I have been learning about some of the lesser-known stories from the Titanic.
He was born on the 26th of February 1870 in Leeds, into a religious family. While he was studying at Oxford, he began to question and explore his beliefs, eventually converting first to the Church of England and then to Catholicism. He later trained in Rome and became a Catholic priest, serving a parish in Essex.
In April 1912, he boarded the Titanic along with many others, he was travelling to New York to officiate at his brother’s wedding. On the morning of the 14th of April, he had Mass for the passengers, talking about faith as a kind of lifeboat in difficult times.
When the ship hit the iceberg that night, Byles did not panic. Instead of trying to save himself, he decided to help others, he guided passengers to safety and offered prayers. He was even offered a place in a lifeboat but refused. In the last moments, he was still hearing confessions and giving comfort.
He died as the ship sank in the early hours of the 15th of April 1912.
I find myself wondering- what gives someone the strength to put others before their own survival in such a moment?
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