Letter 3,8 - to Natalis, archbishop of Salona, that his bishop should not be deposed. October 592
"Since therefore a unanimous opinion of priests cannot demote anyone from the rank of bishop, except for just reasons, we exhort your Fraternity to bring about the restoration of the aforesaid man from the same exile to which he was forced, and to inquire into his case with an episcopal debate. And if he is convicted by canonical proof over these matters for which he has been accused, then he should be inflicted without doubt with canonical punishment. But if it is found by a synodical inquiry other than was thought about him, it is necessary both that his accusers should dread the strictness of the just law, and that the judgement of their innocence should be preserved undiminished for those who have been accused."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 242.
Monday 28 March 2011
No Communion
Letter 3,7 - to John, bishop of Larissa. October 592
"Nevertheless, making a more humane decision, and preserving for the time being the sacrament of communion for you, we have decreed that from this point on your Fraternity and your church should abstain from all power of your former jurisdiction. Yet following the writings of my predecessor, if any case involving faith or crime or fraud should rise against the aforesaid Hadrian, our fellow priest, whether through those who are or were our respondents in the royal city, in the event of a trivial inquiry being examined, or it is brought here to the apostolic see, in the event that is is a serious one, let it be decided according to the sentence of our audience.
But if, contrary to what we have established, you should attempt to come at any time at all, with whatever excuse or deception, we have decreed that you be deprived of Holy Communion and you do not receive it, except in the final hours of your life, unless with the concession of an order of the Bishop of Rome. For with a prescription consonant with the holy fathers, we considered that one how does not know how to obey the holy canons should be unworthy to administer of take communion at holy altars."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 240.
"Nevertheless, making a more humane decision, and preserving for the time being the sacrament of communion for you, we have decreed that from this point on your Fraternity and your church should abstain from all power of your former jurisdiction. Yet following the writings of my predecessor, if any case involving faith or crime or fraud should rise against the aforesaid Hadrian, our fellow priest, whether through those who are or were our respondents in the royal city, in the event of a trivial inquiry being examined, or it is brought here to the apostolic see, in the event that is is a serious one, let it be decided according to the sentence of our audience.
But if, contrary to what we have established, you should attempt to come at any time at all, with whatever excuse or deception, we have decreed that you be deprived of Holy Communion and you do not receive it, except in the final hours of your life, unless with the concession of an order of the Bishop of Rome. For with a prescription consonant with the holy fathers, we considered that one how does not know how to obey the holy canons should be unworthy to administer of take communion at holy altars."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 240.
Saturday 19 March 2011
Doing Justice
Letter 3,6 - to John, bishop op Prima Justiniana. October 592
"But as for what concerns us at present, when the decrees of your aforementioned sentence have first been made null and void, we decree by the authority of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles, that you be deprived of Holy Communion for a period of thirty days, and that you must pray to our almighty God with the greatest amount of penitence and tears for pardon for such great sinfulness.
But if we should learn that you have been too slow to carry out this sentence of ours, realize that not only the injustice of your Fraternity, but your insolence also must then be punished more severely, with the help of our Lord.
But we order that Hadrian, mentioned above, our brother and fellow-bishop, condemned through your sentence, as we have said, with no support at all from the Church canons or the laws, be restored to his proper place and rank, with Christ at his side.
Thus your Fraternity's sentence, proposed contrary to the path of justice, may not do him any harm, and the love you need to placate the indignation of our future Judge may not remain impure"
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 239.
"But as for what concerns us at present, when the decrees of your aforementioned sentence have first been made null and void, we decree by the authority of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles, that you be deprived of Holy Communion for a period of thirty days, and that you must pray to our almighty God with the greatest amount of penitence and tears for pardon for such great sinfulness.
But if we should learn that you have been too slow to carry out this sentence of ours, realize that not only the injustice of your Fraternity, but your insolence also must then be punished more severely, with the help of our Lord.
But we order that Hadrian, mentioned above, our brother and fellow-bishop, condemned through your sentence, as we have said, with no support at all from the Church canons or the laws, be restored to his proper place and rank, with Christ at his side.
Thus your Fraternity's sentence, proposed contrary to the path of justice, may not do him any harm, and the love you need to placate the indignation of our future Judge may not remain impure"
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 239.
Friday 11 March 2011
Good, Dust And Ashes
Letter 3,4 - to Boniface, bishop of Reggio. September 592
"I have learnt from certain persons coming to Rome, that your Fraternity is very active in works of charity, and I thanked almighty God, because in accordance with the words of that outstanding preacher, ' we now live, if you stand form in the Lord' .
But I must admit that my mind was greatly troubled by the fact that you ourself have announced these same works to many others.
