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16th June ~ Optional memorial of St. Richard of Chichester, Bishop. Installed 1244 Term ended 1253 Predecessor Robert Passelewe Successor John Climping Other post(s) Vicar of Deal Orders Consecration 5 March 1245 by Pope Innocent IV Personal details Born Richard c. 1197, Droitwich, Worcestershire, England Died 3 April 1253, Dover, Kent, England Denomination The Western Church Sainthood Feast day 3 April (Roman Catholic Church and some provinces of the Anglican Communion), 16 June (in some provinces of the Anglican Communion) Venerated in Catholic Church, Anglican Communion Title as Saint Bishop and Confessor Canonized 25 January 1262 Viterbo, Lazio, Papal States by Pope Urban IV Attributes Bishop with a chalice on its side at his feet because he once dropped the chalice during a Mass and nothing spilled from it; kneeling with the chalice before him; ploughing his brother's fields; a bishop blessing his flock with a chalice nearby Patronage Coachmen; Diocese of Chichester; Sussex, England Also known as Richard de Wych he was born in 1197 at Droitwich, the son of a yeoman farmer. Studious from an early age he studied at Oxford, Paris and Bologna returning to Oxford in 1235 to become the Chancellor of the University. He was ordained in 1242 being elected bishop in 1244. A dispute over the appointment with King Henry III and part of the Chapter led to the Pope, Innocent IV, appointing him bishop of Lyons in 1245. Eventually he returned to Chichester where he was reckoned to be a model diocesan bishop, charitable and accessible, both stern and merciful to sinners and extraordinarily generous to those stricken by famine. He was also a legislator ruling that the sacraments were to be administered without payment, the Mass be celebrated in dignified conditions and the clergy observe celibacy, be resident in their parish and wear clerical dress. The laity were obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days, to know the Hail Mary, the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed. He died in 1253 and was canonised in 1262. In 1276 his body was translated to a shrine behind the high altar at Chichester cathedral where it became a centre of pilgrimage. There it remained until 1538 when the shrine was despoiled and the body buried secretly. Almighty and ever living God, you bestowed on Bishop Saint Richard of Chichester a love of learning, a zeal for souls and a devotion to the poor; in your loving kindness, we pray, grant us the assistance of his intercession that we may be led to a deeper knowledge and love of your Only Begotten Son so that we may follow him more closely. |
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18th June - Feast of the Dedication of St. Chad's Cathedral. St Chad’s was built between 1839 and 1841 to serve the rapidly expanding Catholic population in Birmingham through the inspiration of Bishop Thomas Walsh, the Vicar Apostolic of the Central District. It replaced a Georgian classical chapel built in 1808 by William Hollins. The present Cathedral was designed in north German 13th century style by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852), the pioneer of Gothic revival architecture, and was consecrated on 21 June 1841 by Bishop Walsh. The Cathedral is built of brick with Bath stone dressings. The south-west spire was added by Pugin’s eldest son, Edward Welby, in 1856 in memory of Canon John Moore (Administrator 1841-1848). St Chad’s was the first Catholic cathedral erected in England since the Reformation. It became the Cathedral formally in 1850 when Pope Pius IX restored the Catholic hierarchy of England and Wales. Cardinal John Henry Newman preached at Bishop William Ullathorne’s enthronement as the first Bishop of Birmingham and on many subsequent occasions. The Chapter of Canons was established in 1852. In 1941 St Chad’s was made a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII on the occasion of its centenary. A minor basilica is a church which enjoys a special association with the Pope and is entitled to have the papal coat-of-arms above the front door. The privileges of a basilica include the use of the symbols that are placed in the Cathedral on great occasions. The ‘conopoeum’, a small umbrella of red and gold silk, was formerly carried over the Pope when he travelled on horseback on official visits. The ‘conopoeum’ also surmounts the Cathedral coat-of-arms. The ‘tintinnabulum’ is a lattice-work tower containing a bell, which was used to warn people of the Pope’s approach. The Canons of the Chapter wear the scarlet and purple ‘cappa parva’ for choir dress. St Edward’s Chapel was added in 1933 by Sebastian Pugin Powell, Pugin’s grandson, as a memorial to Archbishop Edward Ilsley, 2nd Bishop and 1st Archbishop of Birmingham. In November 1940 a bomb came through the Cathedral roof, bounced on the floor and exploded when it hit the central heating pipes. The pipes burst and the water extinguished the bomb, thus saving the Cathedral from destruction. See also: https://www.stchadscathedral.org.uk/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Chad%27s_Cathedral,_Birmingham |
