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Our seal combines the cross as a sign of salvation with the circle as a sign of completeness and the world. Within this clear geometry, the seven sacraments also unfold their organic order. They are not abstract rituals, but tangible places of encounter where God’s gracious power (Virtus Dei) tangibly impacts our concrete lives.
The interplay of the center, axes, and circle illustrates how acceptance and sanctification permeate everyday life:
The Center
Eucharist (thanksgiving as the sustaining center) – The Eucharist lies at the intersection of the vertical and horizontal. It is the center and source of all sacraments. Here, heaven and earth, God and humanity meet. In every Holy Mass, we are called back to this focal point to draw strength for everyday life.
The Vertical Axis
Sanctification as an Encounter between God and Humanity – The vertical axis represents the alignment between God and humanity – the descent of His grace and our gaze towards Him.
Confirmation as the Upper Vertex
At the very top of the vertical axis, heaven opens: the power of the Spirit strengthens us, uplifts us, and encourages us to leave our mark on the world as mature individuals.
Penance and Reconciliation as a Deep Anchor Point
It anchors us to the ground. Where we fail, accumulate guilt, or break down, the Sacrament of Reconciliation restores us. It reaches us in the depths of life and reconciles us with the center.
The Horizontal Axis
Acceptance in the Fellowship of Time – The horizontal axis symbolizes our individual journey through time, our fellowship, and the acceptance of our earthly existence.
Baptism as the Left Pole: New Beginnings
It is the threshold into the circle of life: In Baptism, God’s unconditional love embraces us – unprotected, naked, and full of dignity, long before our actions and achievements matter.
The Anointing of the Sick as the Right Pole: Where Weakness Becomes Fulfillment
It stands opposite the beginning – tangibly present in phases of deepest helplessness. Where our own efforts end, God’s closeness comes to our side: to comfort, to hold, and to uplift.
The Enclosing Circle
The Forms of Life & Vocations – As a completing arc, the outer circle holds everything together. It symbolizes the space of community where faith does not remain theory but takes shape through our lives.
Marriage: The Weaving of Love into Everyday Life
It embraces the venture of two lives – the covenant of man and woman to support each other through highs and lows. In this fellowship and in the family between man and woman, God’s love becomes tangible in the midst of everyday life.
Holy Orders – The Vow of Existence for Others
Holy Orders provides the community with individuals who sustain fellowship, perceive people’s needs and wounds, and ceaselessly point to the heart of faith – the Cross and the power of the Eucharist.
The Seal as a Compass
The seal encompasses the traces of our entire lives. In every sacrament, God’s closeness breaks into our daily lives, uplifts us, and gives us new courage. Thus, the sign becomes a faithful companion for one’s own prayer and contemplation: It reminds us that our pain has a purpose, our love is blessed, and we can never fall deeper than into His hand.
