SAINT RICHARD OF WYCHE

Feast Day: April 3

Lived ( 1197 - 1253)

Patron Saint of Coachmen, Diocese of Chichester, Sussex and England

Richard of Chichester, was born at Wyche (Droitwich), Worcestershire, England. He was orphaned when he was quite a young Lad. He retrieved the fortunes of the mismanaged estate he inherited when he took it over, and then turned it over to his brother Robert. He refused marry and went to Oxford, where he studied under Grosseteste and got his M.A. He pursued his studies at Paris, and then continued his studies at Bologna, where he received his doctorate degree in Canon Law. 

At Oxford, he met and began a lifelong friendship with Edmund Rich. After seven years at Bologna, he returned to Oxford and was appointed chancellor of the university in 1235, and then became chancellor to Edmund Rich, now Archbishop of Canterbury, whom he accompanied to the Cistercian monastery at Pontigny when the Archbishop retired there.

After Edmund Rich died at Pontigny, Richard taught at the Dominican House of Studies at Orleans and was ordained there in 1243. After a time as a Pastor at Deal, he became chancellor of Boniface of Savoy, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, and when King Henry named Ralph Neville Bishop of Chichester in 1244, Boniface declared his selection invalid and named Richard to the See. Eventually, the case was taken to Rome and in 1245, Pope Innocent IV declared Richard the Bishop and consecrated him.

When Richard returned to England, he was still opposed by Henry and was refused admittance to the bishop's palace; until the Pope threatened King Henry with excommunication. The remaining eight years of Richard's life were spend ministering to his flock.

He denounced nepotism, insisted on strict clerical discipline, and was ever generous to the poor and the needy. He died at a house for poor priests in Dover, England, while preaching a crusade, and was canonized in 1262.