Today, at St Chad’s Cathedral in Birmingham, the Solemnity of St Chad is being celebrated. St Chad has special significance for us, since it was here at Aston Hall that his relics were discovered by Fr Ben Hulme in the nineteenth century.

St Bede the Venerable wrote of him; ‘Chad, being thus consecrated bishop, began immediately to devote himself to ecclesiastical truth and to chastity; to apply himself to humility, continence, and study; to travel about, not on horseback, but after the manner of the apostles, on foot, to preach the Gospel in towns, the open country, cottages, villages, and castles; for he was one of the disciples of Aidan, and endeavoured to instruct his people, by the same actions and behaviour, according to his and his brother Cedd’s example’.

May St Chad pray for us, that we may witness to charity, truth and humility, and may God bless you this day.