Bishop Gary Franken

Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of St. Paul




MOTTO


Caritas Vero Aedificat (1 Corinthians 8:1):

“Charity Builds Up"

Love builds up the Body of Christ.

Bishop Franken’s coat of arms is a shield ornamented by a traditional bishop’s hat or galero, with a processional cross displayed behind the shield.


The green ecclesiastical hat has six tassels on each side (that of an archbishop has ten).


Bishop Franken has chosen a sword as the central element of the shield, recalling the Letter to the Hebrews 4:12, which describes the Word of God as “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” The symbol also represents St. Paul, martyred by a sword.

The shield is quartered with alternating blue and white: the quarters represent the four Gospels. Additionally, on one side of the shield, the white over the blue indicates the clouds over the ocean on the west coast; the other two quarters have the blue over the white, representing the blue sky over the northern prairie.

Above the shield is a panel known as the “chief,” featuring two floral emblems: the rose flanked by two tulips. The rose is a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, whose patroness she is. The tulips symbolize Bishop Franken’s family origins in the Netherlands, where both his parents come from.

Former Bishops of the Diocese of St. Paul

Established Aug. 7, 1948

I. Most Rev. Maurice Baudoux, D.D., consecrated Oct. 28, 1948; transferred to the Archdiocese of St. Boniface, March 12, 1952; died July 1, 1988.

II. Most Rev. Philippe Lussier, C.Ss.R., consecrated Aug. 17, 1952; resigned Aug. 26, 1968, died Oct. 9, 1986.

III. Eminence Cardinal Edouard Gagnon, PSS, ordained Aug. 15, 1940; appointed Bishop of St. Paul Feb. 19, 1969; consecrated March 25, 1969; Left St. Paul May 9, 1972. Elevated to cardinalate May 25, 1985, died Aug.25, 2007.

IV. Most Rev. Raymond Roy, Ordained May 31, 1947; appointed Bishop of St. Paul, May 3, 1972; consecrated July 18, 1972; installed in St. Paul, July 27, 1972; retired June 30, 1997, died June 25, 2003.

V. Eminence Cardinal Thomas Collins, M.A., S.S.L., S.T.D., D.D. Ordained May 5, 1973; appointed Coadjutor Bishop of St. Paul on March 25, 1997, consecrated May 14, 1997; installed as Bishop of St. Paul, June 30, 1997. Appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Edmonton February 18, 1999; installed as Archbishop of Edmonton June 7, 1999. Installed as Archbishop of Toronto on January 30, 2007. Elevated to College of Cardinals on February 18, 2012.

VI. Most Rev. Luc Bouchard, D.D. Ordained September 4, 1976; consecrated as Bishop of St. Paul November 9, 2001. Installed as Bishop of Trois-Rivières on March 26, 2012.

VII. Most Rev. Paul Terrio, B.A., L.Th., Cert.Ed., Ph.L. Ordained May 23, 1970; consecrated as Bishop of St. Paul on December 12, 2012.