Feast day: April 3

St. Richard of Chichester

Bishop · 1197–1253

Patron of Sussex, coachmen

A poor scholar who rose to be bishop of Chichester, defended his diocese against royal seizure of its goods, and was loved for his simplicity and care for the needy.

Richard was born about 1197 at Wych, in England, into a family fallen on hard times; as a young man he restored the family farm by his own labour before giving it up to his brother and devoting himself to study. He became a brilliant scholar at Oxford, Paris, and Bologna, and chancellor of the University of Oxford.

He became the close friend and chancellor of St. Edmund of Abingdon, Archbishop of Canterbury, sharing his exile, and after Edmund's death was ordained a priest. In 1244 he was elected bishop of Chichester — but the king, Henry III, who had wanted another man, seized the revenues of the see and for two years left Richard a bishop without a home or income.

Through it all Richard simply got on with being a pastor, lodging with a parish priest and going about his diocese on foot. When at last restored to his rights, he governed with notable austerity and charity: severe with himself, generous to the poor, exacting in the discipline and learning of his clergy.

He died in 1253 at Dover, having just dedicated a church to his old master St. Edmund. Canonized in 1262, he is remembered above all for a simple prayer attributed to his deathbed, asking to know, love, and follow Christ more nearly day by day.

His bedside prayer — to know Christ more clearly, love him more dearly, follow him more nearly — became one of the best-loved prayers in the English language.

“May I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day.”
— St. Richard of Chichester

Image: Fr James Bradley from Southampton, UK (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

Source: newadvent.org/cathen/13043b.htm