Quote from Letter 9.105 to Fortunatus, bishop of Naples. February 599
furthermore, it has been announced to us that the aforesaid Basil wishes to grant his sons some slaves, who by the grace of God are Christians, on a title of donation, so that they serve him under the following pretext: that they should cease to call him 'master', and if they subsequently believe that they should perhaps take refuge in the Church, so that they might become Christian, they should pass not into total freedom, but into the control of the sons to whom they were given before. In this matter, it is appropriate for your Fraternity to watch over things properly. And if Basil wants to give some slaves to his sons, let them become completely Christian and not remain in his home, so that every change of trickery is removed. But whenever the situation demands that they must do service to him, they must be ordered to provide this for him, as his own sons must also do. And this kind of service should be shown for the sake of God.
furthermore, it has been announced to us that the aforesaid Basil wishes to grant his sons some slaves, who by the grace of God are Christians, on a title of donation, so that they serve him under the following pretext: that they should cease to call him 'master', and if they subsequently believe that they should perhaps take refuge in the Church, so that they might become Christian, they should pass not into total freedom, but into the control of the sons to whom they were given before. In this matter, it is appropriate for your Fraternity to watch over things properly. And if Basil wants to give some slaves to his sons, let them become completely Christian and not remain in his home, so that every change of trickery is removed. But whenever the situation demands that they must do service to him, they must be ordered to provide this for him, as his own sons must also do. And this kind of service should be shown for the sake of God.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), II, 605
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