Letter 1,50 - to the defender Symmachus. June 591.
"My son Deacon Boniface has said to me that your Experience had written that the monastery once founded by Lavinia, a religious woman, exists fully prepared and that monks ought to be ordained therein. I have certainly applauded your forethought. But I wish that another place should be provided besides that place which has already been freed for this purpose.However, I want this to be done in such a way that a place should be sought over the sea, considering the uncertainty of the time, a place which is either protected by the disposition of the place, or could certainly be fortified without great labor.
Thus we can send monks there, whereby the island itself, which had not had a monastery until now, ought to be improved even in the following of this Christian way of life.
To implement and provide for this establishment, we have sent Abbot Orosius, bearer of the present order, with whom your Experience may go around the coast of Corsica. And of whatever private person such a place can be found, we are ready to pay a just price for it, so that we can make some lasting establishment."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 174.
Wednesday 25 August 2010
Rules of Montecristo
Letter 1,49 - to all the monks settled on the island of Montecristo. June 591.
"It has come to our attention that you observe none of the precepts of the monastic rule. For which reason the have been compelled to send to you Abbot Orosius, bearer of the present command, to inquire carefully into all your activities, and to settle whatever seems just to him, and to report back to us whatever was arranged."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 174.
"It has come to our attention that you observe none of the precepts of the monastic rule. For which reason the have been compelled to send to you Abbot Orosius, bearer of the present command, to inquire carefully into all your activities, and to settle whatever seems just to him, and to report back to us whatever was arranged."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 174.
Monday 23 August 2010
Barbarians, Monks, and Women
Letter 1,48 - to Sub-deacon Anthelm. June 591.
"But we have discovered that on the island which is called Eumorfiana, on which it is known that an oratory of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles, had been built, many men have taken refuge with their wives, coming there from various patrimonies under the duress of barbarian savagery.
We have judged this unsuitable. For while there are other places of refuge nearby, why should women life there with the monks?
We therefore instruct your Experience with this present order, from now on not to allow any woman to life or remain there any longer, whether they are under ecclesiastical law or any other law, but let them provide a refuge for themselves wherever they wish, since there are many places nearby, as has been said, that all intercourse with women should be removed from there.
Otherwise if we desist from showing the care that is in us and from opposing the snares of the enemy, if any disaster should arise (Heaven forbid!), we ourselves may thereby be at fault."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 173.
"But we have discovered that on the island which is called Eumorfiana, on which it is known that an oratory of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles, had been built, many men have taken refuge with their wives, coming there from various patrimonies under the duress of barbarian savagery.
We have judged this unsuitable. For while there are other places of refuge nearby, why should women life there with the monks?
We therefore instruct your Experience with this present order, from now on not to allow any woman to life or remain there any longer, whether they are under ecclesiastical law or any other law, but let them provide a refuge for themselves wherever they wish, since there are many places nearby, as has been said, that all intercourse with women should be removed from there.
Otherwise if we desist from showing the care that is in us and from opposing the snares of the enemy, if any disaster should arise (Heaven forbid!), we ourselves may thereby be at fault."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 173.
Saturday 14 August 2010
In All Fairness
Letter 1,47 to Deacon Honaratus. June 591.
"The glorious military commander Theodore, who is known to have taken on the dukedom of the island of Sardinia, is carrying out many things there contrary to the orders of his most holy emperor (...). For this reason we want you to inform our most holy emperor at an appropriate time about what the provincials of the aforesaid island justly and properly demand.
For already in the seventh indiction, an imperial decree addressed to the glorious gentleman Edantius, then duke of Sardinia, had arrived ordering all the troublesome sections to be removed, so that its orders, proceeding from the generosity of His Holiness, might be obeyed, unchanged by any dukes who happened to be in charge at the time, and so that their reward should nog be dissipated by costs of administration.
Thus they will pass a quiet life under the merciful command of their emperor, and at the arrival of the eternal judge, they will receive, with increased recompense, the consideration peacefully bestowed by them upon their own subjects."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 172.
"The glorious military commander Theodore, who is known to have taken on the dukedom of the island of Sardinia, is carrying out many things there contrary to the orders of his most holy emperor (...). For this reason we want you to inform our most holy emperor at an appropriate time about what the provincials of the aforesaid island justly and properly demand.
For already in the seventh indiction, an imperial decree addressed to the glorious gentleman Edantius, then duke of Sardinia, had arrived ordering all the troublesome sections to be removed, so that its orders, proceeding from the generosity of His Holiness, might be obeyed, unchanged by any dukes who happened to be in charge at the time, and so that their reward should nog be dissipated by costs of administration.
Thus they will pass a quiet life under the merciful command of their emperor, and at the arrival of the eternal judge, they will receive, with increased recompense, the consideration peacefully bestowed by them upon their own subjects."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 172.
In The Light Of Day
Letter 1,46 - to Theodore, duke of Sardina. June 591.
"The justice that you bear in your mind you ought to demonstrate before people with the light of your works.
For Juliana, abbess of the convent of Saint Vitus, which Vitula, of worthy memory, once constructed, has suggested to us that the legal possession of the aforesaid convent is being held by Donatus, an official of yours. While this gentleman sees that he is surrounded by the protection of your Excellency, he does not deign to submit to being examined in court.
But now your Glory must order this same official to appear before a court of arbitration, with the aforesaid nun, so that whatever is decided by the verdict of the judges over such a dispute as theirs, may be put into effect.
