The episcopal heraldic achievement, or bishop’s coat of arms, is composed of a shield, which is the central and most important part of the design and tells to whom the design belongs, the external ornamentation, which tells the owner’s position or rank, and a motto, placed upon a scroll. By heraldic tradition the design is described (blazoned) as if being done by the bearer with the shield being worn on the arm. Thus, where it applies the terms “sinister” and “dexter” are reversed as the design is viewed from the front.

For the bishop who is without jurisdiction, as an Auxiliary Bishop, the entire shield of his design is given over to his personal arms.

Bishop Kelly’s arms are based on the Kelly family design where the shield is silver (white) and the charges (symbols) are black. For difference, and for his deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the chevron is now blue. The chevron is reminiscent of the mountains of Colorado, so dear to His Excellency’s youth and the chevron is charged with two estoiles (special, six pointed stars) that are taken from the mantle of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to remind all of the profound Hispanic influence in Texas, the “Lone Star State“, represented by the single star below the chevron. Above the chevron are a fleur-de-lis and a trefoil (the heraldic representation of a shamrock) to honor the Bishop’s Irish and French-Canadian heritage.

The achievement is completed with the external ornaments that are a gold (yellow) processional cross, that extends above and below the shield, and for Bishop Kelly is charged with the interlocking Irish knot-like loops, in red, to honor the Most Holy Trinity, and to recall his formation for priesthood at the seminary of that name on the campus of the University of Dallas in Irving, TX; There is also a pontifical hat, called a galero, with its six tassels, in three rows, on either side of the shield, all in green. These are the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop by instruction of the Holy See, of March 1969.

Text and Coat of Arms by: Deacon Paul J. Sullivan