Bishop Mark E. Brennan’s Coat of Arms

Bishop Mark E. Brennan’s shield is made up of four sections, divided by a cross of the faith. A Latin cross in the upper left quadrant signifies that whatever trials we have in life, there is always another cross that each of us will be asked to carry. Praying hands in the upper right quadrant indicate that all of our lives should be directed to and with prayer.

The lower left features a lion’s head, to honor Bishop Brennan’s baptismal patron, St. Mark. The lower right includes two small crowns, known as diadems, to honor the bishop’s parents, Edward (named for St. Edward the Confessor, King of England) and Regina (which is Latin for ‘queen’). The monogrammed escutcheon (small shield) in the center honors the Blessed Virgin Mary, expressing the bishop’s firm belief that no one will be successful in their religious life without Mary’s help.

Bishop Brennan chose “Docete Omnes Gentes,” a Latin phrase reflecting Christ’s admonition to “teach all nations.”