John Charles Wester
John Charles Wester is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Santa Fe since 2015. He previously served as Roman Catholic [Diocese of Salt Lake City|Bishop of Salt Lake City] from 2007 to 2015 and as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of San Francisco from 1998 to 2007.
Early life and education
John Wester was born in San Francisco, California, on November 5, 1950, the fourth generation of his family born there. Wester attended Our Lady of Mercy Parish School in Daly City, California. Wester graduated from St. Joseph's College Seminary in Mountain View, California, in 1972 before attending St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, California, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1976. Wester received a Master of Applied Science degree from the University of San Francisco in 1984, and then a Master of Spiritual Theology degree from Holy Names College in Oakland, California in 1993.Early career
Wester was ordained a priest by Archbishop Joseph McGucken for the Archdiocese of San Francisco in the Cathedral of [Saint Mary of the Assumption |Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption] on May 15, 1976.After his 1976 ordination, the archdiocese assigned Wester as associate pastor at Saint Raphael Parish in San Rafael, California. In 1979, he was appointed as a teacher and director of campus ministry at Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield, California. Wester later became president of the high school and eventually assistant superintendent for high schools for the archdiocese.
In 1988, Archbishop John R. Quinn named Wester as his assistant. Wester's first appointment as pastor was at Saint Stephen Parish in San Francisco in 1993. Wester returned to the Pastoral Center in 1997 to become the vicar for clergy, where he was named a monsignor by the Vatican.
Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco
On June 30, 1998, Pope John Paul II appointed Wester as titular bishop of Lamiggiga and as an auxiliary bishop of San Francisco. He received his episcopal consecration at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption from Cardinal William Levada on September 18, 1998. Wester then served as moderator of the curia until 2003. While he was episcopal vicar for clergy, Wester also served as vicar general of the archdiocese. He also served as apostolic administrator from August 2005 to February 2006. Wester was heavily involved in sexual abuse cases in the archdiocese, meeting with victims and accused clergy.Bishop of Salt Lake City
Wester was installed as bishop of Salt Lake City on March 14, 2007.Archbishop of Santa Fe
Wester was elevated to ne archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in 2015.Wester has been involved with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops as a member of the Bishops Committee on Vocations, chairman of Northern California Ch'an/Zen-Catholic Dialogue, consultant for the Subcommittee on Interreligious Dialogue, member of the Migration Committee, the Pastoral Practices Committee, World Mission Committee, the Subcommittee on Lay Ministry, and as the USCCB bishop-liaison to Asia.
Wester has also been a strong advocate for the poor and marginalized in American society.