 The Rt Rev Jack L Iker, SSC, Bishop The Rev Mark A Stockstill, SSC, Vicar Office 325.356.2997 Vicarage 325.356.2198 Cell 325.330.2411 mstockstill@fwepiscopal.org |
 |
|
Home
Kalendar
Program
History
Our Vicar
Pictures
Links
Shopping
Video
News
|
|
Bishop
and leading figure in England during his era, also called Richard de Wyche.
Born at Wyche, Worcestershire, England, he was orphaned while a young lad,
managed to regain his fortune which had been mismanaged by others, and
received an excellent education at Oxford, Paris, and Bologna, Italy. At
Oxford, he studied under the famous Robert Grossteste and became friends
with St. Edmund Rich. He earned a doctorate in law from the University of
Bologna. He was appointed chancellor of Oxford in 1235 and then chancellor
to Edmund Rich, who by now was archbishop of Canterbury. After accompanying
Edmund into retirement at the Cistercian abbey of Pontigny, France, he
departed the community upon Edmund’s death, taught at the Dominican house in
Orkans, and was ordained there in 1243. Upon going home to England, he was
named chancellor to Edmund’s successor, St. Boniface of Savoy. When King
Henry Ill appointed Ralph Neville to the see of Chichester in 1244, Boniface
declared the nomination invalid and named Richard to the post, an act which
caused an uproar in the kingdom. Finally, in 1245, Pope Innocent IV found in
Richard’s favor, but Richard was prevented from entering his palace by the
machinations ,of Henry. Only after the king was threatened with
excommunication was Richard able to take up his duties. He insisted upon
strict adherence to discipline among the clergy, aided the poor, and
fearlessly denounced the corruption and vices of the contemporary Church and
the royal court. His death came at Dover, in a home for poor priests, while
delivering a plea for a crusade. Richard was canonized in 1262, and his tomb
became a popular shrine noted for its miracles until the Reformation in
England.