Expressing "a common desire to serve" and to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, President Thomas S. Monson, second counselor in the First Presidency, joined with other religious leaders and state officials Jan. 24 in welcoming a new Catholic bishop to Utah.

During an evening service in the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, President Monson spoke, along with Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt and the Rev. Roger Anderson, pastor of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church and president of the Salt Lake Ministerial Association, in welcoming the Most Rev. George H. Niederauer, eighth bishop of the Catholic Church's Diocese of Salt Lake City. About 75,000 members of the Catholic Church live in the diocese, which covers all of Utah.Also representing the LDS Church at the ceremony were Elder James E. Faust of the Council of the Twelve and Elder John E. Fowler of the Seventy and president of the Utah North Area. Frances Monson, Ruth Faust and Marie Fowler accompanied their husbands.

Impressive religious pageantry, hymns and reading of scriptures were part of the ceremonial welcoming of the diocese's new leader, who was ordained the next day, Jan. 25. He succeeds William K. Weigand, bishop of the Salt Lake diocese from 1980-1993, who was named bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento in 1993. At the time he was appointed by Pope John Paul II to lead the Salt Lake diocese, Bishop Niederauer was co-director of the Cardinal Manning House of Prayer for Priests in Los Angeles.

The ceremony was presided over by the Most Rev. John R. Quinn, Archbishop of San Francisco. Also present was His Eminence Roger Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles. The Rev. Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald, administrator of the Salt Lake diocese, conducted. As he introduced President Monson, Monsignor Fitzgerald referred to news reports that President Howard W. Hunter was ill. "President Hunter is in our prayers," Monsignor Fitzgerald said.

In his remarks, President Monson spoke of the bridge of cooperative interfaith efforts begun in Utah at the time of Bishop Joseph L. Federal, bishop of the Salt Lake diocese 1960-1980, and dramatically expanded during the ministry of Bishop Weigand.

Turning to face the new leader of the diocese, President Monson said, "Welcome, Bishop Niederauer, in behalf of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know you will find the people of Salt Lake City will embrace you and take you into their hearts because you can't hide the real sincerity and love that are reflected in your ready smile and pleasant personality."

President Monson said the combined efforts of churches can make a difference in the lives of all in need and "make our city and state a better place for all to live. Our combined efforts, if accomplished in the spirit of love, will `gladden the lonely, the dreary - will comfort the weeping, the weary.' In this world which is so divisive and dissonant at times, it behooves us to work cooperatively as we follow the divine example of the Master: `Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' (Matt. 25:40.)

"Whatever our religion, whatever our station in life, if we remember the words that we see before us

on one of the cathedral's muralsT that remind us that Christ died for all, we will be following Him as we reach out to help those in need. Unless in some there is Christ-like concern for all, there is little hope for any."

President Monson spoke of the youth of all faiths who await their leaders' efforts and guidance. "We are indeed builders of our time and in our place," he said. He quoted what he termed the inspiring words of John Ruskin, the English essayist: "Wherefore, when we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone; let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them; and men will say, as they look upon the labor and wrought substances of them: `See, this our fathers did for us.' "

Turning to Bishop Niederauer, President Monson said, "I know you will find success in this community as you have elsewhere."

Bishop Weigand, who returned for the new bishop's ordination and installation, addressed the ceremony. He told the new diocesan leader: "The more you know the people

in UtahT, the more you will bond with them. . . . The relationship between Catholics and Latter-day Saints and all other religions . . . is cordial and warm. Sound bridges have been built on all sides."

In his introductory remarks, Bishop Niederauer expressed "thanks to my new neighbors in the state of Utah. . . . and to President Monson for being here tonight and for the tour of the Bountiful temple last month."

He said he has heard the phrase, "Welcome to Utah," many times. He said, "Now, as a born-again Utahn, I'm delighted to say to the many visitors

who traveled from out of state for his ordination and installationT, `Welcome to Utah!' " He expressed the hope that religious, government and civic leaders would continue to "turn from the things that might divide us to those things that unite us."