St Richarius or Riquier

Dear Rick,

I am glad that you have decided to run that boys’ camp again this summer.  I am sure those internships were quite alluring, but your choice to serve needy boys instead of serving yourself will certainly add to your treasure in heaven – more than you’ll ever know in this life.  As you finish up your exams and get ready to take up your charge, I would encourage you to use one of today’s saint’s admonitions as material for your personal prayer and meditation. St Richarius, you will remember, hailed from northern France (he started a monastery close to the English Channel – the body of water, not the satellite station).  His fellow townsmen (none of whom were Christians) were about to give a couple of Irish missionary monks a nice, pagan welcome when the saint intervened to save them from torture and death. He received instruction at their hands and heard the call to become a priest himself. After spending some time in England to study the science of holiness, he returned to his native land to preach.  He did so with the zeal of one who was truly in love, and his love set fire to the hearts of many and welcomed them into the family of God. His conversations with King Dagobert were filled with warnings against the traps and vanities of the world and one particularly apt piece of advice about responsible leadership: “He who has to obey will only have to render account to God of himself, but he who commands will also have to answer for all his subjects.”  Those wild 10 and 11-year-olds may hardly seem like “subjects” to you, but your words and example can have a big effect on them, for good or for ill. Besides, keep in mind that although this summer it’s a few hundred kids, a few summers down the roads it may be a few million citizens. Be true, my good nephew; be strong; be like Christ.

God love you. Uncle Eddy