Quote from Letter 4,40 to Abbot Valentinus. August 594.
It has come to our attention that women are appearing everywhere in your monastery, and, what is even more serious, your monks are making the women their consorts. As a result, they are having incautious unions with them. Therefore, in case the enemy of the human race uses this opportunity to deceive them with his cunning (Heaven forbid!), we give you this warning accordingly in the course of this order. Do not permit women to appear in your monastery hereafter, with any sort of excuse, and do not allow your monks to make them their consorts.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 320
Tuesday 28 February 2012
Monday 27 February 2012
Ordination
Quote from Letter 4,39 to clergy, senate and people living in Ortona. August 594.
But know this, that if it is necessary and he can find men worthy of this office, we have given him the license to ordain priests and deacons. Thus, in obedience to the church, a bishop may be sought who has no reason to disagree with the venerable canons and who can be found worthy of such a great ministry.
When he has been requested with the solemnity of a decree, reinforced by the signatures of all, and accompanied by a letter of the visitor, let him com to us for ordination. Before all else, take care that you do not presume to elect a layman, whatever his way of life and merit.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 319
But know this, that if it is necessary and he can find men worthy of this office, we have given him the license to ordain priests and deacons. Thus, in obedience to the church, a bishop may be sought who has no reason to disagree with the venerable canons and who can be found worthy of such a great ministry.
When he has been requested with the solemnity of a decree, reinforced by the signatures of all, and accompanied by a letter of the visitor, let him com to us for ordination. Before all else, take care that you do not presume to elect a layman, whatever his way of life and merit.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 319
Wednesday 22 February 2012
A Friendly No
Quote from Letter 4,38 to Marcellus, a scholastic. July 594.
Our love of your Glory is always so alive in our heart that the absence of your body does not keep you away at al. For although you are far from our earthly eyes you are never out of our mind's sight. For our wish frequently drives us eagerly to writing letters, but our occupation does not allow it. And so, while your Nobility's experience may not be ignorant of the weighty occupations in which out office is involved, you should consider it due to necessity, not to our wishes, that we sometimes have a break from the duty of writing letters.
But because your Glory in your letter wants to hear from us later, we do not see with what excuse we can defend ourselves. Therefore, in this matter I should have defended myself with silence alone, but the ardor of my love did not let my tongue keep quiet.
Therefore, we greet you with all our affection and sweetness, and admit that we are greatly saddened. For you have wished to seek from us those things over which, while we are unable to satisfy your wish since reason disapproves, we may seem to sadden you, which we do not wish.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 318
Our love of your Glory is always so alive in our heart that the absence of your body does not keep you away at al. For although you are far from our earthly eyes you are never out of our mind's sight. For our wish frequently drives us eagerly to writing letters, but our occupation does not allow it. And so, while your Nobility's experience may not be ignorant of the weighty occupations in which out office is involved, you should consider it due to necessity, not to our wishes, that we sometimes have a break from the duty of writing letters.
But because your Glory in your letter wants to hear from us later, we do not see with what excuse we can defend ourselves. Therefore, in this matter I should have defended myself with silence alone, but the ardor of my love did not let my tongue keep quiet.
Therefore, we greet you with all our affection and sweetness, and admit that we are greatly saddened. For you have wished to seek from us those things over which, while we are unable to satisfy your wish since reason disapproves, we may seem to sadden you, which we do not wish.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 318
Tuesday 21 February 2012
Concerns About Orthodoxy
Quote from Letter 4,37 to Constantius, bishop of Milan. July 594.
Having run through the letter of your Holiness, we know that you are seriously upset, most of all because of the bishops ad citizens of Brescia. For they command you to send a letter to them, in which you must swear that you have not condemned the Three Chapters at all. If the predecessor of your Fraternity, Laurence, did not do so, you should not be asked to write. But if he did so, he was outside the universal Church, and overstepped the oaths of his pledge.
However, we believe that the same man kept his oath and remained in union with the Catholic Church. Thus there is no doubt that he dod not swear to any of his bishops that he had not condemned the Three Chapters at all. From this, let your Sanctity conclude that you should not be forced to do what your predecessor certainly did not do. But, so that those who wrote those words to you should not be offended, send them a letter, and in it declare this under the interposition of anathema, that you neither take away anything from the faith of the synod of Chalcedon nor receive those who do so, and that you condemn whomsoever it condemned, and absolve whomsoever is absolved.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I:317
Having run through the letter of your Holiness, we know that you are seriously upset, most of all because of the bishops ad citizens of Brescia. For they command you to send a letter to them, in which you must swear that you have not condemned the Three Chapters at all. If the predecessor of your Fraternity, Laurence, did not do so, you should not be asked to write. But if he did so, he was outside the universal Church, and overstepped the oaths of his pledge.
