PORTLAND (OR)
Catholic Vote [Madison, WI]
May 29, 2025
By Rachel Quackenbush
Archbishop Emeritus John Vlazny, who led the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, through some of its most turbulent years, died at his home in Beaverton May 23. He was 88.
Public visitation for Archbishop Vlazny will take place June 5 at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, with a vigil service that evening, Hillsboro News Times reported. A funeral Mass will be held June 6 and livestreamed on the archdiocese’s website.
Born in Chicago and ordained a priest in 1961, Archbishop Vlazny spent over five decades in active ministry, serving in key leadership roles across the country. His assignments took him from auxiliary bishop in his native Archdiocese of Chicago, to the Diocese of Winona in Minnesota, and ultimately to Oregon, where he became Portland’s archbishop in 1997.Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
His 16-year tenure in Portland was defined by conducting pastoral outreach and responding to a deepening abuse crisis in the Church. In 2000, the archdiocese settled a landmark case involving 22 former altar servers who alleged abuse by a local priest. More cases followed, and in 2004, under Archbishop Vlazny’s leadership, the archdiocese became the first in the US to file for bankruptcy in response to the mounting financial pressures from abuse-related claims.
The archbishop addressed the faithful directly at the time, stating that the move was “the best choice” to ensure the continuation of parish and school operations amid legal and financial strain.
Archbishop Vlazny’s successor, Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, described the late archbishop as “a great spiritual father” who shepherded the Church “through some of its most challenging days.”
“He was a man who always fully exhibited the joy of the Gospel. He was truly one of the kindest and most thoughtful men that I have ever known,” Archbishop Sample said, according to Hillsboro News Times. “His love for the priesthood and his own episcopal ministry was evident at all times. He has left a lasting and remarkable legacy in this local Church in Western Oregon.”
Those who worked alongside him also remembered Archbishop Vlazny’s compassion and commitment to social outreach. Kaleen Deatherage of Catholic Charities recalled his support for the agency’s work with vulnerable populations.
“He often said, ‘We don’t help people because they are Catholic, we help people because we are Catholic,’” she told Hillsboro News Times, adding that a roadway behind their office was named “Vlazny Way” in his honor.