Archbishop-elect’s motto: Totally Yours

Below is the official explanation of Archbishop-elect Jason Gordon’s coat of arms as written by its designer Deacon Paul J Sullivan, of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island. It includes the armorial description and the design elements. The original design was modified by Lisa Bhajan, Station Manager, Trinity Communications Network (TCN).

Significance                                   

The Episcopal heraldic achievement, or bishop’s coat of arms, is composed of a shield, which is the central and most important part of the design, a scroll with a motto and the external ornamentation.

Archbishop-elect Gordon’s design is composed of a blue field on which is placed a silver (white) chevron, employed as a carpenter’s square, to honour the Archbishop-elect’s particular patron, Saint Joseph, for it was on the saint’s feast day that Gordon was ordained to the holy priesthood.

Above the chevron is a crescent moon surrounded by a scattering (a semé) of twelve stars to reflect his deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, described in the Book of Revelation (Rev 12:1) as “having the moon at her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars”.

Below the chevron, coming forth from the base of the shield (issuant), are three hills, with a cross and emerging from the valley, a river.  This is the logotype of the Living Water Community, to which Archbishop-elect Gordon belongs.  The community’s logo incorporates the three hills that Columbus first saw and after which the island Trinidad was named, the place of birth and home of Archbishop-elect Gordon.

The beautiful stream is emblematic of the grace that flows from the heart of God (Ezekiel 47), a reference to the Living Water, the Holy Spirit, that Jesus promised (Jn 7:37).

For his motto, Archbishop-elect Gordon has selected the phrase “TOTALLY YOURS”.   The phrase expresses his knowledge and belief that for Christians to be successful and to achieve eternal life, lives must be given completely to God.  This motto reveals his total consecration to Jesus through Mary in union with St Joseph.

The overall design is completed by the external ornamentation which consists of a gold (yellow) processional cross, that is placed behind the shield and which extends above and below the shield, and the pontifical hat called a ‘galero’, with its ten tassels in four rows on either side of the shield, all in green.

These are the heraldic insignia of the prelate of the rank of Archbishop, by instruction of The Holy See, of March 31, 1969.