CAPG's Blog: Saint Chad, Bishop and Confessor, a.d. 673

Saint Chad, Bishop and Confessor, a.d. 673

by VP

Posted on Saturday March 02, 2024 at 12:00AM in Saints

"His first education was under the great St. Aidan, in his monastery of Lindisfarne, whence, for his greater improvement in sacred literature and divine contemplation, he passed over into Ireland. Thence he returned into England, and being now a priest, took charge of a monastery, which his brother had founded in Yorkshire. He discharged this office with such perfection, that he was called forth from his solitude, and consecrated bishop of York. He zealously devoted himself to the laborious functions of his charge, applying himself to humility, mortification, and spiritual reading, visiting his diocese on foot, preaching the gospel, and seeking after the poorest persons to instruct and comfort them.

St. Theodore, archbishop of Canterbury, found the ordination of St. Chad defective, and adjudged the see of York to St. Wilfrid. St. Chad willingly offered to resign his bishopric, of which he had never thought himself worthy. But St. Theodore was so charmed with his humility, that he would not admit of his resignation, but supplied what he found wanting to his ordination. The humble prelate retired to his former monastery; but was soon after appointed bishop of the Mercians, and fixed his episcopal see at Lichfield. By his heavenly doctrine and saintly life, he shone forth as one of the brightest stars in the firmament of God's Church. His common abode was in a house which he had built near the church at Lichfield; wherein he was accustomed to pray and read with seven or eight brethren, as often as he had any spare time from the labour and ministry of the Word. He had governed his diocese with admirable perfection for two years and a half, when he died in the great pestilence, on the 2nd of March, in 673.

Pray for all the prelates of Christ's Church, and in particular for those of your country, that both by word and example they may be lights to the faithful, to lead them into all truth and holiness. Pray for the people of this nation, that God would show mercy to them, in removeing his judg ments, and raising up apostolic men, by those labours vice and profaneness may be banished from this island." The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother

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