1979 to 1981. During this time, one of his seminarian assistants would go on to become Bishop Robert Barron. In 1972, Vlazny earned a Master of Education degree in School Administration from Loyola University Chicago. From 1976 to 1977, Vlazny was president of the Presbyteral Senate for the archdiocese. He also served as a diocesan consultor and member of the Diocesan Clergy Personnel Board. He was appointed rector of Niles College Seminary in 1981. Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago On October 18, 1983, Pope John Paul II appointed Vlazny as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Titular Bishop of Stagnum. He received his episcopal consecration on December 13, 1983,from Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, with Bishops Alfred Abramowicz and Nevin Hayes, O. Carm., serving as co-consecrators, at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. He took as his episcopal motto: "Go and Make Disciples" (). As an auxiliary bishop, Vlazny served as episcopal vicar for Lake County,Illinois and the northwestern suburban Cook County, Illinois. He also worked closely with the Office of the Hispanic Apostolate. Bishop of Winona On May 19, 1987, John Paul II appointed Vlazny as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Winona. He was installed and consecrated on July 29, 1987. During his tenure, Vlazny increased the involvement of the laity, decentralized the diocesan staff, and created the Offices of Youth and Family Life. He also started the tradition of the "Harvest Mass," an annual outdoor liturgy celebrated on a farm in the diocese. As a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Vlazny was elected chair of the Committee on Evangelization in 1993. In 1994, he asked Catholics to consider ending gambling as a source of revenue for parishes and schools. Archbishop of Portland in Oregon On October 28, 1997, John Paul II appointed Vlazny as the tenth Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. He was installed and consecrated on December 19, 1987, succeeding Archbishop Francis George. On October 10, 2000, the archdiocese settled a lawsuit by 22 men who had been sexually abused as altar boys by Maurice Grammond, a parish priest in the archdiocese. The victims lived in Portland, Seaside, Oregon and in Oakridge, Oregon. Vlazny issued a statement of apology that was delivered in masses throughout the archdiocese. In July 2004, the archdiocese became the first American diocese to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in response to the Catholic sex abuse