Benjamin Petre

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title: "Benjamin Petre" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1672-births", "1758-deaths", "apostolic-vicars-of-england-and-wales", "18th-century-roman-catholic-bishops-in-england", "petre-family"] description: "English Catholic prelate (1672–1758)" topic_path: "people/1670s" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Petre" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary English Catholic prelate (1672–1758) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox Christian leader"]

Field	Value
type	bishop
honorific-prefix	The Right Reverend
name	Benjamin Petre
title	Vicar Apostolic of the London District
appointed	23 June 1721 (Coadjutor)
term_start	12 March 1734
term_end	22 December 1758
predecessor	Bonaventure Giffard
successor	Richard Challoner
other_post	Titular Bishop of Prusa
consecration	11 Nov 1721
consecrated_by	Bonaventure Giffard
birth_date
death_date
nationality	English
religion	Roman Catholic
::

| type = bishop | honorific-prefix = The Right Reverend | name = Benjamin Petre | honorific-suffix = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | title = Vicar Apostolic of the London District | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | church = | archdiocese = | province = | metropolis = | diocese = | see = | elected = | appointed = 23 June 1721 (Coadjutor) | term = | term_start = 12 March 1734 | quashed = | term_end = 22 December 1758 | predecessor = Bonaventure Giffard | opposed = | successor = Richard Challoner | other_post = Titular Bishop of Prusa | ordination = | ordinated_by = | consecration = 11 Nov 1721 | consecrated_by = Bonaventure Giffard | cardinal = | rank = | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | buried = | nationality = English | religion = Roman Catholic | residence = | parents = | spouse = | children = | occupation = | profession = | previous_post = | education = | alma_mater = | motto = | signature = | signature_alt = | coat_of_arms = | coat_of_arms_alt = | feast_day = | venerated = | saint_title = | beatified_date = | beatified_place = | beatified_by = | canonized_date = | canonized_place = | canonized_by = | attributes = | patronage = | shrine = | suppressed_date = | other = Benjamin Petre (10 August 1672 – 22 December 1758) was an English Catholic prelate who served as Vicar Apostolic of the London District from 1734 until his death.

Life

He was born the son of John Petre (1617–1690) of Fidlers or Fithlers, Essex (who was a younger brother of William Petre the translator), by his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John Pincheon of Writtle. He was educated at the English College, Douai, and, after being admitted to the priesthood, became tutor to Lord Derwentwater, who was subsequently beheaded for treason.

He was consecrated titular bishop of Prusa on 11 November 1721, and appointed coadjutor bishop with right of succession Bonaventure Giffard, at that time vicar apostolic of the London district. Although the penal laws were no longer enforced with extreme rigor, the life of many Catholic priests was still a difficult one, especially in London. On Gifford's death on 12 March 1734, he succeeded to the vicariate. In 1739, Petre asked for Richard Challoner as coadjutor; and Challoner was duly consecrated in January 1741.

Petre believed that as vicar apostolic of the London District, he had jurisdiction over all of British America. However, responsibility had been "de facto" held by the English Province of the Society of Jesus. When the Curia discovered there had been no formal designation, it forwarded the documents to Petre, in January 1757.

Petre resided chiefly at Fidlers. He was buried in St Edmund's College, Ware. He was succeeded by Challoner.

References

Sources

References

1. (1831). "Catholic Magazine and Review". R.P. Stone..
2. (1993-02-18). "Creed and Culture: The Place of English-Speaking Catholics in Canadian Society, 1750-1930". McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP.
3. Vissani, O.S.F., Charles A., "Summary of the Catholic Religion in the English colonies in America", ''United States Catholic Historical Magazine'', Vol. 2, United States Catholic Historical Society., 1888, p. 211]{{PD-notice

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