Basil W. Maturin
Encyclopedia
Basil William Maturin was an Irish
-born Anglican priest
, preacher
and writer
who later became Roman Catholic. He died on board the RMS Lusitania
, during the First World War
.
Dr. Maturin was born in Ireland
in 1847 to William Basil and Jane (Cook) Maturin and educated at Trinity College, Dublin
. He was a grandson of writer Charles Maturin
. In 1876, he was sent to Philadelphia. There, Maturin had been the rector of Saint Clement's Church, Philadelphia
. Maturin became a Roman Catholic in 1897 and was ordained by his friend Herbert Vaughan in 1898. Maturin was also author of several books on religious and psychological topics including Laws of the Spiritual Life (1908), Self-Knowledge and Self-Discipline (1909), Christian Self-Mastery, and The Price of Unity (1912)
In 1913 he was appointed the Catholic chaplain
to the University of Oxford
. In 1915, at the age of 68, he made a successful preaching tour of the United States, booking a return passage on the Cunard Line
's RMS Lusitania. He was among the 1198 victims when the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk on 7 May, 1915 by a German submarine.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-born Anglican priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
who later became Roman Catholic. He died on board the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
, during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Dr. Maturin was born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1847 to William Basil and Jane (Cook) Maturin and educated at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. He was a grandson of writer Charles Maturin
Charles Maturin
Charles Robert Maturin, also known as C.R. Maturin was an Irish Protestant clergyman and a writer of gothic plays and novels.-Biography:...
. In 1876, he was sent to Philadelphia. There, Maturin had been the rector of Saint Clement's Church, Philadelphia
Saint Clement's Church, Philadelphia
Saint Clement's Church is an historic Anglo-Catholic parish located at 2013 Appletree Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States and is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. On November 20, 1970, Saint Clement's Church was listed on the National Register of Historic...
. Maturin became a Roman Catholic in 1897 and was ordained by his friend Herbert Vaughan in 1898. Maturin was also author of several books on religious and psychological topics including Laws of the Spiritual Life (1908), Self-Knowledge and Self-Discipline (1909), Christian Self-Mastery, and The Price of Unity (1912)
In 1913 he was appointed the Catholic chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. In 1915, at the age of 68, he made a successful preaching tour of the United States, booking a return passage on the Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
's RMS Lusitania. He was among the 1198 victims when the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk on 7 May, 1915 by a German submarine.