Portland in Oregon (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Alexander King Sample, Archbishop
Peter Leslie Smith, Auxiliary Bishop
John George Vlazny, Archbishop Emeritus
Kenneth Donald Steiner, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Name Changed: 26 September 1928
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Oregon
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 76,937 (29,716 Square Miles)
Conference Region: XII (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: P
Official Web Site: http://www.archdpdx.org/
Mailing Address: 2838 E. Burnside St., Portland, OR 97214, USA
Telephone: (503)233-8322
Fax: 234-2545

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Oregon Territory
- Erected: 1 December 1843
- Vicariate
- State: Oregon
- Country: United States of America
- Description: North of California to South of Alaska, Pacific Ocean to Rocky Mountains
Archdiocese of Oregon City
- Latin Name: Oregonopolitana
- Elevated: 24 July 1846
- State: Oregon
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 21,398
- Description: The Counties West of Wasco, Crook, and Klamath.

Past and Present Ordinaries

François-Norbert Blanchet † (1 Dec 1843 Appointed - 12 Dec 1880 Retired)
Charles-Jean Seghers † (12 Dec 1880 Succeeded - 6 Mar 1884 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Vancouver Island)
William Hickley Gross, C.SS.R. † (31 Mar 1885 Appointed - 14 Nov 1898 Died)
Alexander Christie † (4 Mar 1899 Appointed - 6 Apr 1925 Died)
Edward Daniel Howard † (30 Apr 1926 Appointed - 9 Dec 1966 Retired)
Robert Joseph Dwyer † (9 Dec 1966 Appointed - 15 Jan 1974 Resigned)
Cornelius Michael Power † (15 Jan 1974 Appointed - 1 Jul 1986 Retired)
William Joseph Levada † (1 Jul 1986 Appointed - 17 Aug 1995 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of San Francisco, California)
Francis Eugene George, O.M.I. † (30 Apr 1996 Appointed - 7 Apr 1997 Appointed, Archbishop of Chicago, Illinois)
John George Vlazny (28 Oct 1997 Appointed - 29 Jan 2013 Retired)
Alexander King Sample (29 Jan 2013 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Oregon Territory
1 December 1843	Erected	Archdiocese of Baltimore Archdiocese of Québec	Vicariate Apostolic of Oregon Territory (erected) (From California to Alaska, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean)
24 July 1846	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Oregon Territory	Diocese of Vancouver Island (erected) Diocese of Walla Walla (erected)
Archdiocese of Oregon City
24 July 1846	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Oregon Territory	Archdiocese of Oregon City (Name changed and Vicariate raised to an Archdiocese)
31 May 1850	Territory Added	Diocese of Walla Walla (suppressed)	Archdiocese of Oregon City
31 May 1850	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Oregon City	Diocese of Nesqually (erected)
29 July 1853	Territory Added	Diocese of Walla Walla (suppressed)	Diocese of Nesqually Archdiocese of Oregon City
3 March 1868	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Oregon City	Vicariate Apostolic of Idaho and Montana (erected) (Territory of Montana West of the Rocky Mountains)
19 June 1903	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Oregon City	Diocese of Baker City (erected)
Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
26 September 1928	Name Changed	Archdiocese of Oregon City	Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

