John Michael D'Arcy

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JOHN MICHAEL D'ARCY

Born : August 18, 1932
Deceased : February 3, 2013

Auxiliary Bishop of Boston, 1975-1985; Titular Bishop of Mediana
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, 1985-2009

Auxiliary Bishop of Boston

Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend

Official blazon

Origin/meaning

As common in US episcopal heraldry, the arms show the arms of the diocese impaled with the personal arms of the bishop.

The praying hands in the center of Bishop D'Arcy's shield symbolizes a central part of the Church's mission; the offering of praise to God the Father in, with and through Christ and the work of spiritual formation and spiritual formation and spiritual direction in which the Bishop has been privileged to be engaged. It also refers to his work for ten years as Vicar for Spiritual Development in the Archdiocese of Boston.

The eagle's head with a halo denotes St. John the Evangelist, the baptismal patron of the bishop. It also recalls the years the bishop has spent at St. John's Seminary as student, teacher and spiritual director.

There are two crescents. One refers to Mary, the woman of faith in whom is found perfect openness to the word of God. It also betokens the eight years the bishop spent in St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Beverly, Mass.; the only parish to which he has been attached. The other crescent symbolizes the Church as the sacrament of Christ.

The shield itself with its semes of crosses, crosslet argent is the shield of a D'Arcy family (not related to the bishop though). The six-pointed star, known both in Jewish and Christian art, is from the arms of a Moran family to represent the Bishop's mother..

The motto: "His steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 118 and 136) expresses briefly an ideal, a program of life, the spirit of the one who selects it. It is also a call to the church and to every person to be reminded of God's steadfast love even in the midst of pain and sorrow.