Chicago Native and Retired Archbishop John G. Vlazny of Portland, Oregon, Dies
Chicago (June 5, 2025) – Most Rev. John G. Vlazny, archbishop emeritus of Portland and former auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, passed away Saturday, May 24, 2025, at the age of 88.
Archbishop Vlazny was born in Chicago Feb. 22, 1937. He attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago, the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. He also earned post graduate degrees at the University of Michigan and Loyola University in Chicago.
Archbishop Vlazny was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago on Dec. 20, 1961, by Most Rev. Martin J. O’Connor, rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University, in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy. He celebrated his first solemn Mass on July 22, 1962 at St. Gall Parish in Chicago.
After ordination to the priesthood, Archbishop Vlazny served as assistant pastor of St. Paul of the Cross Parish in Park Ridge, and at the following Chicago parishes: St. Aloysius Parish on West Le Moyne Street, St. Sylvester Parish on Humboldt Boulevard and Precious Blood Parish on Congress Parkway. He was pastor of St. Aloysius Parish from 1979 to 1981 and rector of Niles College of Loyola University for two years. In 1983, Archbishop Vlazny was appointed auxiliary bishop of Chicago, where he served until 1987. He was elected bishop of the Diocese of Winona, Minnesota, in 1987 and was appointed to the Archdiocese of Portland in 1997. Archbishop Vlazny retired in 2013.
Rev. Daniel J. Brady, retired archdiocesan priest, remembered Archbishop Vlazny from their seminary days and said that he was “a wonderful priest, good archbishop and a blessing to us all.”
Rev. Robert H. Oldershaw, retired archdiocesan priest and Archbishop Vlazny’s classmate at Mundelein Seminary, said Archbishop Vlazny was chosen to study in Rome. “He was an excellent student, very pleasant person, friendly to all, cheerful and with a wonderful sense of humor,” Oldershaw said. “John was always close to his classmates and would gather with us when he was in town. He had a true love for the Church.”
Visitation hours will take place June 5 from 1 to 6:15 p.m. (PDT) at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, followed by a 6:30 p.m. (PDT) vigil service.
The funeral Mass will be on June 6 at 11 a.m. (PDT) at the cathedral and the livestreaming of the Mass will be available at https://www.maryscathedral.com/Livestreams.