Religious and Traditional Symbolic Meanings in the Heraldic Insignia and Colors for the Impaled Shield of Tagaste Monastery
DEXTER (at viewer's left)
The ermine-like cross appears on the Episcopal shield of the late Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York. He granted permission to the Augustinian Recollect Order to establish their first foundation in the Archdiocese at Tagaste Monastery in Suffern, Rockland County, New York. This symbol also identifies the heraldry of His Eminence Terence Cardinal Cooke, who was Archbishop of New York.
The black cincture (belt) represents the presence of the Augustinian Recollects in the New York Archdiocese. Traditionally, the Blessed Virgin Mary presented a cincture to St. Augustine's mother, St. Monica, as a source of consolation and fidelity. Now part of the religious habit worn by followers of the Rule of St. Augustine, it symbolizes their vow of chastity.
The square, a standard carpenter's tool, represents St. Joseph, guardian of the Christ Child and Patron of the Order of Augustinian Recollects and of our Tagaste Monastery the canonical name of which is Convent of St. Joseph.
The heart surmounted by a crown symbolizes the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Our monastery lies within Sacred Heart Parish of Suffern, New York, and the first religious community assigned to Tagaste dedicated themselves to the Sacred Heart.
The 'X', Greek letter of Chi, in that language is the initial letter of the name Christ.
The center roundel, indicated green, honors St. Patrick, Patron of the Archdiocese of New York.
Colors: Red, indicated by vertical lines, and gold, by dots, honors the Spanish members of the Order who established the Recollection in 1588, eventually spreading their labors to the United States of America in 1917. The color red also represents the Sacred Heart and the Cardinals of the Church. Gold characterizes the shield bearer as one who exceeds in virtue and prowess. Diagonal lines left to right denote green, the heraldic color for life and growth.
SINISTER (at viewer's right)
The burning taper honors Our Lady of Candelaria, Patroness of the Order's Province in Colombia, South America. Members of this Province established various foundations in the United States. In 1943, these led to the formation of a new Province for our Order, that of St. Augustine.
The alternating angled divisions in the chief, in religious heraldry, signify by their indicated colors here of silver and black, identification with the religious life: those who reject the pleasures of this life for the contemplation and study of divine things.
The pierced heart and book derive from the heraldry of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, and exemplify its motto, Love and Learning. The arrow, piercing the heart, stands for divine love and illustrates St. Augustine's creed that "Our hearts are restless until they rest in God." The book represents the spiritual writings of St. Augustine.
The background, indicated as blue, honors the Blessed Mother under the title Our Lady of Consolation, Patroness of our Order.
The mountain in the base suggests Tagaste (modern Souk Ahras in Algeria), the small town in North Africa where St. Augustine was born in the year 354. The town is surrounded by mountains on three sides. Our monastery bears resemblance by its location in the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains in Rockland County.
The African type of yew tree, with its short, thick trunk, also represents physical features of Augustine's birthplace, which was likewise the site of his first religious community, established in the year 388.
The Roman numerals spell out 1952, or 1,564 years later, when our Tagaste Monastery was established in Suffern.
The bishop's crozier honors our Holy Father Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Doctor of the Church, and titular of the Order's Province in the United States.
Colors: In heraldry, silver is represented by white areas, gold by dots, blue by horizontal lines, and black by hatched lines or, as here, by the color itself.
The Shield of Tagaste Monastery was commissioned by Mrs. Peggy Evans in observance of the Silver Anniversary of the establishment of our Monastery, September 20, 1977. It was designed by Brother Fred Dihlmann and executed by the Library of Family Crests under the supervision of Francis B. Hoffman, Director: Research and Art.
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