St John Regis and St Richard of Chichester

French Jesuit priest. Born near Narbonne in 1597, John Francis Regis was the son of a well-to-do merchant. He joined the Jesuits at 18 and was ordained in 1631. as a young priest he longed to work as a missionary among the indigenous peoples of Canada, but he was to live out his vocation in France, running missions in the very poor rural areas of the Auvergne and Languedoc.

A tireless preacher, many people were converted by him. He made great efforts to help prisoners and prostitutes - with little support from his superiors. He also set up many Confraternities of the Blessed Sacrament.

He encountered rigorous winters, snowdrifts and other deprivations, but continued preaching missions and earned a reputation as a saint. One man, entering the town of Saint-Andé, came upon a large crowd in front of a church and was told that people were waiting for 'the saint' who was coming to preach a mission.

St John Regis died on the evening of 31 December 1640, while on a preaching mission at La Louvesc in Dauphine. His final words were: "Into thy hands I commend my spirit."

St John Regis was canonised by Pope Clement XII in 1737. His shrine at La Louvesc is a popular place of pilgrimage.

and St Richard of Chichester

Bishop and patron of Sussex. Born in 1197, he is also known as St Richard de Wyche, he was born in Worcestershire, England to a land-owning squire. His father died when he was young, causing the family to suffer hardship for many years. The situation became dire enough for Richard to suspend his studies to take over the family estates and make them profitable again. He went on to Oxford to study for the priesthood, but was so poor that he and two companions shared a set of clothes which they took turns wearing to class. He obtained degrees at the universities in Paris and Bologna before being appointed as the Chancellor of Oxford University.

Richard became well-known for his learning and sanctity. As a result he next became Chancellor for the Archbishop of Canterbury, St. Edmund Rich, to whom he was a faithful companion and advisor. Years later, Richard was ordained Bishop of Chichester. In this position he entered into power struggles with King Henry III, who withheld his diocesan revenues and blocked his access to the cathedral.

St Richard had many accomplishments as bishop, including establishing greater order and reverence to the liturgy, vigorously defending the rights of the Church, assisting the poor and the oppressed, and preaching a crusade against the Saracens at the request of the Pope.

Richard died in 1253 of a fever, surrounded by his closest friends. He is widely remembered today for the popular prayer ascribed to him:

Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ

For all the benefits Thou hast given me,
For all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly.

Gratias tibi ago, Domine Jesu Christe, de omnibus beneficiis quae mihi praestitisti;
pro poenis et opprobriis, quae pro me pertulisti;
propter quae planctus ille lamentabilis vere tibi competebat.
Non est dolor similis sicut dolor meus

St Richard was buried in the Chichester Cathedral. He was canonised by Pope Urban IV in 1262. His shrine became a popular place of pilgrimage, but was destroyed by King Henry VIII during the Reformation.

St Richard's feast day was originally celebrated on 3 April. It is also now celebrated today, 16 June - also known as Sussex Day.