MEMORIAL OF SAINT RICHARD OF CHICHESTER, BISHOP – FEAST DAY: As we continue to rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Richard of Chichester, Bishop. He’s the Patron Saint of Coachmen; Diocese of Chichester; Sussex, England. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Richard of Chichester and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for all Christians, we pray for the sick and dying, we particularly pray for those who are sick with terminal diseases, may God in His infinite grace and mercy grant them His divine healing and intervention, we pray for persecuted Christians and for all Christians as we reflect on the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ during this Easter season 🙏
SAINT RICHARD OF CHICHESTER, BISHOP: St. Richard of Chichester (1197-1253), also known as St. Richard de Wyche, was born in 1197 in Worcestershire, England to a land-owning squire. His father died when he was young. St. Richard and his elder brother were left orphans while still very young, causing the family to suffer hardship for many years. His brother was imprisoned as a result of their property’s unpaid debts. The situation became dire enough for Richard to suspend his studies which he loved to take over the family estates and make them profitable again. In farming his brother’s impoverished estate, his brother, in gratitude for Richard’s successful labors, proposed to turn over to him all his lands; but he refused both the estates and the offer of a brilliant marriage, to study for the priesthood at Oxford. While studing at Oxford for the priesthood, he was so poor that he and two companions shared a set of clothes which they took turns wearing to class. He obtained degrees at the universities in Paris and Bologna before being appointed as the Chancellor of Oxford University in 1235. Saint Richard was appointed Chancellor for his learning and piety and afterwards chancellor of his diocese by Saint Edmund Rich, Archbishop of Canterbury, to whom he was a faithful companion and advisor. Years later St. Richard was ordained the Bishop of Chichester. In this position he entered into power struggles with King Henry III, who withheld his diocesan revenues and blocked his access to the cathedral. The new Chancellor stood by the Saint in his long contest with the king, and then accompanied him into exile in France, in the Abbey of Pontigny. After Saint Edmund’s death there, he studied theology in Orleans before returning to England to toil as a simple parish priest. He was, however, soon elected by the Canons of Chichester, when their see became vacant, for their Bishop. This election greatly displeased the king, who had nominated another candidate whom the Canons judged unworthy. The king in revenge refused to recognize the election, and seized the revenues of the see. Thus Saint Richard found himself fighting the same battle in which Saint Edmund had died.
St. Richard went to Lyons, where he was consecrated bishop by Innocent IV in 1245, and returning to England he exercised fully his episcopal rights despite his poverty and the king’s hostility, and thoroughly reformed his see. Young and old loved Saint Richard, and after two years his revenues were restored. To feed the poor and heal the sick, he gave all he had and worked miracles; and when the rights or the sanctity of the Church were concerned, he was inexorable. A priest of noble blood polluted his office by sin; St. Richard deprived him of his benefice, and refused the king’s petition in his favor. On the other hand, when a knight violently imprisoned a priest, St. Richard compelled the knight to walk around the priest’s church with the same log of wood on his neck to which he had chained him. And when the burgesses of Lewes tore a criminal from the church and hanged him, St. Richard made them dig up the body from its unconsecrated grave, and bear it back to the sanctuary they had violated. The Pope commissioned St. Richard to preach a crusade against the Saracens. In fulfilling this mission he fell sick of fever, which was the forerunner of his death in 1253. He died surrounded by his closest friends at about 56 years of age. He was buried in the Chichester Cathedral and his shrine became a popular place of pilgrimage before being destroyed by King Henry VIII. St. Richard had many accomplishments as bishop, including establishing greater order and reverence to the liturgy, vigorously defending the rights of the Church, assisting the poor and the oppressed, and preaching a crusade against the Saracens at the request of the Pope. St. Richard was canonized in 1262 by Pope Urban IV and his feast day is April 3rd. He’s the Patron Saint of Coachmen; Diocese of Chichester; Sussex, England.
“O Dear Lord, three things I pray: to see you more clearly, to love you more dearly and follow you more nearly, day by day.”
“Satisfaction consists in the cutting off of the causes of the sin. Thus, fasting is the proper antidote to lust; prayer to pride, to envy, anger and sloth; alms to covetousness”. ~ St. Richard of Chichester
PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You for all the blessings You have given me, and for all the sufferings and shame You have endured for me, on which account that pitiable cry of sorrow was Thine: ” Behold and see, if there was any sorrow like unto My sorrow!” ” You know, Lord, how willing I should be to bear insult, and pain, and death for You; therefore have mercy on me, for to You, I commend my spirit.”… Amen.
God, You made St. Richard an outstanding exemplar of Divine love and the Faith that conquers the world, and added him to the roll of saintly pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may persevere in Faith and love and become sharers of his glory. Amen. Saint Richard of Chichester ~ Pray for us🙏