From this fact i have gathered that your object must have been to please not the eyes of God, but the judgment of man.
Wherefore, my dear brother, when your actions are good outwardly, you must guard those within with great care, to prevent the desire of pleasing men from creeping in, and to prevent all the labor of your good deeds from becoming to nothing.
For who are we, who seek to be pleased by men? What are we other than dust and ashes?"
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 237.
"I have learnt from certain persons coming to Rome, that your Fraternity is very active in works of charity, and I thanked almighty God, because in accordance with the words of that outstanding preacher, ' we now live, if you stand form in the Lord' .
But I must admit that my mind was greatly troubled by the fact that you ourself have announced these same works to many others.
From this fact i have gathered that your object must have been to please not the eyes of God, but the judgment of man.
Wherefore, my dear brother, when your actions are good outwardly, you must guard those within with great care, to prevent the desire of pleasing men from creeping in, and to prevent all the labor of your good deeds from becoming to nothing.
For who are we, who seek to be pleased by men? What are we other than dust and ashes?"
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 237.
Wednesday 9 March 2011
A Relic
Letter 3,3 - to Abbot John. September 592
"But I heard about the tunic of Saint John with extreme gratitude, as you had taken the trouble to inform me. But let your Beloved be keen to send the tunic itself over to me, or even better, send the same bishop who has it along with his clergy, so that we can carry out a blessing of the tunic, and receive a benefit from the same bishop and clergy."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 236.
"But I heard about the tunic of Saint John with extreme gratitude, as you had taken the trouble to inform me. But let your Beloved be keen to send the tunic itself over to me, or even better, send the same bishop who has it along with his clergy, so that we can carry out a blessing of the tunic, and receive a benefit from the same bishop and clergy."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 236.
Tuesday 8 March 2011
Firm In Truth
Letter 3,2 - to Bishop Paul. September 592
"Although our knowledge of the injury suffered by you has caused us great unhappiness, yet we have some reason for consolation. For we have learnt that your Glory was involved in this affair because of what you endured for the sake of fairness and justice, as a report sent to us had made clear.
Therefore, so that it might be applied to the greater glory of your Fraternity, this matter ought neither to break down your constancy, nor turn you aside from the way of truth. For there is greater reward among priests in standing firm in the path of truth even after injuries."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 236.
"Although our knowledge of the injury suffered by you has caused us great unhappiness, yet we have some reason for consolation. For we have learnt that your Glory was involved in this affair because of what you endured for the sake of fairness and justice, as a report sent to us had made clear.
Therefore, so that it might be applied to the greater glory of your Fraternity, this matter ought neither to break down your constancy, nor turn you aside from the way of truth. For there is greater reward among priests in standing firm in the path of truth even after injuries."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 236.
Monstrous Crime
Letter 3,1 - to Peter, sub-deacon of Campania. September 592
"We have therefore sent our sub-deacon Epiphanius there [to the Castle of Lucullus], so that he can join the aforesaid governor in investigating who instigated the sedition, and who took part in it, and can find them out and requite them with a worthy punishment.
And so your Experience must find quick relief in this case, with all your courage, so that the truth can be found out, and so that punishments can proceed against the culprits. Since therefore they say that slaves of the glorious Clementina took part in this same crime, and made statements to stir up the sedition, if that is so, threaten them with submission to severe punishment. Do not let your severity be too lenient towards any person of that woman, because they need to be chastised all the more fully as being of that woman, who have committed a crime due to nothing but arrogance.
But you must also inquire into the following with a careful examination, as to whether the aforesaid woman participated in such a monstrous crime, or if it was perpetrated with her knowledge, so that all might learn from our defense, how dangerous it is to assault a priest not only with one's hands but with words also."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 235.
"We have therefore sent our sub-deacon Epiphanius there [to the Castle of Lucullus], so that he can join the aforesaid governor in investigating who instigated the sedition, and who took part in it, and can find them out and requite them with a worthy punishment.
And so your Experience must find quick relief in this case, with all your courage, so that the truth can be found out, and so that punishments can proceed against the culprits. Since therefore they say that slaves of the glorious Clementina took part in this same crime, and made statements to stir up the sedition, if that is so, threaten them with submission to severe punishment. Do not let your severity be too lenient towards any person of that woman, because they need to be chastised all the more fully as being of that woman, who have committed a crime due to nothing but arrogance.
But you must also inquire into the following with a careful examination, as to whether the aforesaid woman participated in such a monstrous crime, or if it was perpetrated with her knowledge, so that all might learn from our defense, how dangerous it is to assault a priest not only with one's hands but with words also."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 235.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
