Obituaries

Father Blane L. Resko, O.S.B.

Father Blane L. Resko, O.S.B., a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey, died Friday, August 7, 2015, at the Archabbey. He was born February 26, 1930 in Patton, Pennsylvania, a son of the late Eli Resko and Mary (Halusha) Resko. He was one of ten children, including; Irene (Resko) Guidas of Patton; Louise (Resko) Niemiec of Patton; Carol Resko of Patton and Dr. John Resko of Portland, Oregon; the late Verna (Resko) Dolges, Mary (Resko) Bartell, Joseph, Alfred and Donald Resko.

He was a 1948 graduate of Saint Vincent Preparatory School, and received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Saint Vincent College in 1953. He completed his priesthood studies at Saint Vincent Seminary.
He made simple profession of vows July 2, 1951 and solemn profession of vows July 11, 1954, and was ordained a priest May 26, 1957 at Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica by the late Bishop Hugh Lamb.

Following his ordination Father Blane was appointed high school prefect at Saint Vincent for one year. From 1958 to 1967 he was on the faculty of James Barry-Robinson School, Norfolk, Virginia. From 1967 to 1974 he was assistant headmaster and faculty member of Benedictine High School, Savannah, Georgia. In 1974 he was named pastor of Saint George Parish, Patton, and in 1976 was placed in charge of Lawrence Church, St. Lawrence. He was named pastor of Saint Mary Parish, Patton in 1982, pastor of Saint Benedict Parish, Carrolltown and Saint Lawrence Parish in 1991 and pastor of Saint Bruno Parish, South Greensburg in 1997, where he served until 2007. He served the Archabbey community as the Archabbot’s Delegate for Pastoral Concerns (2007-2010).

The body of Father Blane will be received at 3 p.m. Sunday, August 9 in the Elizabeth Roderick Center at Saint Vincent. Viewing will be held from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, and from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday, August 10. The body will be transferred to the Archabbey Basilica for the Vigil Service at 7:15 p.m. on Monday.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, August 11 in the Archabbey Basilica by Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., at 10:00 a.m., followed by the Rite of Committal rite at the Mary, Mother of Mercy Mausoleum Chapel at Saint Vincent Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Benedictine Health and Welfare Fund, Saint Vincent Archabbey, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA 15650.