Born on July 31, 1921, in the Bronx section of New York, he paid his first visit to the Birmingham Oratory in England in 1957 where he met Father Stephen Dessain.
The latter was beginning to organize the huge project of publishing the letters and diaries of Newman (1801-1890). The pair looked at how best they might collaborate.
In 1987 Father Blehl took up the post of visiting professor at the Albert-Ludwigs Universität in Freiburg, but he continued to make frequent visits to the Birmingham Oratory and to Rome in his capacity as postulator.
A funeral is planned Wednesday in Freiburg.
