St Richard (1197-1253) bishop of Chichester
Chancellor of the university of Oxford and then to Edmund of Abingdon, archbishop of Canterbury
Richard
Wych, or "of Wich" was born at Droitwich in 1197.
He studied at Oxford
and perhaps at Paris and Bologna.
In 1223 he became Chancellor at the
university of Oxford, but was soon whisked away to become chancellor to
St Edmund Rich, archbishop of Canterbury (1233-40).
Ordained a priest 1243
Edmund quarrelled with
King Henry III over the rights of the Church and went into exile in
France.
After Edmund's death (1240), Richard studied for the priesthood
with the Dominicans at Orleans and was ordained in 1243.
He returned to
England and worked as a parish priest until the new archbishop Boniface
of Savoy asked him to resume his job as chancellor.
The new archbishop
also quarrelled with the king.
He appointed Richard as bishop of
Chichester when the king had appointed his own candidate.
Consecrated bishop at Lyons by Pope Innocent IV
Pope
Innocent IV upheld Richard's appointment and consecrated him bishop at
Lyons in 1245.
Henry, however, confiscated all the diocesan property and
decreed that no one should give him shelter.
Richard returned to the
diocese and lived in the house of one of his priests and visited his
diocese on foot.
A reforming bishop of Chichester 1245-53
Eventually
the king relented and Richard administered the diocese for seven and a
half years.
He was a reforming bishop, of simple personal habits,
generous in his charities and merciless towards simony and nepotism.
He
provided suitable vicarages for his clergy, but insisted that they
observe celibacy, say Mass reverently and instruct the people on the
meaning of the sacraments.
Preached a crusade
Richard preached to raise volunteers for a crusade, but emphasised the spiritual aims of visiting the holy places.
Death and canonisation
He died in 1253 and was canonised in 1262.
Richard's prayer
To Richard is attributed the prayer:
Thanks be to my Lord Jesus Christ for all the benefits thou hast given me,
for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly
and follow more nearly.