Blazon:
Arms impaled. Dexter: Gules, a barlet Argent interlocked at the center by an
annulet Or; between in chief two fleur-de-lis of the second and in base a plate
charged with a cross of the field. Sinister: Gules, a chevron Argent between
in chief dexter a garb of wheat Or and in chief sinister a star of the second; in
base the crossed keys of St. Peter, Proper.
Significance:
The episcopal heraldic achievernent, or the bishop's coat of arms, is
composed of a shield, with its charges (symbols), a motto scroll and the
external omatnents. The shield, which is the central and most important
feature of any heraldic device, is described (blazoned) in 12th century terms,
that are archaic to our modern language, and this description is done as if
being given by the bearer with the shield being worn on the arm. Thus, it
must be remembered, where it applies, that the terms dexter and sinister are
reversed as the device is viewed from the front.
By heraldic tradition, the arms of the bishop of a diocese, called the
"Ordinary," are joined to the arms of his jurisdiction, in this case the Diocese
of Allentown.
These arms are displayed on a red field which is used to call to mind
the suffering and the shedding of The Lord's blood by which our salvation
were achieved and which are perpetuated by and in The Church that The
Lord established. On this field is seen a silver bar that in interlaced by a gold
ring to signify the mystical marriage to Christ of St. Catharine of Siena, titular
patron of the Cathedral Church in Allentown. Above the bar and ring are two
silver fleur-de-lis that are taken from the arms of His Holiness, Pope John
XXIII who established the Diocese of Allentown in 1961. Below the bar and
nng is a silver plate that is charged with a red cross. This symbol is taken
from the arms of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from which the Diocese of
Allentown was carved and to which it is suffragan.
For his personal arms, seen in the sinister impalement of the device
(right side), His Excellency, Bishop Cullen has retained, with a modification,
the design that was adopted at the time that His Excellency was selected to
receive the fullness of Christ's priesthood, as a Bishop, and which reflects his
heritage and his life as a priest and as a bishop.
On a red field is seen a silver chevron. These main parts of the design
are taken from the Cullen "family" arms. Above the chevron, to the upper left
(chief dexter) is a golden garb of wheat. This Eucharistic symbol is taken
from the Leahy "family" arms, and by using these in points, His
Excellency, Bishop Cullen honors the heritage of his parents Edward Peter
and Julia Catherine (Leahy) Cullen.
To the upper right of the design (chief sinister) is a silver star taken
from the arms of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which His Excellency had
the honor to serve as a priest and as an Auxiliary Bishop. Below the chevron
are the crossed silver and gold keys of St. Peter, to honor the Bishop's second
baptismal patron and which also symbolically expresses The Bishop's
dedication and fidelity to the See of Peter and to the Most Holy Father.
For his motto, His Excellency, Bishop Cullen, has retained the three
words "CHRIST - CHURCH - COMPASSION." Understanding historically
that first came Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and then came The Church
that He founded and that Church was founded on Christ's Love and
Compassion for all mankind, for He so loved the world that He gave Himself
for us. These three words, then, sum up the history and the purpose of The
Church, which is what all Christians should be all about.
The device is completed with the external ornaments which are a gold
processional cross, that is placed in back of the shield and which extends
above and below the shield, and with the pontifical hat, called a "gallero,"
with its six tassels in three rows, on either side of the shield, all in green.
These are the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop by instruction of the Holy See of March 31, 1969.
