Catholic chalice 'Pall'

G Lens identified this as a liturgical 'pall' to cover the chalice with wine in it during Mass, and until Communion. Looks like it's embroidered silk.

The tag says: Jordan R. Blecha, O. Praem. August 12, 1939 Ordination

I don't find anything about Father Blecha online.

Any comments or context appreciated! Thanks!

Piece is 10.5" x10.5", not counting the lace pinned to the sides. Found in Portland, Oregon.

 

that's interesting !!!

 

I agree with google lens.
A commemorative gift for his ordination.
O. Praem

 

You can find him on familysearch.org. Ralph (Jordan) Blecha. b. Athens, Wisconsin 1913. Working for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1940. d. De Pere, Wisconsin 2003. And this is from findagrave.com. No clue as to how that ended up in Oregon.

Debora

 

maybe something a family member might wish to have back??

 

Beautiful knotted stitch embroidery. Such pieces were usually done by nuns.

 

Thanks @bluumz-- I assumed that the title was ecclesiastical but hadn't found it.

And thanks @Debora-- your research skills are amazing.

I'll assume he didn't have kids . But maybe a spiritual brother or sister. There is a Jesuit center near me that I could perhaps ask.

That's interesting! It is weird that it ended up in a thrift store, in Oregon as Debora noted.

 

Nieces and nephews maybe.

 

And they're conveniently named in that obit Debora found. I'll look around.

 

How's this? From familysearch.org... "When Francis John Blecha was born on 8 August 1910, in Wisconsin, United States, his father, Arthur Joseph Blecha, was 31 and his mother, Anna Laura Lonsdorf, was 29. He married Regina Marie on 19 June 1934. They were the parents of at least 1 daughter. He lived in Athens, Marathon, Wisconsin, United States in 1930 and Wausau, Marathon, Wisconsin, United States in 1940. He died on 9 January 1985, in Marion, Oregon, United States, at the age of 74, and was buried in Salem, Marion, Oregon, United States."

They only had one daughter, Dolores, who died in 2008. That would have been the end of the Oregon line.

Debora

 

So they are, I didn't read the whole thing. But they could be the ones who sold it in the first place.

 

This is brother Edward's grandson, Aaron. Jordan Blecha officiated at his grandparent's wedding in 1945.

https://thebrightagency.com/uk/childrens-illustration/artists/aaron-blecha

https://prokowall.com/obituaries/laverne-a-nys-blecha/

He might be interested, being an artist et. al.

Debora

 

Aaron Blecha can be contacted via his talent agency's link above. (Think there's a bit of family resemblance, by way.)

Debora

 

Aaron illustrated a book of (humerous) bible tales.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/more-bible-tales-bob-hartman/1140773116

Debora

 

Seems a fun person.