James Albert Murray

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JAMES ALBERT MURRAY

Born : July 5, 1932
Deceased :

Bishop of Kalamazoo, 1998–2009

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.

For his personal arms Bishop Murray has adopted a design that reflects his heritage and his life. On the blue field are seen a chevron, three stars and a trefoil all in gold. These symbols are used to honor the Irish heritage, represented by the shamrock, that has come to Bishop Murray from his parents, James and Clare (Harris) Murray. Some Murray and the Harris family arms are displayed on the blue fields. Some Murray arms have three stars and the Harris arms have the gold chevron. These arms, however, are not those of the family of the bishop.

The stars have a particular significance for the bishop because of his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who in her title of the Immaculate Conception, is titular of St. Mary Cathedral in Lansing. This is where Bishop Murray received all of his sacraments of initiation and was ordained a priest.

The achievement is completed with the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop by instruction of the Holy See, of March 1969, confirmed in March 2001.