32 St. Richard of Derek Leach

hen visiting Tbwn Hall have farm whilst Richard laboured for him. Wyou noticed, standing After a few years, mainly due to unobtrusively in a far corner of the Richard's efforts the farm was a going Stone Hall, a wonderful wooden carving concern, allowing Richard to follow his of a religious figure? Do you know thirst for knowledge. whom it depicts and why it stands in the ancient Maison Dieu? Until recently Despite being very poor he went to there was no plaque to Oxford and was enlighten you, but now tutored by Edmund there is, provided by Rich (St. Edmund of the family of the local Abingdon) and later man who carved it. journeyed to Paris and Bob Forsyth was a Bologna studying sergeant in the Dover canon law. Upon his police force who return to Oxford in carved in wood for a 1235 he was appointed hobby. In 1955 he Chancellor of the presented this university and then beautiful piece to the Chancellor to the Borough for the Tbwn Archbishop of Hall. It is of St. Canterbury who was Richard, of his old tutor, Edmund Chichester. Rich.

Who was he and is At this time clergy there a link with Dover were often illiterate, and the Maison Dieu? livings were Born Richard de la sometimes obtained by Wych in Droitwich in fraud and sacraments 1197, he was a farmer's sold. Sons even tried to son but studious. make livings Unfortunately, both hereditary. Parish parents died and their priests were generally young children were simple folk but their left in the care of standards were as good guardians. The farm as their superiors and was badly mismanaged better than society and run down by the generally! The king time the two brothers was entitled to the came of age. The elder Carving o f St Richard of Chichester by Bob income from any brother owned the Forsyth - Dover Maison Dieu vacant abbey which 33 led to abuse and long delays in filling ordained. Priests were also to warn appointments! This state of affairs mothers not to let their infants sleep caused friction between the King and with them in the same bed! He told the Archbishop, which resulted in priests how they should dress and only Edmund retiring to the Cistercian allowed one living per priest. There was Abbey at Pontigny accompanied by no love for married clergy - clergy 'who faithful Richard. Upon Edmund's death refuse to put away their wives' were to in 1240, Richard dedicated his life to be deprived of their living. He also God and trained for the priesthood at came down hard on lazy or immoral the Dominican convent in Orleans. priests.

After ordination Richard became a Still no connection with Dover? In 1253, parish priest in - probably Vicar of at the Pope's behest, Richard journeyed Charing and Rector of Deal. After some from Chichester along the south coast years as a man of great influence, he urging a crusade to rescue the Holy was now a humble priest, but this was Places from the TUrk. Eventually, he short-lived. reached Dover exhausted and ill from his travels and stayed at the Maison The new archbishop, Boniface of Savoy, Dieu which, of course, offered free who probably owed his appointment to board and lodging to pilgrims. Despite the influence of his niece, the Queen, his poor state of health, he insisted recruited Richard as his adviser in 1245 upon consecrating a new cemetery and appointed him Bishop of chapel in memory of his old friend, Chichester, despite fierce opposition tutor and archbishop, Edmund Rich - from the King who stripped the new St. Edmund. This was on 30 March bishop of his lands and mansions and 1253. The next morning, during in banned everybody from helping the Maison Dieu, he collapsed and died Richard. Homeless in his own diocese later, on 3 April. and dependent upon the hospitality of his clergy, he went about on foot According to custom, his internal preaching and administering the organs were removed and buried in sacraments. After two years the Pope the altar of St. Edmund's Chapel. His ordered the restoration of the Bishop's body was transported to Chichester possessions on pain of and, before burial in the cathedral, his excommunication. The King gave way. head was removed and placed in a Richard now lived in the Bishop's reliquary in a cathedral chapel. Palace, but he preferred a simple life Richard was canonized in 1262 and in style, giving generously to the poor and 1276 his body was moved to an always seeking out the vulnerable when impressive tomb behind the high altar visiting towns and villages. He founded in the presence of King Edward I, the an almshouse for priests unable to Queen and the Archbishop. It became work. a place of pilgrimage for the next 250 years until destroyed on the orders of A true reformer, Richard issued H enry VIII. instructions to his priests on how to conduct baptisms, confessions, burials Source: St. Richard of Chichester by Carole and marriages and who could be M. Duncan-Jones, the Faith Press 1953.