In the first year of Pope Innocent VI. (1353) it was represented that the See of Down was vacant by the death of Rodulfus: "dicta Ecclesia per obitum Rodulphi, qui in partibus illis, Praedecessore nostro vivente, debitum naturae persolvit"; and hence Gregory, provost of Killala, was appointed bishop on the 29th January, 1353, and was consecrated at Avignon by Cardinal Peter, Bishop of Palestrina. The infirm Bishop Rodulfus, however, was not yet deceased, and Gregory was immediately promoted to some titular bishopric. When Rodulfus finally passed to a better world, in August, 1353, the clergy and chapter of Down petitioned to have Richard Calf, who was prior of the monastery, advanced to the vacant see. This petition was readily granted, and the appointment of Dr. Richard was registered on the 2nd of the Nones of December, the same year. A few days later he was consecrated in Avignon, by order of his Holiness, and on the 23rd of December the following beautiful letter was addressed to him by the Holy Father: "Pridem Dunensi Ecclesia Pastoris solatio destituta, Nos ad personam tuam claris virtutum titulis insignitam nostrae mentis aciem dirigentes, te de fratrum nostrorum consilio eidem Ecclesiae in Episcopum praefecimus et pastorem, curam et administrationem ipsius Ecclesiae tibi in spiritualibus et temporalibus plenarie committendo prout in litteris nostris inde confectis plenius continetur. Cum autem postmodum per ven. fratrem nostrum Petrum Episcopum Bottentonensem tibi fecerimus apud Sedem Apostolicam munus consecrationis impendi, fraternitati tuae per apostolica scripta mandamus, quatenus apostolicae sedis beneplacitis te conformans, ad praedictam Ecclesiam cum nostrae benedictionis gratia te personaliter conferens, sic te in administratione ipsius, diligenter et sollicite gerere studeas, ut utilis administratoris industriae non immerito gaudeat se commissam, ac famae laudabilis tuae odor ex tuis probabiliter actibus latius diffundatur, et praeter aeternae retributions praemium nostrae benevolentiae gratiam et favorem exinde uberius consequaris"--(_Mon. Vatic._, p. 306).