Hardy the dog joins 1st Nicaraguan-born US bishop

Newly ordained Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau brings both his heritage and a canine companion, along with his extensive pastoral experience, to his appointment as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey.

Ordained a bishop September 8, Chau is the first Nicaraguan-born bishop in the United States.

You can learn quite a bit about Bishop Chau just from understanding his newly designed Coat of Arms. The white and blue colors symbolize his native Nicaragua, where he lived until immigrating to the United States as a teenager. The color black of the hills goes even further back to honor his Chinese ancestry, the color of the Zhou dynasty. The various symbols are a nod to his Marian devotion, his baptismal name, St. Peter the Rock, and even Pope Leo.

The gold hand raised in blessing is not only a sign of an episcopal blessing, but also a nod to the Deaf community, whom the bishop has served. He is fluent in American Sign Language.

Another delightful aspect about Bishop Chau -- but that you won’t find on his crest -- is his dog, Hardy.

Hardy is a Staffordshire Terrier-Pitbull mutt whose gentle nature makes him a lot of friends. Jersey Catholic relates that Chau’s ownership of Hardy seems almost providential. 

Hardy belonged to a homeless woman who came to the soup kitchen at the parish where now-Bishop Chau was pastor. The woman was unable to provide Hardy with the medical care he needed, but a nurse in the parish bought Hardy. She was able to get him the veterinary care he needed, but when the parishioner discovered Father Chau was interested in a puppy, Hardy got a new owner.

And even when Father Chau’s new pastoral assignment meant Hardy needed a different home, other owners never worked out. Now, Hardy has accompanied Bishop Chau in ministry through several assignments -- including becoming a popular visitor at Rutgers university where Bishop Chau served at the Newman Center.

Now Bishop Chau (and Hardy) are supporting Cardinal Tobin in the Archdiocese of Newark in a new capacity. One of four auxiliary bishops, Chau will serve as the regional bishop of Hudson County, overseeing 51 parishes and approximately 200,000 Catholics. 

Fluent in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language, Bishop Chau has served many different parishes and groups of people during his years as a priest. This service is firmly rooted in his faith.

The blue cross of faith on his crest, with a silver fleur-de-lis rising from a mound, represents this. The Archdiocese of Newark explains that “the Bishop sees this as symbolizing the fact that he is who he is because of Christ, because he died on the Cross to give us life and made us all into a new creation.” 

Using his native Spanish, Bishop Chau’s episcopal motto is “Dios Es Mi Fuerza,” God is my strength.