In this way whatever he sees himself either losing or retaining, it must be ascribed to the justice of law and not to an act of man."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 172.
"The justice that you bear in your mind you ought to demonstrate before people with the light of your works.
For Juliana, abbess of the convent of Saint Vitus, which Vitula, of worthy memory, once constructed, has suggested to us that the legal possession of the aforesaid convent is being held by Donatus, an official of yours. While this gentleman sees that he is surrounded by the protection of your Excellency, he does not deign to submit to being examined in court.
But now your Glory must order this same official to appear before a court of arbitration, with the aforesaid nun, so that whatever is decided by the verdict of the judges over such a dispute as theirs, may be put into effect.
In this way whatever he sees himself either losing or retaining, it must be ascribed to the justice of law and not to an act of man."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 172.
Sunday 8 August 2010
About Conversion
Letter 1,45 - to Virgil of Arles, and to Theodore, bishop of Marseilles, in Gaul. June 591.
"(In fact) a lot of the Jewish faith who reside in that province [of Gaul], and often travel in parts of Marseilles on various business, have brought to our notice that many of the Jews living in that district have been brought to the baptismal font more by force than by preaching.
For it is my opinion that the intent of this sort is certainly praiseworthy, and I acknowledge that it derives from a love of our Lord. Yet unless this same intention is accompanied by a suitable display of Holy Scripture, I am afraid that either no reward may come from there, or else losses may follow in terms of some of the souls ('God forbid!'), which we want to be saved.
For when anyone approaches the baptismal font not due to the sweetness of preaching, but under constraint, he returns to his former superstition from where he seemed to be reborn, and dies in a worse state.
Therefore, let your Fraternity call people of this sort to God with frequent preaching, so that they desire to change their old way of life more due to sweetness of their teacher. For thus what we intended is correctly accomplished, and the soul of the convert does not revert again to its former vomit."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 171.
"(In fact) a lot of the Jewish faith who reside in that province [of Gaul], and often travel in parts of Marseilles on various business, have brought to our notice that many of the Jews living in that district have been brought to the baptismal font more by force than by preaching.
For it is my opinion that the intent of this sort is certainly praiseworthy, and I acknowledge that it derives from a love of our Lord. Yet unless this same intention is accompanied by a suitable display of Holy Scripture, I am afraid that either no reward may come from there, or else losses may follow in terms of some of the souls ('God forbid!'), which we want to be saved.
For when anyone approaches the baptismal font not due to the sweetness of preaching, but under constraint, he returns to his former superstition from where he seemed to be reborn, and dies in a worse state.
Therefore, let your Fraternity call people of this sort to God with frequent preaching, so that they desire to change their old way of life more due to sweetness of their teacher. For thus what we intended is correctly accomplished, and the soul of the convert does not revert again to its former vomit."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 171.
Sunday 1 August 2010
Practicalities
Letter 1,44 - to Sub-deacon Peter. June 591.
"The commandments of God exhort us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and when they order us to love them with charity, how much more ought we to help them with subsidies for their bodily necessities, so as to relieve their shortages in these, if not in all ways, at least with a few provisions!
Since, therefore, we have seen that this Filimuth, son of a most worthy gentleman, suffers need not only through the loss of sight but also from a shortage of provisions, we have thought it necessary, as far as possibility allows it, to provide him with a decision.
Therefore, with this present order we instruct your Experience to supply him with twenty four measures of wheat each year, and twelve measures of beans also and twenty casks of wine, for the maintenance of his life."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 170.
"The commandments of God exhort us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and when they order us to love them with charity, how much more ought we to help them with subsidies for their bodily necessities, so as to relieve their shortages in these, if not in all ways, at least with a few provisions!
Since, therefore, we have seen that this Filimuth, son of a most worthy gentleman, suffers need not only through the loss of sight but also from a shortage of provisions, we have thought it necessary, as far as possibility allows it, to provide him with a decision.
Therefore, with this present order we instruct your Experience to supply him with twenty four measures of wheat each year, and twelve measures of beans also and twenty casks of wine, for the maintenance of his life."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 170.
Love Your Neighbor
Letter 1,43 - to all the bishops throughout Illyria. May 591.
"You should (therefore) show yourself obedient in this matter, and first of all to the heavenly Prince, and you should consent to the emperor's orders also, that is, you should freely undertake to console the brethren and fellow bishops, who are oppressed also by the difficulties of captivity and of diverse shortages of live, and to have them live with you with Church support.
The dignity of the episcopal throne should certainly not be divided through this communion, but they should be allowed to receive sufficient sustenance from the Church, as far as is possible.
Thus, we are shown to love both our neighbor in God and God in our neighbor. For although we have attributed no authority to them in your churches, yet we encourage you most strongly to support them with your consolation."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 169.
"You should (therefore) show yourself obedient in this matter, and first of all to the heavenly Prince, and you should consent to the emperor's orders also, that is, you should freely undertake to console the brethren and fellow bishops, who are oppressed also by the difficulties of captivity and of diverse shortages of live, and to have them live with you with Church support.
The dignity of the episcopal throne should certainly not be divided through this communion, but they should be allowed to receive sufficient sustenance from the Church, as far as is possible.
Thus, we are shown to love both our neighbor in God and God in our neighbor. For although we have attributed no authority to them in your churches, yet we encourage you most strongly to support them with your consolation."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 169.
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