Quote from Letter 5,17 to Venantius, bishop of Luni. November 594
And so let your Fraternity look after what has been entrusted to you with vigilant care. With your preaching you must save them from their evil deeds, as you are able to do, so that you are found both to fulfill the purpose of your office and to make God be there so recompense you for your actions. But we are extremely keen to see you and to rejoice in God over your presence here and your safety. We have sent a vestment for the woman who needs to be baptized, and we pray that you always write to us about such things.
We have also directed that those bearing this letter should hand over a copy of our Pastoral Care to the noble priest, Columban. You are not to keep it for yourself, for we are sending over another copy as quickly as possible, for you to use.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, translated by John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMPS, 2004), II,
Showing posts with label baptism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baptism. Show all posts
Monday, 10 September 2012
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Being A Christian
Quote from Letter 4,27 to Hospiton, duke of the Barbaricini. May 594.
Since nobody from your people is a Christian, I know that you are better than all of your people, in that you are found to be a Christian among them. For while all of the Barbaricini live like senseless animals, and know not the true God, worshipping sticks and stones, by the very fact that you worship the true God, you show how much you surpass all the others.
But you will need to prove the faith that you have received with good acts also, and to offer to Christ, in whom you believe, what is in your power. Thus you should bring to him as many people as you van, and have them baptized, warning them to love the eternal life.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 308
Since nobody from your people is a Christian, I know that you are better than all of your people, in that you are found to be a Christian among them. For while all of the Barbaricini live like senseless animals, and know not the true God, worshipping sticks and stones, by the very fact that you worship the true God, you show how much you surpass all the others.
But you will need to prove the faith that you have received with good acts also, and to offer to Christ, in whom you believe, what is in your power. Thus you should bring to him as many people as you van, and have them baptized, warning them to love the eternal life.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 308
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.
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
No Flock Without a Shepherd
Letter 1,32 - to Romanus, patrician and exarch of italy. February 591.
"It has come to our notice that your excellency has already detained Blandus, the bishop of the city of Ortona, in the city of Ravenna for a long time. And it happens that a church without a bishop, and its people, just like a flock without a shepherd, disperse, and in that place infants die without baptism for the remission of their sins. Again, because we do not believe that your Excellency would have held him, unless for some likely case of aberration, it is necessary that a synod be held and the matter be brought out into the open, if any charge would be brought against him."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 152.
"It has come to our notice that your excellency has already detained Blandus, the bishop of the city of Ortona, in the city of Ravenna for a long time. And it happens that a church without a bishop, and its people, just like a flock without a shepherd, disperse, and in that place infants die without baptism for the remission of their sins. Again, because we do not believe that your Excellency would have held him, unless for some likely case of aberration, it is necessary that a synod be held and the matter be brought out into the open, if any charge would be brought against him."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 152.
Thursday, 13 May 2010
True Faith And Eternal Life
Letter 1,17 - to all the bishops of Italy. January 591.
"The most wicked Autharit (..) prohibited the children of the Lpmbards from being baptized into the Catholic faith (..) so it is right that your Fraternity should advice all the Lombards in your dioceses that,in view of the grim pestilence which is threatening everywhere, they should reconcile those same children of theirs, who were baptized in the Arian heresy, to the Catholic faith, so as to placate the anger of our almighty Lord.
Therefore, warn those whom you can, with whatever courage you can, bring them to the true faith, and constantly preach eternal life to them (..)."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 131.
"The most wicked Autharit (..) prohibited the children of the Lpmbards from being baptized into the Catholic faith (..) so it is right that your Fraternity should advice all the Lombards in your dioceses that,in view of the grim pestilence which is threatening everywhere, they should reconcile those same children of theirs, who were baptized in the Arian heresy, to the Catholic faith, so as to placate the anger of our almighty Lord.
Therefore, warn those whom you can, with whatever courage you can, bring them to the true faith, and constantly preach eternal life to them (..)."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 131.
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