Archbishop John C. Wester’s talk Oct. 12 will focus on the danger of nuclear weapons
Archbishop John C. Wester has led the Santa Fe archdiocese for the past decade after serving in the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Diocese of Salt Lake City. (Courtesy photo)
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Archbishop John C. Wester of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico, will discuss the threat of nuclear weapons next month as the latest speaker in the Marianist Lecture series.
Sponsored by the Marianist Center of Hawaii, Chaminade University of Honolulu and Saint Louis School, the Marianist Lecture aims to encourage dialogue on Catholic thought and Catholic responsibility, according to its mission statement.
The title of Archbishop Wester’s address is “Nuclear Weapons: It’s 89 Seconds to Midnight — Does Anybody Care?” The event will take place Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. at Mystical Rose Oratory on Chaminade’s campus.
Archbishop Wester has led the Santa Fe archdiocese since 2015, after serving as auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of San Francisco from 1998-2007 and bishop of Salt Lake City from 2007-2015. He serves on several boards, including the Founders’ Board for Catholic Relief Services; is the episcopal moderator of the National Association for Lay Ministry; and is the episcopal consultant for the Association of Catholic Priests.
Archbishop Wester reinforces the Catholic Church’s opposition to nuclear weapons and has long called for universal disarmament.
In a 2022 pastoral letter, he wrote: “We can no longer deny or ignore the dangerous predicament we have created for ourselves with a new nuclear arms race, one that is arguably more dangerous than the past Cold War.
“If we care about our planet, if we care about the God of peace and human conscience, then we must start a public conversation on these urgent questions and find a new path toward nuclear disarmament,” he continued.
Archbishop Wester also noted in his letter that “the Vatican was the first nation state to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.”
“It is the duty of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, the birthplace of nuclear weapons, to support that Treaty while working toward universal, verifiable nuclear disarmament,” he wrote.
The Marianist Lecture is free and open to the public, though registration is encouraged. For more information and to register, visit www.chaminade.edu/marianist-lecture.