Skip to content

Ven. Ralph Ashley

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes

Martyr and Jesuit lay-brother; first heard of, it seems, as cook at Douay College, which he left 28 April, 1590, for the English College at Valladolid. Here he entered the Society of Jesus, but after a time returned to England because of ill-health. He fell in with Father Tesimond (Greenway), who eulogizes very highly the courage he had displayed among the Dutch heretics, by whom he had been captured during his journey. He landed in England 9 March, 1598, and was sent to serve Father Edward Oldcorne. Eight years later the two were arrested at Hindlip, near Worcester, and were committed to the Tower, together with Father Garnet, and Nicholas Owen, another laybrother, servant to Garnet. The two servants were terribly tortured, Owen dying of his torments, while the reticent answers and trembling signatures of Ashley's extant confessions bear eloquent testimony to his constancy. He was ultimately remanded with Oldcorne to Worcester, where they were tried, condemned and executed together, 7 April, 1606, giving an admirable example of heroically faithful service.

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Prayer of the Day logo
Saint of the Day logo

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.