Armando Xavier Ochoa

ARMANDO XAVIER OCHOA

Born : April 9, 1943
Deceased :

Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, 1987-1996
Bishop of El Paso, 1996-2012
Bishop of Fresno, 2012-present

Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles	Bishop of El Paso
Bishop of Fresno

Official blazon

El Paso : Arms impaled. Dexter: Azure, issuant from a border wavy two inverted piles, each surmounted by trefoil below a star All Argent; on a chief Or, an anchor cabled of the first. Sinister: Vert, a bar chequy Or and Sab le; in chief a star Argent between two wings of the second and in base a boat at sail of the second, equipped of the fourth, the sail charged with a cross Gules.

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 of Bishop Ochoa in El Paso were identical to the arms as an Auxiliary in Los Angeles. Afte rhis transfer to Fresno his personal arms were changed.

The background of the shield, known as the field, is green to reflect the derivation of the Bishop's family name which is taken from the Basque word for pasture. On this field is placed a bar of gold (yellow) and black checks, which is the classic heraldic representation of St. Francis Xavier· to honor the Bishop's baptismal patron.

Above the chequy bar are the combined symbols of two angle's wings in gold on either side of a silver (white) star. These charges are used to pay particular honor to the Bishop's parents Angel and March Ochoa. These symbols have an additional significance when Bishop Ochoa was an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles ("The City of Angels") and he also has deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her title of Star of the Sea.

Below the chequy bar is a golden ship at sail to honor the Bishop's particular patron, St. Jude, the Apostle. Tradition tells us that St. Simon, traveled throughout the Mediterranean spreading The Gospel of Our Lord. This symbolism reminds Bishop Ochoa that his mission, as a priest and as a bishop, is to follow the example of these Apostles and to spread The Gospel according to Christ's own command.

For his motto, His Excellency Bishop Ochoa has selected the phrase, "PREPAREN EL CAMINO DEL SENOR" (Prepare the way of the Lord"). This quote is actually found in each of the Synoptic Gospels (Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; and Luke 3:4) and is alluded to in the Gospel of St. John (1: 23).

In the arms as Bishop of Fresno, the chequy bar was retained and in base the arms of the Diocese of El Paso were plased. The upper part shows the arms of a Spanish Ochoa family.

The achievement is completed with the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop by instruction of the Holy See, of March 1969, confirmed in March 2001.

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