June 6, 2025
Remembered by Catholic, Holy Cross priests as “a great friend to the University of Portland,” the UP family today celebrates the life of Archbishop Emeritus John G. Vlazny, 88, who passed away on May 23 at his Beaverton residence.
Most Rev. Vlazny served as the tenth Archbishop of Portland from his late 1997 appointment by Pope John Paul II through his retirement in April 2013.
His successor in the Portland Archdiocese, Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, memorialized Archbishop Vlazny as “a beloved spiritual father and joyful witness to the Gospel” who led the local church “through some of its most challenging times with kindness, wisdom, and steadfast faith.”
After bestowing an honorary degree of laws on Archbishop Vlazny in 1999, the University awarded the archbishop its highest honor — the Christus Magister Medal — in 2009. He was the 15th recipient of the medal awarded to people of international distinction, recognized for his renown “among Oregonians of all faiths for his humor, honesty, and blunt candor.”
Archbishop Vlazny’s amiable nature left an indelible mark on the UP community, including Rev. John Donato, C.S.C., Special Assistant to the President for Mission.
“Many will note his joy and laughter that could fill up a room, but for me, his smile said it all,” Father Donato said of the archbishop. “The light that came from him lived deep in his soul so that in moments of celebration or of sadness, he communicated the joy of the Gospel to all, without ever saying a word.”
Rev. Edwin Obermiller, C.S.C., Special Assistant to the Vice President for University Relations, praised Archbishop Vlazny as an exemplary bishop who lived Pope Francis’s vision of a “shepherd who is close to his flock and attuned to their lives.”
“He was a true shepherd and a man of deep faith, proclaiming the Gospel as he led, guided, and inspired the Catholic community of Western Oregon and all who live in the Pacific Northwest,” Father Obermiller reflected.
Born in Chicago and ordained in 1961 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Archbishop Vlazny served in many church leadership roles, including four years as auxiliary bishop of Chicago, 10 years as bishop of Winona, Minn., and more than 15 years leading the Portland archdiocese.
In 2012, preparing his transition to an emeritus role, Archbishop Vlazny offered the University magazine, Portland, a humble view of his legacy.
“I suppose I would like to be remembered as a man who did his job with all his heart. I never wanted to be an authority. I only wanted to be a good priest, and a good man, and a teacher of the greatest lesson I know.”
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