SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COAT OF ARMS
OF
SETON-LA SALLE CATHOLIC
HIGH SCHOOL
The Coat of Arms of
Seton-La Salle Catholic High School, which signifies it as an
institution of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, and a
merger of the former Elizabeth Seton High School for Girls and
the former South Hills Catholic High School for Boys, is
composed of the shield and its charges surmounted by a cross and
the motto beneath the shield. The heraldic shield is divided
into three parts. The left partition is a replica of the shield
of the coat of arms of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, which is based
on the coat of arms of William Penn, the founder of
Pennsylvania, and of William Pitt, for whom Pittsburgh is named.
It is described as being “argent” (silver), on a fess
(horizontal band) sable (the color black—represented in heraldic
engraving by crossing vertical and horizontal lines to produce
dark shading). The blue and silver checkered fess also appears
in the shield of the City of Pittsburgh and appeared in the
shield of the former South Hills Catholic High School. To
differentiate the diocesan coat of arms, a sword of gold
(designated in heraldic engraving by speckling) has been added.
The sword is used in Christian art as the symbol of Saint Paul
the Apostle, the patron of the Diocese. The two rounded gold
crosses are a Christianized version of plates found on Penn’s
coat of arms. The entire left partition expresses the
jurisdiction of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
The right partition displays an upper half blue field
(background), designated in heraldic engraving by horizontal
lines, with a silver star and two gold broken chevrons. The star
is taken from the seal of the Institute of the Brothers of the
Christian Schools who administer and help staff Seton-LaSalle
and also appeared on the shield of South Hills Catholic. This
seal, which can be traced back as far as the Brothers’ General
Chapter of 1751, recalls the Old Testament passage in the Book
of Daniel (12:8) which says, “They that instruct many unto
justice, shall shine as stars for all eternity.” The two gold
broken chevrons are taken from the coat of arms of the House of
De LaSalle, the Spanish ancestors of Saint John Baptist de
LaSalle, the Founder of the Christian Brothers, and patron of
teachers.
The lower half of the right partition depicts three crescents of
red (designated in heraldic engraving by vertical lines), on a
field of gold. These are the traditional arms of the Seton
Family of Scotland, and appeared in the lower right partition of
the shield of Elizabeth Seton High School. The Seton Family was
famous in the Catholic history of Scotland and it was into this
illustrious family that Saint Elizabeth Ann (Bayley) married and
brought such new luster to this noble name, when she founded the
American Sisters of Charity who also administer and help staff
Seton-LaSalle Regional High School.
A graceful, dignified, single-traversed cross containing the
school’s colors of green and gold, surmounts the entire shield,
symbolizing the Christian principles taught at Seton-LaSalle
Regional High School.
The school motto, “In Fide et Caritate” which translates as, “In
Faith and Charity” recalls the supporting spirits of the two
religious congregations which established the school. The motto
also expresses a program of life, an ideal, and the spirit of
the bearer of its arms.
