Another Upper Midwest Bishop Gets Promoted

Bishop John Vlazny of Portland, OR, formerly Bishop of Winona, 1987-1997, has retired at age 76.
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Bishop Alexander Sample of Marquette, who was the youngest bishop in the country when he was appointed as bishop there in 2005, has been appointed Archbishop of Portland, now as the youngest archbishop in the country.

See articles on the appointment of Archbishop Sample by Whispers' Rocco Palmo and Deacon Keith Fournier of Catholic Online in California. 

This just a few months after Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo was appointed as Archbishop of Denver.

Other upper midwest bishops with recent promotions are: Bishop Dennis Schnurr of Duluth as Archbishop of Cincinnati, Bishop Robert Carlson, Auxiliary in StP-M, as Archbishop of St. Louis, Bishop Frederick Campbell, Auxiliary in StP-M to Bishop of Columbus, OH, Bishop Richard Pates, Auxiliary in StP-M as Bishop of Des Moines, Bishop David Zubik from Green Bay to Pittsburgh, and of course, Bishop Daniel Di Nardo of Sioux City, IA, to Houston-Galveston as a Cardinal and Bishop Raymond Burke first to LaCrosse and then St. Louis and now a Cardinal in Rome.

There are two local vacancies to be filled this year:  Fargo and St. Cloud (Bishop Kinney has submitted his retirement letter).  Any nominations pass on to the Papal Nuncio in Washington DC.