Most of us Oregonians know very little about the origin and foundations of the Catholic Church in the Pacific Northwest. One fact that might be known is that the Archdiocese of Portland (formerly the Archdiocese of Oregon City) is the second oldest archdiocese in the United States. How did that come about?
Who are the important players? What did the missionaries find when they first arrived in Oregon? Monsignior Patrick Brennan answers these questions and details our history HERE.
Bishops in the Archdiocese of Portland
Archbishop Francis Norbert Blanchet (1846–1880) Born September 3, 1795. St. Pierre of the River of the South Quebec Archbishop Charles John Seghers (1880–1884) Born December 26, 1839. Ghent, Belguim. Archbishop William Hickley Gross, C.SS.R. (1885–1898) Born June 12, 1837. Baltimore, MD. Archbishop Alexander Christie (1899–1925) Born May 28, 1848. Highgate Center, VT. Archbishop Edward Daniel Howard (1926–1966) Born November 5, 1877. Cresco, IA. Archbishop Robert Joseph Dwyer (1966–1974) Born August 1, 1908. Salt Lake City, UT. Archbishop Cornelius Michael Power (1974–1986) Born December 18, 1913. Seattle, WA. Archbishop William Joseph Levada (1986–1995) Born June 15, 1936. Long Beach, CA. Archbishop Francis Eugene George, OMI (1996–1997) Born January 16, 1937. Chicago, IL. Archbishop John G. Vlazny (1997–2013) Born February 22, 1937. Chicago, IL. Archbishop Alexander K. Sample. (2013–present) Born November 7, 1960. Kalispell, MT.