From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   April 3rd - St. Richard of Chichester, Bishop   
    (1197-1253)   
      
   Saint Richard of Chichester was born in 1197 in a little town a few miles   
   from Worcester, England. He and his elder brother were left orphans while   
   still young, and his brother was imprisoned as a result of their property's   
   unpaid debts. Richard gave up the studies which he loved, to farm 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.   
      
   In 1235 Saint Richard was appointed, for his learning and piety, chancellor   
   of that University and afterwards chancellor of his diocese by Saint Edmund,   
   Archbishop of Canterbury. 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. He 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; 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, 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, Richard made them dig up the body   
   from its unconsecrated grave, and bear it back to the sanctuary they had   
   violated. Richard died in 1253 while preaching, at the Pope's command, a   
   crusade against the Saracens.   
      
   Reflection. As a loyal brother, as Chancellor and as Bishop, Saint Richard   
   faithfully performed each duty of his state without a thought for any   
   personal interest. He who is faithful in little things, will also be   
   faithful in the great ones, declared Our Lord; and the contrary is also an   
   invariable law.   
      
   Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on   
   Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea   
   (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894); Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des   
   Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 4.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ   
   For all the benefits Thou hast given me,   
   For all the pains and insults   
   Which Thou has borne for me.   
   O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,   
   May I know Thee more clearly,   
   Love Thee more dearly,   
   Follow Thee more nearly,   
   Day by day. Amen."   
   -Saint Richard of Chichester.   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   8 Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish: and that hath not   
   gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures. 9 Who is he,   
   and we will praise him? for he hath done wonderful things in his life.   
   (Ecclesiasticus  31:8-9)   
      
      
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   OHoly Spitit   
      
   O Holy Spirit, sweet Guest of my soul, remain with me   
   and see that I ever remain with Thee.   
      
   Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and kindle   
   in them the fire of Thy love.   
   V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created;   
   R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.   
      
   Let Us Pray   
   O God, Who by the light of the Holy Ghost didst instruct the   
   hearts of the faithful, grant us by the same Spirit to relish   
   what is right and ever to rejoice in His consolation.   
   Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.   
      
   O Holy Spirit, Creator, be propitious to the Catholic Church;   
   and by Thy heavenly power make it strong and secure   
   against the attacks of its enemies; and renew in Thy charity   
   and grace the spirit of Thy servants, whom Thou hast   
   anointed, that in Thee they may glorify the Father and His   
   only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)