Thomas Kiely Gorman

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THOMAS KIELY GORMAN

Born : August 30, 1892
Deceased : August 16, 1980

Bishop of Reno, 1931-1954
Bishop of Dallas(-Fort Worth), 1954–1969

Bishop of Reno

Bishop of Dallas

Official blazon

(personal arms) Azure, some of escarbuncles, a lion passant argent, between two swords erect in chief and in base a pair of wings conjoined, between the tips a rose or, on a chief of the last pair of scissors open in saltire proper. Motto: "Agni Agnos Numerare"

Origin/meaning

The silver escarbuncles resemble snowflakes and refer to "Our Lady of the Snows," patroness of the Diocese of Reno. The escarbuncle consisting of an annulet in the center from which issue eight scepters with fleurs-de-lis on the ends, quite fortuitously afford a beautiful symbolism of the Blessed Virgin, apart from that of "Our Lady of the Snows;" the scepter betokens Our Lady as Queen of Heaven, and the fleur-de-lis, the French form of the lily, is the ancient symbol of her Virginity.

The two swords are taken from the arms of a Gorman family; the sword in base has been substituted a rose, between the tips of an angel's wings, from the coat of arms of Bishop Gorman's native Archdiocese of Los Angeles, where he spent many years of his priesthood. The rose is the symbol of Our Lady as the Mystical Rose and the angel's wings have an obvious canting meaning. Within the territory of this Archdiocese is St. Andrew's Church, Pasadena, California, where the Bishop was born.

The scissors on the golden field in the chief is a symbol of the fourth estate, the newspaper world, and refers to Bishop Gorman's life work in the Catholic newspaper field. For many years Bishop Gorman was Episcopal Chairman of the Press Department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference.

The motto "Agni Agnos Numerare" is translated "to tell the lambs of the Lamb." To count and keep track of the lambs of Christ is the province and duty of the ecclesiastical shepherds, the Apostles and their successors, whom Christ commanded, "Feed my lambs" (John 21:15).