Bishop Wester offers advice to high school seniors

Friday, May. 09, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — In a wide-ranging conversation via teleconference with students at the three Utah Catholic high schools, the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, had three pieces of advice and a reminder for those who will be graduating: “Keep your perspective, maintain your sense of humor, and don’t forget to pray. God always is there for us; Jesus never abandons us.” 

The April 30 teleconference gave students at Juan Diego, Judge Memorial and Saint Joseph Catholic high schools the opportunity to ask Bishop Wester about issues such as how they could keep their faith while attending college. The students also posed some personal questions to the bishop, such as how his family impacted his faith while he was growing up, and what was the craziest thing he had ever done.

This was the second teleconference that Bishop Wester has had this year with students at the high schools; these sessions are a chance for him to chat with the students and they also strengthen the bonds among the three high schools, he said.

In response to a student’s concern about attending Mass but not being able to put money in the collection basket, Bishop Wester said that shouldn’t be an issue. “Remember that you’re there to give glory and praise to God,” he said, adding that rather than donating money, perhaps the students could volunteer in ways that would put their faith in action.

If their faith is shaken, “don’t give up,” the bishop advised, recommending continued prayer and study. “Doubts with the faith and struggles are good things because that’s going to make your faith stronger,” he said. “Even if there are elements of the Church you can’t agree with, don’t ever give up your relationship with Jesus Christ. That is a living, real relationship.”

Pope Francis’ views on gay rights and gay marriage don’t reflect a change in Church doctrine on marriage, Bishop Wester said in response to another question, but “I think what Pope Francis is trying to teach us is ... God loves us all.”

If he were elected pope (“I don’t have to worry about that,” he said when the question was asked) he would choose the name Francis because of his devotion to St. Francis of Assisi; he recommended that the students read Saint Francis by Nikos Kazantzakis.

He also asked the students to pray for comprehensive immigration reform legislation, because “regardless of your position [on immigration reform], I think all of us can agree that the system is broken, people are suffering and we need to pray for them; that we can find a solution that will help our immigrants and that will help our country.”

In response to the personal questions, the bishop said his family had a “huge impact” on his faith while he was growing up, because they attended Mass and prayed the rosary regularly. “I credit my folks for my vocation,” he said.

“I’ve never done anything really crazy, like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane,” he told the students; he thought that driving a cab would be a good experience during the summer of 1972, while he was in seminary in San Francisco.

“It showed me a different side of life … that you don’t see in a seminary,” he said. “It helped me to realize where people are really at, that none of us are perfect.” 

Another question asked what place he has traveled to is his favorite. Personally, he loves Rome and New York City, he said, but “some of my refugee trips have … helped me to grow more and helped me to see people’s reality more.”

In parting, Bishop Wester thanked the students for participating in the teleconference. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of all of you,” he said. “You bring great hope to our Church and to our society, and you’re really outstanding in all that you do.”