However, we believe that the same man kept his oath and remained in union with the Catholic Church. Thus there is no doubt that he dod not swear to any of his bishops that he had not condemned the Three Chapters at all. From this, let your Sanctity conclude that you should not be forced to do what your predecessor certainly did not do. But, so that those who wrote those words to you should not be offended, send them a letter, and in it declare this under the interposition of anathema, that you neither take away anything from the faith of the synod of Chalcedon nor receive those who do so, and that you condemn whomsoever it condemned, and absolve whomsoever is absolved.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I:317
Last Will And Testament
Quote from Letter 4,36 to Maximian, bishop of Syracuse. July 594.
Euplus, the bearer of this letter, tells us that the bishop of Agrigento, Eusanius was his father, and indicates that a great deal of his mother's property had remained at his place. Since he says that the bishop has died intestate, for that reason he asks that the property of his mother should be restored to him, and that he should be allowed to obtain the fortune of his father, the aforesaid bishop.
We charge your Fraternity, in the course of this advice, to take diligent care in investigating this matter. If anything from his mother's property can be found in the aforesaid church, provided there is nothing that could reasonably disqualify the aforesaid Euplus, see this this is restored to him according to his proper share (..). For, it is proved to be entirely contrary to reason and to our proposition, if we should refuse to give anyone satisfaction and to restore those things which legally belong to them.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I:316
Euplus, the bearer of this letter, tells us that the bishop of Agrigento, Eusanius was his father, and indicates that a great deal of his mother's property had remained at his place. Since he says that the bishop has died intestate, for that reason he asks that the property of his mother should be restored to him, and that he should be allowed to obtain the fortune of his father, the aforesaid bishop.
We charge your Fraternity, in the course of this advice, to take diligent care in investigating this matter. If anything from his mother's property can be found in the aforesaid church, provided there is nothing that could reasonably disqualify the aforesaid Euplus, see this this is restored to him according to his proper share (..). For, it is proved to be entirely contrary to reason and to our proposition, if we should refuse to give anyone satisfaction and to restore those things which legally belong to them.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I:316
Thursday 16 February 2012
The Lord's Flock
Quote from Letter 4,35 to Victor and Columbus, bishops of Africa. July 594.
The message of this consideration ought to force us powerfully to resist the diseases of the soul as far as is possible, quickly. Otherwise, while we fail to apply healthy medicines, they may rob many of you of your lives, with which we are striving to enrich our God.
We must therefore protect with vigilant care the sheepfolds of our sheep, over which we seem to have been placed as guards, so that the cunning wolf finds shepherds fighting against him on all sides, and has no way of getting into the sheepfold.
For indeed, we have found that the stings of the Donatists have disturbed our Lord's flock in those parts like this, as if they were not looked after by the control of any shepherd. And the report has come to us, which we cannot mention without heavy grief, that very many of them have already been torn by poisoned teeth.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 315
The message of this consideration ought to force us powerfully to resist the diseases of the soul as far as is possible, quickly. Otherwise, while we fail to apply healthy medicines, they may rob many of you of your lives, with which we are striving to enrich our God.
We must therefore protect with vigilant care the sheepfolds of our sheep, over which we seem to have been placed as guards, so that the cunning wolf finds shepherds fighting against him on all sides, and has no way of getting into the sheepfold.
For indeed, we have found that the stings of the Donatists have disturbed our Lord's flock in those parts like this, as if they were not looked after by the control of any shepherd. And the report has come to us, which we cannot mention without heavy grief, that very many of them have already been torn by poisoned teeth.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 315
On Celibacy
Quote from Letter 4,34 to Leo, bishop of Catana. July 594.
From the report of many, we have found that this old custom prevailed among you, that sub-deacons should be allowed to have intercourse with their wives. A deacon of our see, Servusdei, prohibited anyone from presuming to do so again, on the authority of our predecessor. He did so in such a way that, at that time, those who had already had sex with their wives should have one of two choices. That is, they should either abstain from their wives, or definitively not presume to act as ministers at all. And as far as we know, Speciosus, at that time a sub-deacon, suspended himself from his office of administration for this reason, Right up to the time of his death he carried out his office of notary instead, and ceased from the ministry that a sub-deacon ought to have served.