1950 92,378 900,852 10.3% 125 156 281 328 160 776 140 ap1951

1966 197,856 1,685,800 11.7% 185 290 475 416 300 1,240 112 ap1967

1970 2,081,640 .0% 199 90 289 0 165 1,000 120 ap1971

1976 275,257 2,140,512 12.9% 204 237 441 624 1 324 661 125 ap1977

1980 294,952 2,195,800 13.4% 182 245 427 690 1 384 869 126 ap1981

1990 251,270 2,408,900 10.4% 155 229 384 654 6 327 687 125 ap1991

1999 289,951 2,799,200 10.4% 147 179 326 889 29 76 539 125 ap2000

2000 294,221 2,841,900 10.4% 165 182 347 847 30 293 542 124 ap2001

2001 297,841 2,869,750 10.4% 164 178 342 870 30 277 531 123 ap2002

2002 351,164 2,969,847 11.8% 165 181 346 1,014 30 282 529 125 ap2003

2003 356,037 3,010,800 11.8% 162 178 340 1,047 39 282 506 124 ap2004

2004 389,345 3,038,600 12.8% 166 170 336 1,158 39 293 487 124 ap2005

2010 415,000 3,269,195 12.7% 158 149 307 1,351 67 254 400 124 ap2011

2012 415,725 3,327,110 12.5% 159 144 303 1,372 79 245 388 124 ap2013

2013 417,614 3,345,270 12.5% 164 188 352 1,186 73 272 397 124 ap2014

2016 431,267 3,448,824 12.5% 174 181 355 1,214 77 274 364 124 ap2017

2019 467,610 3,597,001 13.0% 166 145 311 1,503 83 207 329 124 ap2020

2021 430,687 3,654,887 11.8% 155 130 285 1,511 72 198 343 124 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
1950	92,378	900,852	10.3%	125	156	281	328		160	776	140	ap1951
1966	197,856	1,685,800	11.7%	185	290	475	416		300	1,240	112	ap1967
1970		2,081,640	.0%	199	90	289	0		165	1,000	120	ap1971
1976	275,257	2,140,512	12.9%	204	237	441	624	1	324	661	125	ap1977
1980	294,952	2,195,800	13.4%	182	245	427	690	1	384	869	126	ap1981
1990	251,270	2,408,900	10.4%	155	229	384	654	6	327	687	125	ap1991
1999	289,951	2,799,200	10.4%	147	179	326	889	29	76	539	125	ap2000
2000	294,221	2,841,900	10.4%	165	182	347	847	30	293	542	124	ap2001
2001	297,841	2,869,750	10.4%	164	178	342	870	30	277	531	123	ap2002
2002	351,164	2,969,847	11.8%	165	181	346	1,014	30	282	529	125	ap2003
2003	356,037	3,010,800	11.8%	162	178	340	1,047	39	282	506	124	ap2004
2004	389,345	3,038,600	12.8%	166	170	336	1,158	39	293	487	124	ap2005
2010	415,000	3,269,195	12.7%	158	149	307	1,351	67	254	400	124	ap2011
2012	415,725	3,327,110	12.5%	159	144	303	1,372	79	245	388	124	ap2013
2013	417,614	3,345,270	12.5%	164	188	352	1,186	73	272	397	124	ap2014
2016	431,267	3,448,824	12.5%	174	181	355	1,214	77	274	364	124	ap2017
2019	467,610	3,597,001	13.0%	166	145	311	1,503	83	207	329	124	ap2020
2021	430,687	3,654,887	11.8%	155	130	285	1,511	72	198	343	124	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

François-Norbert Blanchet † (Vicar Apostolic: 1 Dec 1843; Archbishop: 24 Jul 1846 to 12 Dec 1880)
Alexander Christie † (Archbishop: 4 Mar 1899 to 6 Apr 1925)
Robert Joseph Dwyer † (Archbishop: 9 Dec 1966 to 15 Jan 1974)
Francis Eugene George, O.M.I. † (Archbishop: 30 Apr 1996 to 7 Apr 1997)
William Hickley Gross, C.SS.R. † (Archbishop: 31 Mar 1885 to 14 Nov 1898)
Edward Daniel Howard † (Archbishop: 30 Apr 1926 to 9 Dec 1966)
Edward Joseph Kelly †
Francis Peter Leipzig † (Priest: 14 Apr 1920 to 18 Jul 1950)
William Joseph Levada † (Archbishop: 1 Jul 1986 to 17 Aug 1995)
Edward John O’Dea † (Priest: 23 Dec 1882 to 13 Jun 1896)
Edwin Vincent O’Hara † (Priest: 9 Jun 1905 to 1 Aug 1930)
Charles Joseph O’Reilly † (Priest: 29 Jun 1890 to 25 Jun 1903)
Bertram Orth † (Priest: 25 Jul 1872 to 24 Mar 1900)
Cornelius Michael Power † (Archbishop: 15 Jan 1974 to 1 Jul 1986; Apostolic Administrator: 1 Jul 1986 to 21 Sep 1986)
Charles-Jean Seghers † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 23 Jul 1878; Archbishop: 12 Dec 1880 to 6 Mar 1884)
Paul Edward Waldschmidt, C.S.C. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 28 Nov 1977 to 8 Jan 1990)

Source(s)

Archdiocese of Oregon City
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 175
Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 21, Page 649, and Page 650

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help

✠

Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

Archidioecesis Portlandensis in Oregon