30/06/2026
Coat of Arms of Bishop Lawrence Ofentse , Bishop of Diocese of Francistown
Designed and blazoned by Fr Ronald Dameni, Diocese of Gaborone.
Armorial exposition (reflection) by his Lordship Lawrence Ofentse Pheto, Bishop of the Diocese of Francistown.
BLUE FIELD
In the design of my coat of arms, I have chosen the azure blue drawn from the arms of the Diocese of Francistown and also present in the Civic Coat of Arms of the City of Francistown as the colour that most expresses both my belonging and my trust. This blue roots me in the life of the Diocese and in the City that stands at its heart, while for me it is above all a sign of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of All Priests, and in a particular way Mother of the entire Church. In my Episcopal Ministry, I entrust all the Priests of the Diocese, together with the whole People of God, to her maternal care, that she may guide us in fidelity, holiness, and perseverance, and lead us ever closer to her Son, Jesus Christ.
THE FLEUR-DE-LIS
The fleur-de-lis, considered in itself, is a traditional symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It signifies her purity, her obedience to the will of God, and her unique role in Salvation History. It also reflects her maternal care for the Church, especially for those entrusted to Sacred Ministry. I have also included it because the Blessed Virgin Mary is Co-Patroness of the Diocese of Francistown, whose Cathedral Church is dedicated to her under the title of Our Lady of the Desert, a title that reflects both the missionary heritage and spiritual journey of the Local Church.
I further place it in gratitude to Pope Leo XIV, who bears this symbol prominently in his own coat of arms and who, overlooking my weakness, has entrusted me with the responsibility of serving as Bishop of Francistown.
THE DEACON'S STOLE
Across this field, I have placed a simple white Deacon's Stole, modestly adorned. This has a deeply personal meaning. It refers to my name, Lawrence, recalling Saint Lawrence the Deacon, whose life was marked by humility and service. The simplicity of the stole reflects my own desire to live as a simple servant after the heart of God, conscious that the dignity of the office I now bear must always be rooted in humility and self-giving. It is also significant that I was nominated as Bishop during the Easter Octave; thus, the white of the stole reflects the light and joy of the Risen Christ, within which my ministry finds its meaning.
KGALE HILL
At the base of this section, I have placed a single hill representing Kgale Hill. This hill marks the beginnings of missionary activity in our land and the birth of the Diocese of Gaborone, the Diocese of my birth and Priestly Ministry. The Diocesan Priests of Gaborone also place this hill at the base of their logo, and I include it here as a sign of my fraternal solidarity with them, having lived and worked alongside them for twenty years.
In placing this hill, I also express my firm commitment to fostering Priestly Brotherhood within my Diocese, that we may live and work as one Presbyterate united in charity and mission. Furthermore, it signifies my dedication to the promotion of local vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life, trusting that from this same soil—where the Gospel first took root—new generations will arise to serve the Church with generosity and faith. In this way, the hill is not only a memory of origins but also a sign of hope for the future.
THE GREEN FIELD
The green section of the arms signifies growth. It is a colour I have chosen to express my deep prayer and pastoral hope for the Diocese. It speaks of a Church that is alive and continually being renewed by the Holy Spirit, taking root more deeply in Christ and bearing lasting fruit in the lives of the faithful. This reflects my prayer that the Church entrusted to me may flourish during my Episcopal Ministry.
THE OPEN HANDS OF CHRIST AND DIVINE MERCY
Above the green field, I have placed two open hands of Christ bearing the wounds of His Passion. This image is deeply connected to the moment of my appointment as Bishop, which took place on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday. The sacred wounds remind us that the Risen Lord continues to pour out mercy upon His Church and upon all who seek refuge in Him.
In these sacred wounds, I also wished to include two deeply personal inspirations: Saint Francis of Assisi and Padre Pio. Saint Francis, Co-Patron of the Diocese of Francistown and the namesake of the city itself, received the sacred stigmata and became a living image of conformity to the Crucified Christ. Padre Pio, my patron saint since my years in the seminary and a constant spiritual companion in my Priestly journey, likewise bore the visible wounds of Christ as a witness to sacrificial love and union with the Passion of the Lord.
As Co-Patron of the Diocese and namesake of Francistown, Saint Francis stands at the heart of the local Church's identity. His reception of the sacred stigmata made him a living witness to Christ Crucified and a model of evangelical poverty, humility, and missionary zeal. In this way, the wounded hands of Christ reflect both Saint Francis and Padre Pio, the two stars of my Episcopacy.
From the wounded hands flow the rays of Divine Mercy, placed intentionally in reference to my appointment, which I perceive as an act of the mercy of God. These rays signify the blood and water flowing from the pierced side of Christ, the source of grace and life for the Church. They are a reminder that every ministry in the Church is rooted not in personal merit but in divine mercy freely given.
I also place the Divine Mercy devotion in memory of my predecessor, Bishop Anthony Rebello, a man deeply devoted to Divine Mercy. I entrust my ministry to his prayers and continue to draw inspiration from his example of pastoral dedication, humility, and trust in the merciful Heart of Christ
THE BUFFALO HEAD
Above the green field, I have placed a heraldic buffalo head. The buffalo is my totem, a sign deeply rooted in my identity and my family. It speaks of where I come from, of the Balete Community that formed me, and of the values handed down to me through my family.
In a particular way, this symbol honors my parents, through whose faith, sacrifice, love, and example God nurtured and sustained my vocation. Their witness remains an enduring source of gratitude and inspiration in my life and ministry. In this way, the buffalo becomes not only a sign of heritage but also a tribute to the family through which God formed me for service in His Church.