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19th June - Optional memorial of St. Romuald, Abbot. Born - c. 951 Ravenna Died - 19 June 1027, Val di Castro Canonised - 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII Feast - 19 June, Orthodox Church 7 February Founder of the Order of Camaldoli and born of a noble family in c. 950, Romuald became a monk at the Cluniac monastery of S. Apollinare-in-Classe after his father Sergius had killed a man in a duel. After lengthy study of the Desert Fathers, he aimed at restoring penance and solitude to contemporary monasticism and put forward the argument that the monastic life, particularly its solitude, was the way to salvation for all. His most famous monasteries were at Avelana, which was virtually refounded by his disciple, St. Peter Damian, and at Camaldoli, which would develop into a separate congregation after his death. This, in turn, would influence St. Bruno and the Carthusian Order. Romuald’s particular contribution to the Monastic Order was to provide for the hermit life within the framework of the Rule of St. Benedict. He died alone in 1027 at Val-di-Castro. Five years after his death, and again in 1466, his body was found to be incorrupt. However, when the tomb was sacrilegiously opened in 1480, the body fell to dust. He is commemorated by a statue on the colonnade at St Peter’s in Rome. The statue was created - c.1672. It is part of the group of 16 installed between August 1670 and March 1673. The statue was begun in July 1672 and is cited in the final payment to Morelli the following September. Sculptor - Lazzaro Morelli, as with the other statues, he was paid 80 scudi for the work. Height - 3.1 m. (10ft 4in) travertine. The founder saint is represented in a wide robe with long sleeves that reach to the ground. His face is framed by a flowing beard, as he holds up a model of a church. The pastoral staff in his left hand is now just a fragment. See also: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13179b.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romuald https://www.bartleby.com/210/2/071.html https://catholicsaints.info/saint-romuald/ https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2018/06/saint-romuald.html |
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20th June - Optional memorial of St. Alban, Martyr. Born – unknown, Verulamium Died - disputed: 22 June 209, c. 251 or 304, Holywell Hill (formerly Holmhurst Hill), St Albans Venerated in - Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodox Church Major shrine - Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban Feast - 2 June (General Roman Calendar of 1960 and Anglican Communion), 20 June (Current Roman Calendar) Attributes - Soldier with a very large cross and a sword; decapitated, with his head in a holly bush and the eyes of his executioner dropping out Patronage - converts, refugees, torture victims It is not known when Alban lived or when he died. Gildas and Bede attribute his martyrdom to the persecution of Diocletian in c. 305 although modern scholars have argued for the time of Decius, c. 254 or even Septimus Severus c. 209. Few details are known of his life. According to Bede he was a pagan soldier who sheltered a priest, was converted by him and was baptised. Soldiers came in pursuit of the priest, named Amphibalus. Alban and the priest changed clothes allowing the priest to escape. Alban was arrested and after refusing to offer sacrifice he was condemned to death. Before he died, he converted one of his executioners. He was beheaded by another whose eyes, the legend says, fell out. He was buried nearby, where, according to Bede; " ... when the peace of the Christian times was restored, a beautiful church worthy of his martyrdom was built, where sick folk are healed, and frequent miracles take place to this day." See also: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01252b.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Alban https://catholicsaints.info/saint-alban-of-britain/ https://www.bartleby.com/lit-hub/lives-of-the-saints/volume-vi-june/st-alban-protomartyr-of-britain |