Bishop Wester looks forward to Utah post

SAN FRANCISCO — As a boy, John Wester's first introduction to the LDS Church came during adolescent philosophizing about the meaning of life as God intended it to be — his own views grounded in his Catholic faith and his friend's take based on Mormonism.

Working at a restaurant in Guerneville, Calif., north of his San Francisco home, the man who will be installed next week as the leader of the Catholic Church in Utah talked "all the time" with his friend, Jerry, about religion.

"We would talk for hours. He would tell me about the LDS faith and I'd tell him about the Catholic faith. As young people do, we would solve all the problems of the church and the world during those talks," based on each boy's evolving view of how he and his faith fit into the wider universe.

Now, the boy known as "Father John" to his LDS friend will not only be immersed in a culture largely influenced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he's already received a letter of welcome from the First Presidency.

"They're extremely busy, and for them to take the time to do it was very touching to me. I'm looking forward to meeting them at the installation."

It is with that welcome, and the fond memories of those boyhood discussions that Bishop John Wester will come to Utah this weekend. At age 56, he said this may be his last major assignment, overseeing the Catholic flock in the Beehive State.

And though his friend died at a young age, Bishop Wester told the Deseret Morning News this week that Jerry would be pleasantly surprised with his new address.

"I think to myself, 'Jerry, I wish you could see this now. I'm taking up residence at the home of the LDS Church.' I think he would be very proud and pleased, and would say to me 'OK, John, now you'll see!"'

As overseer of more than 200,000 Utah Catholics, Bishop Wester will lead the second-largest faith community in a state where religious affiliation has always been synonymous with identity. It's often the first question newcomers are asked — and many feel the way they "fit" in Utah depends upon the answer.

As an auxiliary bishop to Archbishop George Niederauer — who preceded him as the statewide shepherd of Utah Catholics before the Pope called him to San Francisco last year — Bishop Wester has had conversations with his friend about the unique nature of Utah culture.

"I've contemplated the 'minority' thing, and it's caused me to measure my remarks a bit. I'm not used to people asking me to comment on this or that."