Michael Gerard Duca

MICHAEL GERARD DUCA

Born : June 5, 1952 in Dallas, Texas, USA
Deceased :

Bishop of Shreveport, 2008-2018
Bishop of Baton Rouge, 2018-present

Bishop of Shreveport

Bishop of Baton Rouge

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.

The personal arms are divided into four quarters. The upper left quarter is silver and contains a red sunburst to honor St. Thomas Aquinas, patron saint of Bishop Duca's home parish and the school he attended. The upper right quarter is blue, with a white star, indicating the bishop's home state, Texas, "The Lone Star State." The lower left quarter is also blue and holds a silver lily honoring St. Joseph, the bishop's confirmation patron saint and special saint to his Italian heritage. The lower right quarter is silver and contains a representation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

On an inescutcheon, is a red cross that is charged with a gold Celtic knot of three points, representing the Blessed Trinity, titular of the Holy Trinity Seminary of Irving, Texas, where Bishop Duca served as rector until being appointed bishop of Shreveport.

The motto "Hope in the Lord" is taken from Ps 31:25, and expresses Bishop Duca's belief "That all we do as Christians is motivated by true and complete confidence in God's promise of salvation."

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