Danny and Guy is right about the way artists are drafted to do bishops’ arms. I only did the arms of the former bishop of Steubenville, R. Daniel Conlon, because he was a priest of Cincinnati and a friend from the seminary. That was also the only reason I did his new achievement as Bishop of Joliet.

The new Bishop of Steubenville is continuing something of a diocesan tradition in Steubenville—dreadful arms.

http://home.catholicweb.com/diosteub/images//armsmussio.jpg

John Mussio I Bishop

-The arms of the see are a bit crowded which, in this first instance, probably should have been avoided. In light of that the personal arms should have been simplified too. These are typical of that era, however.

http://home.catholicweb.com/diosteub/images//armsotten.jpg

Albert Ottenweller II Bishop

-YUCK! (and since when is it OK to have a charge straddle the impalement???)

http://home.catholicweb.com/diosteub/images//armssheldon.jpg

Gilbert Sheldon III Bishop

-I have always rather liked this coat of arms. I think it is the best of all Steubenville’s bishops.

http://home.catholicweb.com/diosteub/images//ACF3ACC.JPG

Daniel Conlon IV Bishop

-I think these arms are good, simple and clear but, as I have opined before, the letter "M" off to one side and distorted taken from the arms of John Paul II looks, to me, ridiculous because it is not offset to one side by anything as it is by the cross in JPII’s arms. In fairness to Fr. Dohrman, the bishop was insistent that the "M" appear as in JPII’s arms so, sometimes, the bishop’s authority wins over good heraldry.

http://home.catholicweb.com/diosteub/images/Monforton-Coat-of-arms.jpg

Jeffrey Monforton V Bishop

- we’ve already discussed the many problems with this one.