Books on Fr. Rale
Black Robe on Kennebec by Mary Calvert
This book is a good historical introduction to the life of the Fr. Rale and the social/political/culture context in which he lived. Mary Calvert write about earlier missionary efforts in Maine prior to Fr. Rale’s arrival in Norridgewock and gives a good political overview, showing how events converged leading to Fr. Rale’s martyrdom.
In the Shadow of the Steel Cross by Louise Hunt
Louise Hunt brings a unique perspective to the life of Fr. Rale. Growing up on Indian Island near Old Town, Maine, Mrs. Hunt traces her ancestry to the village in which Fr. Rale was a pastor. The steel cross referred to in the book is in fact the steel cross that stands on top of St. Ann’s Church where she grew up and under which Fr. Rale famously died. In a work of historical fiction, Mrs. Hunt weaves together the oral tradition she received from her relatives about Fr. Rale and the historical record, together with her memories of what it was like growing up in a very Catholic, native American community.
Martyrs by Kathryn Swegart
Looking for a way to bring the story of Fr. Rale to children? Kathryn Swegart, a native of Rome, Maine, has made Fr. Rale and the seven Indian chiefs of Norridgewock, the heroes in this delightful children’s tale. The book is part of a series of books for children called Brave Hearts and is a work of historical fiction geared towards children age 10-14.
Sebastian Ralé: A Maine Tragedy of the Eighteenth Century - John Francis Sprague
This book, reprinted in 1906, is an older account of the controversy surrounding Fr. Rale. John Francis Sprague examines the claims of the English and the French in the wake of Queen Anne’s War and, in light of these political considerations, evaluates the case for and against Fr. Rale. While not Catholic, John Francis Sprague is surprisingly sympathetic Fr. Rale’s cause.
Sebastian Râle (1652-1724) : In Commemoration of His Martyrdom- Fr. Vincent Lapomarda, S.J.
Fr. Lapomarda, a Jesuit, professor of history at the College of the Holy Cross, and one of the most ardent promoters of Fr. Rale’s cause in the past few decades published a book in 2017 that summarized the sources and the status of the cause.
Articles and Websites
In Commemoration of the Martyrdom of Fr. Sebastian Rale - Fr. Vincent Lapomarda, S.J.
The Church at Narantsouack - Fr. William Clarke, SJ
