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SALT LAKE CITY — As bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, the Most Rev. John C. Wester has been a compassionate advocate in the often rancorous debate over comprehensive immigration reform.
Bishop Wester, leader of Utah's Catholics since 2007, was one of the original signatories to the Utah Compact, which outlined principles to guide the immigration debate, urging federal solutions and policies that did not separate families.
He has attended White House meetings and has urged the Utah Legislature to encourage the state's congressional delegation to lead out on federal solutions to the nation's broken immigration system.
But Tuesday, the day after the Vatican announced he will become the archbishop of Santa Fe, an introspective Bishop Wester addressed the League of Women Voters of Salt Lake's 23rd annual State of the Community luncheon.
Bishop Wester shared his personal reflections in his years of advocating for comprehensive immigration reform.
"Reform has to begin with me," he said.
All involved in the debate over immigration reform agree something needs to be done politically and that work will ultimately performed by human beings, Bishop Wester said.
"We don't elect robots. We elect human beings," he said.
"As human beings, I think we all of us really need to reflect on what we advocate for when we go to see our representatives, why we say what we say, what is it that we're saying, and how open are we and those kinds of questions."
As someone who has long sought comprehensive reform of the nation's immigration system, he said, he has recently has done a lot of soul-searching about his own approach to the conversation.
Am I willing to listen intently to people, with the idea not to prove that I am right, but with the idea to find a solution?
–Rev. John C. Wester
"Am I willing to listen intently to people, with the idea not to prove that I am right, but with the idea to find a solution?"
Mary Ndeze, an eighth-grader at Kearns-St. Ann Catholic School, asked Bishop Wester how youth can help further immigration reform efforts.
"One of the great, important issues of this is to tell the story of the immigrant," he said. "Put a human face on immigration. I think when people see the human element of this, it changes everything."
Earlier in the day, Bishop Wester spoke at a press conference to discuss his upcoming move to New Mexico, where he will serve as archbishop to 300,000 Catholics. His installation will take place June 4 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe. The archdiocese's administrative offices are in Albuquerque.
"I am humbled by the Holy Father's appointment," Wester said. "It will be difficult to leave this beautiful place. I have grown to love Utah and its people."
Bishop Wester is among the first bishops that Pope Francis has appointed in the United States.
Pope Francis has reminded Catholics of issues that have long been part of their faith's tradition, he said.
"He is reaching out to the poor and communicating God's love for all people. That message of the gospel needs to be repeated again and again."
During his initial visit to New Mexico as archbishop-elect, Bishop Wester expressed his commitment to serve the poor, reform a broken immigration system and to work with others “to strengthen the common good,” the Albuquerque Journal reported.
In New Mexico, Bishop Wester will lead the state's largest faith community, which presents different challenges and opportunities than his experiences in Utah, headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"It's not about being the biggest kid on the block, it's about being the biggest servant on the block and to really serve people and recognize the preciousness of the faith," he said.
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