Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attended the installation mass for Archbishop John C. Wester today in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The afternoon mass was held at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe.
Bells ringing. Guitars playing. Voices singing. Beautiful weather! @ASFOfficial @BishopWester #ABWester pic.twitter.com/jhbSy2fzGR
— Archdiocese Santa Fe (@ASFOfficial) June 4, 2015
Archbishop Wester was formerly the bishop of Salt Lake City, where he established close friendships with Mormon leaders and clergy of other faiths in Utah. Joining Elder Ballard at the mass was Bishop Scott B. Hayashi of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah.
(Above) Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles greets Archbishop John C. Wester in New Mexico.
Archbishop Wester becomes the 12th archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. He was appointed as bishop of Salt Lake City in January 2007.
Many leaders of the Church were honored for their humanitarian efforts by Catholic Community Services while Archbishop Wester served in Utah, including Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, who spent the evening with Bishop Wester at an awards dinner in November.
At an interfaith gathering at the Church’s institute of religion at Utah Valley University in September of 2012, Bishop Wester said Mormons and Catholics share the “mutual desire to stand shoulder-to-shoulder as we give witness to Jesus Christ as His disciples.”
To read more about today’s installation mass, visit the Archdiocese of Santa Fe’s website.