Archbishop Wester to head Santa Fe See

Friday, May. 01, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — The news came from the Vatican to Utah in the early morning hours of April 27: Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City had been appointed as the metropolitan archbishop of Santa Fe.

The appointment was unexpected, said Archbishop Wester, who had learned of his new assignment about 10 days before the official announcement was made. “When Archbishop Viganò, the Holy Father’s personal representative here in the United States, called, I really was quite surprised,” he said.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò is the apostolic nuncio of the United States. 

Archbishop Wester, a native of San Francisco who in 2007 was installed as head of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, said his initial reaction to the news was sadness, because Utah has become his home. 

He will remain the administrator of the Diocese of Salt Lake City until his installation in Santa Fe. After that, the seven Utah priests who serve as Diocesan Consultors will meet to elect a priest to administer the Diocese of Salt Lake City until the appointment of a new bishop, which is not expected for some months.

Archbishop Wester made his comments at two press conferences, the first April 27 in Santa Fe and the other April 28 in Salt Lake City.

“I certainly am humbled by our Holy Father’s appointment,” the archbishop said, “but I do want to say that it will be very difficult for me to leave this beautiful place and this wonderful state. I have grown to love Utah and its people, and I’ve made wonderful friends.”

However, “When we’re ordained, we’re ordained to give of ourselves to God’s holy people,” he added. 

After his initial shock, he began looking forward to his new assignment, he said while in New Mexico. “I will obviously miss Salt Lake … but I’m looking forward to getting to know you, and I know that God will help me to set roots here.”

Like Archbishop Wester, his close friend and golfing buddy Dr. Dominic Albo was shocked at the news. “I had sort of relaxed my guard; I had predicted earlier to him that he wasn’t going to be here forever,” Albo said in an interview. “Then I was sad and then I was excited for him.”

Albo met the archbishop when he first arrived in Salt Lake City, and “he became a very, very dear friend to me … At age 80, you don’t go around getting best friends, but it happened to me,” Albo said. “We were always joking with each other, teasing each other, and it was just a wonderful, wonderful relationship.”

In Sante Fe, Archbishop Wester will oversee a population of 328,850 Catholics (about 25 percent of the state), with 207 priests, 215 permanent deacons and 269 religious, according to the Vatican press release. He succeeds Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan, whose resignation came upon reaching the age limit.

Archbishop Sheehan said at the April 27 press conference that he is delighted with Pope Francis’ choice for the 12th Archbishop of Santa Fe. 

Archbishop Wester “was my choice; I did everything I could to encourage God to give us him,” Archbishop Sheehan said. “I even did some special things to get our Lord to get along with it and I talked to a couple of cardinals, too. … This appointment was a Pope Francis kind of appointment, representing the values that the pope himself has, so I’m delighted. God worked wonders in this.”

After giving a brief biography of Archbishop Wester, who is chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Communications, among other positions, and also a member of the Vatican Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Archbishop Sheehan said that his successor “will be such a perfect fit for our Church here. The experience that he’s had, the involvement that he has on the national level as well, will help our local Archdiocese of Santa Fe to have a real presence in the working of the Catholic Church in the United States.”

Archbishop Sheehan has served in his position for 22 years, and “I thank God for every one those days,” he said. “Although we’ve had some days better than others, I am very grateful that the pope sent me here to be your archbishop.”

In retirement, “I won’t have to go to so many meetings,” said Archbishop Sheehan, adding that he intends to stay in Santa Fe and will help as needed in the archdiocese. 

At the first press conference, Archbishop Wester spoke in English interspersed with Spanish, and began by expressing “the deep-felt gratitude I have in my heart today,” he said. “I am grateful to God for his loving providence in our Church and in my life; and to my mother, late father and family who have nourished me in the Catholic faith. I am also grateful to our Holy Father, Francis, for his care and concern for this local Church of Santa Fe and for his trust in me, unworthy as I am.”

He noted “a certain Franciscan connection” to his appointments as bishop and archbishop. 

“In 1776, the great Franciscan missionaries Fathers Escalante and Dominguez travelled from Santa Fe to Utah, seeking a route to California. I have travelled from California to Utah and am en route to Santa Fe,” he said, to laughter from his audience. “There are other connections with St. Francis of Assisi as well, too many to mention, but including that I was born and raised in the city of St. Francis; my Confirmation name is Francis; I have been sent to you by Pope Francis and the cathedral basilica, the mother church of this Archdiocese, is named for St. Francis.”

At both press conferences, Archbishop Wester faced questions about immigration and the direction Pope Francis is taking the Catholic Church.

Immigration is “a political hot potato,” acknowledged the archbishop, who is a past chairman and current member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, “but from our perspective it’s far, far more than a political issue, it’s a human issue, it’s a moral issue, and we have an obligation to address it and to address it quickly.”

He praised Pope Francis as “a great example and a great inspiration, adding that “God is working beautifully in our Holy Father. … I am encouraged by the direction he is taking us.” 

Archbishop Wester has a collaborative and listening leadership style, and also was a wonderful representative of the Church, said Monsignor Colin F. Bircumshaw, vicar general of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. “There was never a time I can remember that he gave a poor homily or talk. … Even his ‘off the cuff’ or spontaneous talks were thoughtful and well crafted. He had a certain wordsmith quality in how he reverenced the ‘word’ and ‘The Word.’ He was a great spokesperson for our small Catholic community here in Utah.”

Likewise, Bradford R. Drake, executive director of Catholic Community Services of Utah, said he appreciated Archbishop Wester’s leadership and spiritual guidance. 

“CCS has been the beneficiary of his wisdom and insight and he will be missed more than words can express,” Drake said in a statement. “The Archdiocese of Santa Fe is extremely fortunate to be getting such a wonderful man and honorable leader. CCS will be forever grateful for the time and energy Bishop Wester has given to so many throughout the great state of Utah and look forward to witnessing his future accomplishments and success."

Archbishop Wester’s installation as head of the Santa Fe See will take place in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe on Thursday, June 4, at 2 p.m.