Pope Accepts Resignation of Archbishop John Vlazny; Names Bishop Alexander Sample to Succeed Him

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
January 29, 2013

http://www.usccb.org/news/2013/13-027e.cfm

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Bishop John G. Vlazny, 75, from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, and named Bishop Alexander K. Sample of Marquette, Michigan, 52, to succeed him.

The appointment was publicized in Washington, January 29, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Alexander Sample was born Nov. 7, 1960 in Kalispell, Montana. He completed studies in philosophy at the College of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1986, before entering the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, to study for the priesthood.. He holds bachelor of science and master of science degrees in metallurgical engineering from Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, and a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Marquette in 1990, and was named chancellor of the diocese in 1996. In 2005, he was named bishop of Marquette.

John G. Vlazny was born in Chicago in 1937, and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1961. He was named an auxiliary bishop of Chicago in 1983, and Bishop of Winona, Minnesota, in1987. He holds a licentiate in sacred theology from the Gregorian University, Rome; a master of arts degree in the classics from the University of Michigan and a master of education degree in educational administration from Loyola University, Chicago.

The Portland Archdiocese includes 415,725 Catholics, or 12 percent of the 3,327,110 people in the entire archdiocese.