On the feast of the Assumption I heard the sad news that Abbot Patrick Moore, OSB of Assumption Abbey in ND was killed on August 9 in a head-on auto collision. He was 73. His was one of the first coats of arms I ever designed.

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/1056/sarms29a234x300.jpg

After retiring as Abbot of Assumption he served for several years as Abbot-Administrator of Mary, Mother of the Church Abbey in Richmond, VA the coat of arms for which I also designed.

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8973/sc00827920a.jpg

May he rest in peace.

Amen!

Nice designs.  I don’t know how long ago the good abbot served Assumption Abbey, but I remember in the early 1960’s that a winery in Southern California used the name Assumption Abbey, and the abbey’s CoA, on the labels of their premium wines, by arrangement with the abbey which used their share of the sales (essentially royalties) to support their religious operations. Fairly good wine—hey, Guasti (Cucamonga) ain’t Napa, but it’s not Fresno either; nice heraldry, and a good cause.

I don’t know if that arrangement is still in effect, or how long it lasted; but enjoyable at the time.