by Christopher Gray
Intermountain Catholic

Return to special coverage of Bishop Wester's Installation

SALT LAKE CITY — Bishop John Charles Wester will be installed as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City March 14 at a Mass at 1:30 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City. The clergy of the Diocese of Salt Lake City will be assembled there, representatives from local churches will be present, as will civic leaders and representatives from throughout the diocese.

It will be a grand occasion of special proportion. As the Mass begins, however, there will be many differences from any other Mass ever celebrated at the cathedral.

According to Gregory Glenn, the director of liturgy and music at the cathedral, “The celebration will begin outside the cathedral, at the front door. Bishop Wester will be greeted at the door by Diocesan Administrator J. Terrence Fitzgerald and the diocesan consultors. He will then be met by the metropolitan, Archbishop George Niederauer, who will present him with a crucifix and holy water.”

Outside, Bishop Wester will knock on the doors of the cathedral and kiss the crucifix. Taking the holy water, he will enter the cathedral and bless the people.

Returning to the entrance, the procession will begin, led by the processional cross, several altar servers, choristers, the deacons and priests of the diocese, several other visiting clergy including 43 bishops, among them apostolic nuncio Archbishop Pietro Sambi, and finally Bishop Wester and Archbishop Niederauer.

Mass will begin with Archbishop Niederauer at the bishop’s chair, called the cathedra. Archbishop Sambi will then read the letter from Pope Benedict XVI appointing Bishop Wester to the See of Salt Lake City.

“After the letter is read, Archbishop Niederauer will lead Bishop Wester to the cathedra where he will sit ceremoniously and with great nobility. At that moment he will be taking possession of the diocese,” said Glenn.

Bishop Wester will then be greeted by church and community leaders: two religious women, two wives of deacons, members from the Hispanic Commission, representatives from the Vietnamese community, the Hmong community, the Korean community, the Tongan community, the Samoan community, the African American community, the Pastoral Center staff, the Governor of the State of Utah Jon Huntsman, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, Midvale Mayor JoAnn Seghini, and a representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Mass will proceed without a penitential rite and continue directly into the “Gloria in excelsis Deo” (“Glory to God in the highest”).

Similar to the ordination of then-Bishop Niederauer, composer Leo Nestor was commissioned to write a choral anthem based on Bishop Wester’s motto, “Abide in Christ.” The choir of the Cathedral of the Madeleine will sing the piece, titled “Abide in me,” at the offertory procession.

Nestor is the Justine Bayard Ward Professor of Music, director of choral activities, director of graduate studies in sacred music, and serves on the conducting, composition and Graduate Center for Latin American Music faculties at The Catholic University of America Benjamin T. Rome School of Music in Washington, D.C. He is also artistic director and conductor of the American Repertory Singers (ARS), a founding member of the Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians (CRCCM), an artistic director and jurist of the Congresso Mondiale Maestri di Cappella, Rome.