- The Governor General of Canada
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Joseph Phuong Nguyen
Kamloops, British Columbia
Grant of Arms
April 20, 2017
Vol. VI, p. 719
Click on each image to enlarge. The blazon and symbolism for each element will accompany the enlarged image.
Blazon
Arms
Per pale Azure and Gules, a chim lac volant Or ensigned by a jib and a mainsail Argent charged with a Latin cross patonce per pale Gules and Vert bearing a Latin cross Argent, on a chief dancetty Or in dexter a mullet Azure;
Motto
STATE IN DOMINO:
Symbolism
Arms
For Bishop Nguyen, blue represents trust and red represents a strong will, traits that sustained him in his difficult journey from hardship and persecution in Vietnam to his new home in Canada. The chim lac, a mythical bird in Vietnamese folklore, represents Bishop Nguyen’s heritage. As a creature of flight, it also expresses the idea of hope and optimism in embarking on new challenges. The sails convey the idea of a boat, a traditional symbol of the Church. It also serves as a reference to Bishop Nguyen’s escape from Vietnam by boat. The cross on the sail was a symbol created by Bishop Nguyen to represent the church in Canada, its limbs recalling maple leaves, with red symbolizing martyrdom and green restoration and renewal. The star is a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The peaks represent the dioceses with which Bishop Nguyen has been associated, all in mountainous areas: his home diocese of Ban Mê Thuột in Vietnam; the Archdiocese of Vancouver, where he was ordained and served as a priest; and the Diocese of Kamloops, of which he is now the bishop. They also represent the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity.
Motto
Taken from Philippians 4:1, this Latin phrase means “Stand firm in the Lord”.
Background
Canada Gazette Information
The announcement of the Letters Patent was made on March 31, 2018, in Volume 152, page 895 of the Canada Gazette.
Artist Information
Creator(s)
Original concept of Bruce Patterson, Deputy Chief Herald of Canada, assisted by the heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
Painter
D. Robert Tunstall
Calligrapher
Yolande Lessard
Recipient Information
Individual