This shield is divided in two in a heraldic device called marshalling, or the combining of two coats of arms. On the left side, we see the insignia of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The crossed arms of Christ and St. Francis of Assisi are a classical representation of St. Francis.

On the right, the coat of arms of Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone celebrates the line of fishermen in his family, showing a red crab against a silver background, and a demi-lion with red claws holding a heart to honor the family name, Cordileone, meaning "heart of a lion” from a literal translation of cor di leone .

On the banner at the bottom is written his motto, “In Verbo Tuo,” translated “At Your Word,” recalling the Gospel story of the apostles casting their nets at the Lord’s urging after fishing all night and catching nothing. Peter lets down the net on the strength of Christ’s command. “And Simon answered: ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets’." (Luke 5:5)

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