Daniel William Kucera

DANIEL WILLIAM KUCERA

Born : May 7, 1923
Deceased : May 30, 2017

Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet in Illinois and Titular Bishop of Natchez, 1977-1980
Bishop of Salina, 1980-1983
Archbishop of Dubuque, 1984-1995

Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet in Illinois	Bishop of Salina
Archbishop of Dubuque

Official blazon
English	blazon wanted

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 two silver lions on a red field allude to the bishop's patron, Daniel the Prophet, the story of whose deliverance from a den of lions is recorded in the sixth chapter of the Book of Daniel. A secondary reference is to the ancient Kingdom of Bohemia, from which the bishop traces his ancestry. The arms of Bohemia consisted of a silver lion on a red field, the lion having a double tail and wear ing a gold crown. This figure has continued to appear as the symbol of the Czechoslovak and Czech Republics.

The blue field bears a reference to the national colors of the United States as well as to the parish of St. Louise De Marillac, in LaGrange Park, where Bishop Kucera assisted for nine years. The eagle is presented as though occupying the entire shield; however, only the upper third of the figure is actually shown. The eagle, in full plumage with the silver strap at its breast, refers to the coat of arms of St. Procopius Abbey, the community of Benedictine monks in which Bishop Kucera made his monastic profession, was educated, and served as abbot for seven years. The eagle as shown is sometimes used as an attribute of St. Wenceslaus, the martyr-king of Bohemia, referring here to the special character of the Abbey as originally a monastic foundation of Czech nationality. The two crosses refer to the color of the Benedictine habit. They also relate to the arms of the Abbey where the eagle is superimposed upon a black cross.

The motto below the shield contains another allusion to the Book of Daniel. Translated from the Latin, it means "Bless the Lord". It occurs as a refrain in the Canticle of the Three Young Men (Daniel 3, 52-90). Besides an obvious reference to St. Benedict, who urged the monk to praise God through prayer and work, the motto suggests the Bishop's dedication to the primary duty for which he is ordained, that of leading Christian people in worship of God.

The achievement is completed with the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop.

Literature:

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