After the death of Speciosus, because his widow Honorata had been associated with a husband, we know that your Fraternity allotted her to a convent. And for that reason, if her husband suspended himself, as is said, from his administrative position, it ought not to harm the aforesaid woman that she had sexual union with a second husband, especially if she was joined to the sub-deacon with no such intention of abstaining from the pleasures of the flesh. And so, if you know that our information is true, it is altogether right that you release the aforesaid woman from the convent, so that she can return to her husband without any fear.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 314
From the report of many, we have found that this old custom prevailed among you, that sub-deacons should be allowed to have intercourse with their wives. A deacon of our see, Servusdei, prohibited anyone from presuming to do so again, on the authority of our predecessor. He did so in such a way that, at that time, those who had already had sex with their wives should have one of two choices. That is, they should either abstain from their wives, or definitively not presume to act as ministers at all. And as far as we know, Speciosus, at that time a sub-deacon, suspended himself from his office of administration for this reason, Right up to the time of his death he carried out his office of notary instead, and ceased from the ministry that a sub-deacon ought to have served.
After the death of Speciosus, because his widow Honorata had been associated with a husband, we know that your Fraternity allotted her to a convent. And for that reason, if her husband suspended himself, as is said, from his administrative position, it ought not to harm the aforesaid woman that she had sexual union with a second husband, especially if she was joined to the sub-deacon with no such intention of abstaining from the pleasures of the flesh. And so, if you know that our information is true, it is altogether right that you release the aforesaid woman from the convent, so that she can return to her husband without any fear.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 314
Wednesday 15 February 2012
Quote from Letter 4,33 to Theodelinda, queen of the Lpmbards. July 594.
Therefore, since you know this from my open statement of it, it is right that you should no longer have any scrap of doubt with regard to the Church of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles. But persist in the true faith, and establish your life on the rock of the Church, that is to say, on the confession of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles.
Otherwise, all of your tears and such great deeds may perish, if they are found hostile to the true faith. For as boughs wither away without the goodness of the root, so works, however good they may appear, are nothing if they are separated from the foundation of faith.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 313
Therefore, since you know this from my open statement of it, it is right that you should no longer have any scrap of doubt with regard to the Church of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles. But persist in the true faith, and establish your life on the rock of the Church, that is to say, on the confession of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles.
Otherwise, all of your tears and such great deeds may perish, if they are found hostile to the true faith. For as boughs wither away without the goodness of the root, so works, however good they may appear, are nothing if they are separated from the foundation of faith.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 313
Monday 6 February 2012
Donatists
Quote from Letter 4,32 to Pantaleo, praetorian prefect of Africa. july 594.
It is no light sin, therefore, if those who are condemned by both the integrity of our faith and the strictness of earthly laws, discover the freedom to spread in your times. And so in those parts, as far as we have learnt, the audacity of the Donatists, has so increased that they not only eject priests of the Catholic faith from their own churches, with pernicious authority, but also do not fear to re-baptize those whom the water of rebirth has washed clean with a true confession of faith. And we are quite amazed, it is is actually so, that wicked people of this sort should be allowed to do wrong, with you in charge there.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 312
It is no light sin, therefore, if those who are condemned by both the integrity of our faith and the strictness of earthly laws, discover the freedom to spread in your times. And so in those parts, as far as we have learnt, the audacity of the Donatists, has so increased that they not only eject priests of the Catholic faith from their own churches, with pernicious authority, but also do not fear to re-baptize those whom the water of rebirth has washed clean with a true confession of faith. And we are quite amazed, it is is actually so, that wicked people of this sort should be allowed to do wrong, with you in charge there.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 312
Support And Care
Quote from Letter 4,31 to Anthelm, sub-deacon. July 594.
We ought to give moderate support to those whom our Redeemer deems worthy to convert to himself from the Jewish perdition, so that they should not suffer from lack of food (Heaven forbid!). And for that reason, by the authority of this order, we charge you not to put off giving gold coins each year to the children of Justa, converted from Judaism, that is to Juliana, Redemptus and Fortuna, beginning with the approaching thirteenth indiction.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 312
We ought to give moderate support to those whom our Redeemer deems worthy to convert to himself from the Jewish perdition, so that they should not suffer from lack of food (Heaven forbid!). And for that reason, by the authority of this order, we charge you not to put off giving gold coins each year to the children of Justa, converted from Judaism, that is to Juliana, Redemptus and Fortuna, beginning with the approaching thirteenth indiction.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 312
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