Ad Multos Annos

The one downside to this weekend's weather was that it hampered the festivities celebrating Archbishop John G. Vlazny's twenty-fifth anniversary of episcopal ordination. An afternoon Mass was celebrated at the University of Portland's Chiles Center, but many were scared off by the weather, so the crowd was unfortunately small.

I was grateful to concelebrate the Mass along with a number of Holy Cross and diocesan clergy. There were nearly 25 bishops from around the country, including Cardinal George of Chicago and Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta.

(Assisting Archbishop Vlazny as Deacon at Holy Redeemer's Centennial Mass)

Archbishop Vlazny is a wonderful shepherd. I have been around quite a few bishops over the past fifteen years or so and I have met none better than John Vlazny. He is a deeply prayerful man and it shows in his passionate and insightful preaching. He is delightfully charming and witty and has a truly infectious laugh. He loves his priests and people, loves the Church, and walks easily among people of varied cultures and opinions.

What stands out most in my mind, however, is that he had the strength and grace to turn this Archdiocese's darkest hour into his finest hour of service. When the Archdiocese of Portland-in-Oregon became the first US diocese to declare bankruptcy because of the sexual abuse crisis, Archbishop Vlazny's faith, hope and love showed the rest of us the way ahead. 

He modeled the transparency and compassion toward victims that was so lacking elsewhere. And most of all, he kept everyone else's spirits up by always being hopeful in public - the Church's essential mission would continue because it was the Lord's.

One has to imagine the he often went to our Lord in prayer worried and uncertain himself - and yet he was always what we men of Holy Cross strive to be: a man "with hope to bring."

(Fr. Greg Haake, CSC hosting Archbishop Vlazny at a Moreau Seminary Tailgate)

Later Sunday evening I was privileged to attend a celebratory dinner at the Multnomah Athletic Club. There were many toasts and speeches celebrating this great man, but the best of them was given by Archbishop Emeritus James Patrick Keleher of Kansas City in Kansas. During the dinner I enjoyed the company of Fr. Liam Cary, a priest of the Archdiocese and the brother of a dear parishioner.

May God continue to bless Archbishop Vlazny in his apostolic ministry. Ad multos annos!!