Kevin Michael Britt

KEVIN MICHAEL BRITT

Born : November 19, 1944
Deceased : May 16, 2004

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, 1993-2002
Bishop of Grand Rapids, 2003-2004

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit

Bishop of Grand Rapids

Official blazon

Arms impaled. Dexter: Bendy wavy sinister Argent and Azure; overall a moline cross Gules. Sinister: Gules upon a cross Ermine a crown at the center of the first between three stars per pale, one and two, Or; all between in chief two fountains Argent and Azure and in base, to dexter a rose and to sinister a bird both of the fourth.

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 red with an ermine cross. This symbolism is taken from the arms employed by the Duchy of Brittany for it is believed that the Britt family name is derived either from the name of that region or from the French family "de Bret," who made their way to southeastern Ireland. On the ermine cross is a red martyr's crown for St. Agatha and the three stars from the Archdiocese of Detroit, to reflect the prior services of Bishop Britt.

In the upper quarters of the design are two fountains, which are used to honor St. Kevin, Abbot of Glendalough, which is in the "valley of the two lakes," in Wicklow, Ireland. In the lower quarters are a blossom, for St. Rose, and a bird, from the arms of Edward the Confessor, both in silver, and used to honor the Bishop's parents, Edward and Rose (Flach) Britt.

For his motto, Bishop Britt has retained the three words, "KINDNESS-MERCY-LOVE," which is taken from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians (Col. 3:12-14). By the use of these three words, His Excellency Bishop Britt expresses the three principles by which we, as followers of Christ, are to live.

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.