three golden scallop shells and, in base of the shield, a plow red.
The chevron is a heraldic device best described as an inverted “V” and is one of the most ancient figures in heraldry. Frequently, in Roman Catholic Church heraldry, it signifies the rafter which holds the roof of the church; thus, it possesses a meaning of protection. The scallop shells, which also appear on the Fernandes family crest, symbolize the pilgrimage of the Church on earth; there are three to recall the Holy Trinity and baptism into the life of the Holy Trinity.
Bishop Fernandes’ is the son if immigrants from India, a nation renowned for its tradition of peace and non-violence. Bishop Fernandes was a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The red plow, appearing on his personal coat of arms, also appears on the Coat of Arms of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. It recalls the Roman hero, Cincinnatus (c. 519- c. 430 BCE), who was requested by senators to abandon the fields he was plowing, to lead the Roman soldiers against hostile neighbors who wanted to invade Rome. Besides this, the plow inspires a sentiment of peace, serenity, and good and laborious work amid the beauty of creation. Never more than now is this atmosphere necessary.
The red (Gules) is the color of love (charity) and of blood, a symbol of the infinite love of the Father Who sent the Son to shed His blood for our redemption and for the forgiveness of sins.
The gold (Or) is the first among the noble metals and is a symbol of the first virtue, Faith, which helps us to understand the mystery of Salvation.