>I checked. It's true.
>
>Charles Faulhaber The Bancroft Library UC Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
>(510) 642-3782 FAX (510) 642-7589 cfaulhab at library.berkeley.edu
>
>
> November 30, 2000
>
> St. Chad's grace in defeat won him eternal veneration
>
> By Robin Galiano
> COX NEWS SERVICE
>
>
> "Keep us, we pray, from thinking of ourselves more highly
> than we ought to think, and ready at all times to step aside for
> others, in honor preferring one another, that the cause of
> Christ may be advanced." Suggested prayer on the Feast
> of Saint Chad.
>
> LONGVIEW, Texas As if this presidential election needs
> another twist, it turns out there is a
patron saint of disputed elections,
> and it's none other than St. Chad
> of Lichfield, England.
> The seventh-century Anglican
> bishop is perhaps best known for
> not being the archbishop of York.
> While Chad was elected and duly
> installed as archbishop of York,
> some bishops objected to his
> ordination because his
> consecration had not been rightly performed.
> Unlike his bickering American counterparts today,
> however, Chad humbly withdrew in favor of the other
> candidate to preserve unity.
> Rather than cause division in the church, Chad is said to
> have told the archbishop of Canterbury: "If you decide that I
> have not rightly received the episcopal character, I willingly
> lay down the office; for I have never thought myself worthy of
> it, but under obedience, I, though unworthy, consented to
> undertake it."
> The archbishop of Canterbury was so impressed with
> Chad's humility, the story goes, that he ordained Chad
> Bishop of Lichfield instead. Chad died on March 2, 672, and
> he was venerated as a saint soon afterward.
> The Rev. Jim Bass, pastor of Mission Bend United
> Methodist Church in Houston, uncovered the ironic historical
> twist and passed along the information to Methodist pastors
> in the Texas conference. His tale was verified by the Oxford
> Dictionary of Saints.
>
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