The buffalo is an animal of uncompromising strength, vigilance, and an unyielding spirit. It expresses a call to steadfastness in faith: that we may be restless in the face of sin and injustice, and firm, courageous, and persevering in the pursuit of holiness.
THE FLOWING WATERS
At the base of this section are flowing waters, drawn from the coat of arms of Bishop Boniface Tshosa Setlalekgosi, the Bishop who ordained me to the Priesthood. In his own coat of arms, the Good Shepherd carries the sheep to still waters. Here, the waters remain as a sign of that same grace. They express my hope that both shepherds and flock may continually find the living waters of Christ, who alone satisfies the thirst of the human heart.
The waters also recall the lands of the Diocese of Francistown and the people entrusted to my pastoral care. They evoke the great waterways that sustain and shape this region, from the confluence of the Tati and Ntshe Rivers at Francistown, to the mighty Chobe River in the north, and the life-giving waters of the Okavango Delta. Set against the backdrop of the Kalahari Desert, which dominates much of the territory of the Diocese, these waters stand as a powerful sign of God's providence and grace, bringing life where conditions may seem harsh and unyielding.
For me, they also express a personal closeness to the people of these lands. Whether in towns, villages, farms, cattle posts, deserts, wetlands, and river valleys, I desire to walk with the faithful as their shepherd, sharing their joys and hopes, their struggles and aspirations. Just as these waters unite diverse landscapes into one region, so too my hope is that the people of the Diocese may be united in faith, charity, and mission, drawing together from many backgrounds into the one Body of Christ.
MOTTO: SERVIRE CUM CHRISTO CRUCIFIXO — TO SERVE WITH CHRIST CRUCIFIED
My motto, Servire cm Christo Crucifixo, expresses my commitment to humble, simple, and self-giving service in imitation of Christ Crucified.
This motto is inspired in a particular way by the witness of Saint Lawrence, Saint Francis of Assisi, and Padre Pio. From Saint Lawrence, I draw the example of joyful service, fidelity in suffering, and courageous charity, even unto death. From Saint Francis, I draw the radical call to leave all things behind in order to follow Christ Crucified and to serve Him in poverty, humility, and love. From Padre Pio, I draw a spirituality deeply rooted in union with the suffering Christ, a life shaped by prayer, sacrifice, and total surrender to the will of God.
Together, these three Saints stand as guiding lights for my Episcopal Ministry and illuminate for me the meaning of the Episcopacy: not as honour, but as participation in the Cross of Christ lived out in service to His people. I understand my appointment to the Episcopate itself as an act of Divine Mercy received not as a personal achievement, but as a gift and responsibility entrusted to me by the Lord. In this spirit, I hold firmly the truth that for you I am a Bishop, but with you I am a Christian. This conviction shapes my pastoral commitment: to walk with the People of God in humility, to remain close to them in charity, and to offer my ministry faithfully in Christ and for His Church, always under the maternal care and protection of Our Lady.
HERALDIC DESCRIPTION
The Episcopal Heraldic Achievement, or the Bishop's Coat of Arms, is composed of a shield, with its charges (symbols), a motto scroll, and the external ornaments. The Shield, which is the central and most important feature of any heraldic device, is described (blazoned) in 12th-century terms that are archaic to our modern language. This description is given as if by the bearer, with the shield being worn on the arm. Thus, it must be remembered that the terms dexter and sinister are reversed as the device is viewed from the front.
The shield is impaled in accordance with Ecclesiastical heraldic custom, that is, it is divided vertically into two parts to unite distinct arms within a single shield. This form, traditionally used in heraldry to signify marriage, here expresses the spiritual union between the Bishop and the Diocese entrusted to his care. In this arrangement, the dexter side (the bearer's right, viewed as the left by the observer) bears extracts from the arms of the Diocese of Francistown, while also incorporating certain personal elements, and the sinister side contains the Bishop's personal arms, expressing the principal spiritual, ecclesial, and familial influences that have shaped his vocation and ministry.
The field is rendered in azure, a colour present both in the Diocesan Coat of Arms and in the Civic Arms of Francistown, which serves as the civic administrative centre of the lands of the Diocese. This shared blue establishes a clear visual and symbolic continuity, expressing the close bond between the Local Church and the civic community.
BLAZON OF THE SHIELD
Quarterly per saltire argent, overall a bend argent. The dexter side azure is divided by a bend sinister argent. In dexter chief, on an azure field, a fleur-de-lis argent. In sinister chief, on a vert field, two hands proper, issuing rays gules and argent between them. In dexter base, on an azure field, a mount proper (brown), issuant from the base. In sinister base, on a vert field, a buffalo's head affronté sable, placed above barry wavy argent and azure.
EXTERNAL ORNAMENTS
The device is completed with the External Ornaments, prescribed for a Bishop according to the Instruction of the Holy See, Ut Sive (March 1969). The shield is ensigned with a gold (yellow) Episcopal Cross, the true emblem of Episcopal Heraldry. In a particular way, the cross is ornamented with red gems which recall that Bishop Lawrence Pheto was called to the Episcopacy during the Easter Season. Thus, the cross is not only a sign of suffering but, above all, of victory.
Above the shield is placed a green Ecclesiastical Hat (galero) with twelve tassels, six on each side in three rows, all in green. These twelve tassels are the traditional heraldic insignia of a Prelate of the rank of Bishop. This broad-brimmed hat, once worn in formal processions, is no longer used but remains a heraldic emblem for Clergy in the Catholic Church. The reason it is green is because green, not violet, was the original colour worn by Bishops.
