Fr. Sebastian Rale: A Maine Martyr
August 23rd, 2024
300th Anniversary of
Fr. Rale’s Death
Friday, August 23rd
3 PM Mass at St. Sebastian Cemetery, Madison, Maine (where Fr. Rale died)
5 PM Talk on Fr. Rale to follow
Saturday, August 24th
9 AM-12 PM Fr. Rale Pilgrimage
Meet at St. Sebastian Church in Madison, Maine
Sunday, August 25th
2-3:30 PM Fr. Rale Pilgrimage South
Holy Martyrs Church, Falmouth, Maine
Highlights from the 2022 Pilgrimage
A Storied History
Fr. Sebastian Rale, S.J. was a Jesuit missionary among the Abenaki village of Narantsouack in present day Madison, Maine between 1695 and 1724. He was loved by the native Americans he served as a spiritual father and hated by the English settlers of Maine as a religious and political threat. In 1724, he was shot and scalped by an English militia after vigorously defending the land rights of his tribe. To Catholics, he has long been revered as an unofficial martyr. To Protestants, he has long been vilified as the cause of a bloody conflict in the French and Indian Wars. Regardless of which side of the fence they are, his story has gripped the hearts and minds of the people of Maine for centuries.
Intro Video to Fr. Sebastian Rale (from 2018 pilgrimage)
This video was created to advertise the pilgrimage to Madison, Maine (where Fr. Rale ministered to the Abenakis, was killed, and is buried) in 2018. It still serves as a good basic introduction to his story.
Pilgrimages
Between 2017 and 2019, pilgrims gathered annually at the site of Fr. Rale’s mission and martyrdom in Madison, Maine. Pilgrimage would gather at a local church first (usually St. Sebastian’s in Madison). The Blessed Sacrament would be exposed and then a series of readings from Fr. Rale’s letters and a reflection would follow.
The pilgrims would then meet at Old Point where they would process through the site of Fr. Rale’s mission. Much like in the stations of the cross, the pilgrims would pause at different places along the route to read excerpts from Fr. Rale’s letters and reflections. These excerpts took them through the story of Fr. Rale’s life and death.
Each of these pilgrimages had a different theme. You may follow the link below to access the text of the pilgrimage for each year.
Go and Set the World on Fire - Pilgrimage 2017
“My Neophytes moved by the danger to which I am exposed in their Village, often urge me to retire for a little time to Quebec. But what will become of the flock, if it be deprived of its Shepherd? Death alone can separate me from them…Pray to [Jesus], my dear nephew, that he may strengthen in me this feeling, which comes only from His mercy, in order that I may live and die working unceasingly for the salvation of these neglected souls, who were bought with His blood and whom He has deigned to commit to my care.”
— Fr. Sebastian Rale, Letter to his nephew, October 15th, 1722
Interested in learning more? Do you want to help make the story of Fr. Rale better known?
We believe that Fr. Rale just might be a saint. The Catholic Church has processes by which a formal declaration of sainthood can occur. If you want updates on this process, or to know how you can be apart of it, please contact us.