Bishop Wester is recognized for building bridges

Intermountain Catholic

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Sutherland Institute President Paul T. Mero (left), presents The Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, with the Religion Award for his work in building bridges in Utah's faith communities. IC photos by Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — Sutherland Institute honored The Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, for building bridges with Utah’s faith communities at their Legacy Awards Dinner at Rice-Eccles Stadium & Towers May 13.

Lavell and Patti Edwards were the recipients of the Sutherland Legacy Award for a lifetime of service promoting faith, family and freedom. Sutherland also honored Alan and Suzanne Osmond with the Family Award for their work in promoting the natural family. The Osmond 2nd Generation also honored their parents with a song which thanked them for "Staying Together".

Dee Rowland, government liaison for the Diocese of Salt Lake City, gave the invocation. Senator Ross Romero led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Emcee Justin Reber, chairman of the Sutherland Institute Board of Trustees said, "Our core purpose is to ensure that Utah remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Sutherland is a public policy group committed to assuring that legislation that gets passed into law is conservative and remains principle-based."

Sutherland has seven governing principles which include a strong belief in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, private property, family as the fundamental unit of society, the power of charity to care for our neighbors in need, and the power of religion in our lives to create a sense of morality for us.

"The purpose of this award ceremony is to help remind Utahns that principles still have meaning in how we govern ourselves," said Reber. "Tonight’s honorees embody one or more of these principles."

"The gift Bishop Wester brings to us is his warm and outgoing presence, that speaks of respect for other people regardless of what their background or preferences may be," said Vicar General Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald in a video presentation of the honorees.

In the video, Father Martin Diaz, pastor of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, said 70 percent of the Catholics in the Diocese of Salt Lake City are primarily Spanish speaking, and the bishop reaches out to them. He cares for everyone, not only Hispanics, but all people in the diocese, and all people in the state."

"I think all Christian religions, probably all religions, are based on the biblical principle that we are all brothers and sisters," said Rowland. "It has been a joy to watch Bishop Wester as he came into our community and reached out to everybody."

"The bishop’s effort to know people in this community, and be present, has been a gift that has won the hearts of not only Catholic people, but of other faiths as well," said Msgr. Fitzgerald. "He has reached out to ministers of other faiths to make this a better community and make it a better world."

"Religion is the moral compass for human progress, and even more specifically, a free and prosperous Utah requires active religious influence among its people," said Paul T. Mero, president of Sutherland Institute. "Bishop Wester, who was installed just over two years ago, spent his time quickly and constructively building bridges throughout Utah’s faith communities in uplifting struggling families seeking a better life in Utah."

"I am grateful to the Sutherland Institute and for this award, I am grateful for our families, volunteer organizations, religions, and all those communities that give us life and make us who we are," said Bishop Wester. "I am grateful to all the religious leaders that I am so proud to serve within this wonderful state, and who are a reminder of the grace of God and make us who we are. I am grateful for the civic leaders who work so tirelessly for those values that are so important to us, my own colleagues, parents, who are the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith. What greater honor could there be than to pass on God’s love, mercy, and compassion, so that our children can do the same one day. I am grateful to the immigrants who make us all look good in many different ways – their courage, hope, and self sacrifice. And of course, I am grateful to God, the giver of every good gift."

The honorable Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert presented recipients Alan and Suzanne Osmond with their award, and said he extended a greetings to everyone and congratulations to all the recipients from Gov. Jon Huntsman who was out of the country.

Lt. Gov. Herbert said the Osmonds are grateful for what God has given them through the good times and through the tough times. They love each other, they have a love for country, and for our great state.

"The Freedom Festival in Provo, which Alan started, has become a premier patriotic 4th of July celebration," said Lt. Gov. Herbert. "The Osmonds are a happy family. They are an example of traditional family values."

Former Brigham Young University football player Chad Lewis presented Patti and Lavell Edwards with their award and said, "I cannot think of a more deserving couple. "Together they created a successful program at BYU, but it was much more, it was a training ground for fathers and mothers, husbands and wives. Theirs’ was a labor of love. They coached and tutored the most important lessons of life that will last for generations. They are a team and they always have been."