During April, because the world commemorated the a centesimal anniversary of the Titanic disaster, the stories of three courageous priests resurfaced. These remarkable accounts detail selfless acts of heroism and the offering of Christian ministry throughout the aftermath of the tragedy that struck on the night of April 14th, 1912.
Among the victims of the sinking were Father Juozas Montvila of Lithuania, Father Josef Peruschitz, O.S.B. of Bavaria, and English rector Father Thomas Byles, all of whom selected to remain behind and offer spiritual comfort to those facing their final moments.
Eyewitnesses recounted how passengers, particularly Catholics, sought the presence of priests of their hour of need. The three priests led prayers, administered sacraments, and provided solace because the Titanic met its fateful end, claiming the lives of 1,503 souls.
Father Byles and Father Peruschitz, who had celebrated Mass on the morning of the disaster, preached messages of spiritual preparedness, emphasising the necessity for the lifeboat offered by Jesus Christ.
Father Byles, a convert to Catholicism, was hailed as a martyr by Pope Pius X for his unwavering dedication to his faith and his fellow passengers. His legacy lives on within the hearts of those he comforted of their final moments.
Similarly, Father Peruschitz, on his approach to function principal of a Benedictine highschool in Minnesota, courageously stayed behind to minister to the souls aboard the ill-fated ship.
The eyewitness account, published within the Jesuit journal ‘America’, vividly captures the scene, attesting that “all of the Catholics on board desired the help of priests with the best fervour” following the ship’s collision with the iceberg.
The priests “aroused those condemned to die to say acts of contrition and prepare themselves to satisfy the face of God” once called to glory. According to the eyewitness, they constantly engaged in giving general absolution to those about to perish.
Father Byles and Father Peruschitz, having offered Mass earlier that fateful Sunday morning, were described as preaching sermons on humanity’s need for “the spiritual lifeboat” offered by Jesus Christ amid the risks of the world.
Father Byles, born in Yorkshire, England, during 1870, had been travelling to the U.S. for the marriage of his brother. After Father Byles’ death within the shipwreck, St. Pius X reportedly described him as “a martyr” who bravely died serving others throughout the tragedy. A plaque at his former parish commemorates his “heroic death within the disaster” and notes that he “earnestly devoted his last moments to providing religious consolation to his fellow passengers” by remaining on the stricken vessel.
Father Peruschitz, a Bavarian priest-monk born in 1871, was described by eyewitnesses as declining a spot on the lifeboats, sacrificing himself to serve the spiritual needs of others.
His body, like those of the opposite two priests, was not recovered. A memorial at his onetime monastery in Bavaria reads: “May Joseph Peruschitz rest in peace, who on the ship Titanic piously sacrificed himself.”
The youngest of the three priests, Father Juozas Montvila, born in 1885, faced persecution for his ministry in Lithuania under the Russian Empire. Despite the risks, he continued to fulfil his calling until the top, offering solace and guidance to those around him.
Reports from the sinking ship recounted how the Byzantine-rite priest served his calling to the very end. Since then, there have been efforts towards his canonisation, a testament to the enduring impact of his bravery and compassion.
The SS Titanic struck an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14th, 1912, and sank soon afterwards within the early hours of April fifteenth. In the aftermath, only 705 people survived, forsaking a tragic legacy deeply ingrained in our culture. The doomed liner had only 20 wood lifeboats available, far too few to avoid wasting all of the passengers on board.
