Chalice veil unlocks part of Canada’s Christian past

Dirty cloth from an antique store turns out to be a fragment of Canadian history

Helen Smith and Father Jacques Monet, SJ, unveil the chalice veil that will be kept
at the Jesuit curia in Toronto. Photo by Michael Swan / CCN.

The B.C. Catholic has a story by Michael Swan about a historic chalice veil discovered at an antique store:

A dirty, little cloth rolled up in a ball of dirt off in a corner winked at Helen Smith and her daughter four years ago. It had a secret to tell — the secret of Canada’s counter reformation history.

For a small sum, Smith bought the embroidered cloth from a country antique store just outside of London, Ont. She cleaned it up and discovered a beautifully embroidered chalice veil with gold and silver silk threads. She immediately knew she had stumbled upon a fragment of Canadian history.

With the help of the Jesuits, Smith has managed to trace its origins.

Read the full story at The B.C. Catholic website.