Patrick Aloysius O'Boyle

PATRICK ALOYSIUS O'BOYLE

Born : July 18, 1896
Deceased : August 10, 1987

Archbishop of Washington, 1948-1973
Cardinal, 1967

Archbishop

Cardinal

Official blazon

Impaled. Dexter: Quarterly azure and gules, four chains in cross fixed to an annulet in fess point argent: I. A crescent argent; II. In chief three mullets of six points argent; III. In chief three mullets of five points; IV. A man's face bearing two angels' wings argent (See of Washington); Sinister: Or, an oak tree eradicated vert, on a chief ermine two trefoils of the second (O'Boyle).
Motto: State in fide

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 sinister impalement contains the personal arms of Archbishop O'Boyle. The oak tree eradicated is taken from the arms of the O'Boyle family of Ireland. The chief ermine is from the shield of Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York, as a mark of patronage to His Eminence, his consecrator.
The shamrock (trefoil) honors Saint Patrick, his name patron.

The motto is taken from the First Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, chapter 16, verse 13.