Complex sentence: Joseph William Lionel, 17th Baron Petre (5 June 1914--1989) succeeded to the Barony of Petre in 1915 and was the patron of three livings but, being a Roman Catholic, could not present.
Split into simpler sentences: Joseph William Lionel, 17th Baron Petre (5 June 1914--1989) was an English peer. He was the patron of three livings but, being a Roman Catholic, could not present.