Ralph Ashley
English Jesuit lay-brother involved with Gunpowder Plot/Catholic martyr
Feast: 7 April (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Ralph Ashley, once a cook at Douai College, became a Jesuit lay brother and served Fr Edward Oldcorne from 1598.
Arrested with him at Hindlip in 1606, he was terribly tortured in the Tower, his trembling signatures witnessing his constancy. He was executed with Oldcorne at Worcester on 7 April 1606, a heroic example of faithful service.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A lay brother who stayed faithful to his priest to the end.
The cause
Ralph Ashley has been beatified; the cause continues. Favours received, and offers of help, go to the postulation, the office that carries the cause forward: Jesuits: Blessed Ralph Ashley.
Connected on this site
- Edward Oldcorne Blessed“Ralph Ashley, once a cook at Douai College, became a Jesuit lay brother and served Fr Edward Oldcorne from 1598.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Ralph Ashley
- Wikidata Q3418225 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Ralph Ashley (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.