Pavlišić previously was Titular Bishop of Bruzus (1951.12.13 – 1969.08.20) as Auxiliary Bishop of Senj–Modruš (Croatia) (1951.12.13 – 1969.08.20), then Titular Archbishop of Pićan (1969.08.20 – 1974.04.18) and (succeeding) Coadjutor Archbishop of Rijeka–Senj (1969.08.20 – 1974.04.18).
He was born in 1914 in Srbljani in the parish of Stari Pazin, and was educated in Gorizia (Gorica) and Koper, and graduated in theology in Gorica, where he was ordained in 1938.
He is one of those who are responsible for the opening of the classical grammar school in Pazin in December 1945, and together with Božo Milanović he is credited with preserving the grammar school to this day.
As an auxiliary bishop, he is credited with the work and preservation of the Faculty of Theology and the foundation of the school in Rijeka, and he especially advocated the creation of a seminary.
He took over the archdiocese as administrator on June 26, 1973, and on April 18, 1974, he became the next archbishop of Rijeka.