Quote from Letter 4,24 to Januarius, bishop of Sardina. May 594
As for the cleric Paul, he is said to have been discovered sinning on many occasions and, despising his habit, he has reverted to life as a layman and has fled to Africa. If that is so, once he has first suffered corporeal punishments, we order him to be handed over for penance.
Thus, in accordance with the apostolic sentence, his spirit may be saved through carnal affliction and with a continuous flow of tears he can wash away the earthly disease of sins, which he is said to have contracted through wicked deeds.
But let no religious person be associated with those who have been suspended from ecclesiastical communion, in accordance with the rules of the canons.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 305
Showing posts with label communion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label communion. Show all posts
Monday, 23 January 2012
Friday, 7 October 2011
Proven Of Life And Morals
Letter 4,9 - to Januarius, bishop of Cagliari. September 593
"Carefully select one man, proven in his way of life and morals, whose age and rank leave him open to no suspicion of evil. With the fear of God, this man should be able to attend the convents themselves, so that the nuns are no longer allowed to wander outside their venerable abodes, contrary to the rule, for any reasons at all, whether private or public. But whatever has to be done for them, let it be done sensibly through the man selected by you. But let them offer praises to God and confine themselves to their convents, and provide no further reason for a suspicion of evil in the minds of the faithful.
Yet if any of them, through the earlier freedom, or through an evil custom of impunity, has either been seduced in the past or will be dragged down into the abyss of adultery in the future, we want her to suffer the severity of appropriate punishment, and then be consigned to another stricter convent of virgins, to do penance. There let her improve herself with prayers and fasting and penitence, and let her provide a fearful example to others of a stricter discipline.
But the man who is found in some wicked act with women of this sort, must be deprived of communion, if he is a layman. If he is a cleric, he must also be removed from his office and be confined to a monastery, to bewail his failures n self-control for evermore."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 292.
"Carefully select one man, proven in his way of life and morals, whose age and rank leave him open to no suspicion of evil. With the fear of God, this man should be able to attend the convents themselves, so that the nuns are no longer allowed to wander outside their venerable abodes, contrary to the rule, for any reasons at all, whether private or public. But whatever has to be done for them, let it be done sensibly through the man selected by you. But let them offer praises to God and confine themselves to their convents, and provide no further reason for a suspicion of evil in the minds of the faithful.
Yet if any of them, through the earlier freedom, or through an evil custom of impunity, has either been seduced in the past or will be dragged down into the abyss of adultery in the future, we want her to suffer the severity of appropriate punishment, and then be consigned to another stricter convent of virgins, to do penance. There let her improve herself with prayers and fasting and penitence, and let her provide a fearful example to others of a stricter discipline.
But the man who is found in some wicked act with women of this sort, must be deprived of communion, if he is a layman. If he is a cleric, he must also be removed from his office and be confined to a monastery, to bewail his failures n self-control for evermore."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 292.
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Schism
Letter 4,2 - to Constantius, bishop of Milan. September 593
"And if there has been any mention of the Three Chapters in anything said or written, your Fraternity remembers it well, although Laurence, the predecessor to your Fraternity, sent a very strict pledge to the apostolic see, witnessed by most noble men, in number as prescribed by law. Among them I also added my signature to theirs, as at that time I was acting as urban praetor. This was because, after such a schism had arisen for no reason, it was right that the apostolic see should take care in every way to protect unity in the minds of priests of the universal Church.
But is it being said that our daughter, Queen Theodelinda, after hearing this report, has withdrawn herself from communion with you. It is quite evident that, although she has been seduced to some small degree by the words of wicked men, yet when Hippolitus the notary and Abbot John arrive there, she will be seeking communion with your Fraternity in every way."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 287.
"And if there has been any mention of the Three Chapters in anything said or written, your Fraternity remembers it well, although Laurence, the predecessor to your Fraternity, sent a very strict pledge to the apostolic see, witnessed by most noble men, in number as prescribed by law. Among them I also added my signature to theirs, as at that time I was acting as urban praetor. This was because, after such a schism had arisen for no reason, it was right that the apostolic see should take care in every way to protect unity in the minds of priests of the universal Church.
But is it being said that our daughter, Queen Theodelinda, after hearing this report, has withdrawn herself from communion with you. It is quite evident that, although she has been seduced to some small degree by the words of wicked men, yet when Hippolitus the notary and Abbot John arrive there, she will be seeking communion with your Fraternity in every way."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 287.
Thursday, 9 December 2010
An Explanatory Letter
Letter 2,18 - to all the bishops appointed in Dalmatia. March 592.
"We have already warned him [bishop Natalis] with so many letters, but so far he has remained persistently obstinate. Therefore we have taken care with another letter directed to him, to advise him through the bearer of this letter to replace his Archdeacon Honoratus in his former position, as soon as the bearer of this letter joins him.
If his heart is still obstinate, perhaps, and he arrogantly puts off recalling him to the same rank, because of his repeated displays of arrogance, we have ordered him to be deprived of the use of the pallium, which was conceded to him by his see. If however even after losing the pallium, he still perseveres with the same obstinacy, we have ordered that he be removed from participation also in the body and blood of our Lord.
For it is fair that he should feel us harsh in our justice, given that he has despised us when complaint toward him from affection. We therefore do not even now deviate from the path of whose fault was not at all clear to us, has been restored to his proper position, which the above-mentioned bishop has despised.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 203.
"We have already warned him [bishop Natalis] with so many letters, but so far he has remained persistently obstinate. Therefore we have taken care with another letter directed to him, to advise him through the bearer of this letter to replace his Archdeacon Honoratus in his former position, as soon as the bearer of this letter joins him.
If his heart is still obstinate, perhaps, and he arrogantly puts off recalling him to the same rank, because of his repeated displays of arrogance, we have ordered him to be deprived of the use of the pallium, which was conceded to him by his see. If however even after losing the pallium, he still perseveres with the same obstinacy, we have ordered that he be removed from participation also in the body and blood of our Lord.
For it is fair that he should feel us harsh in our justice, given that he has despised us when complaint toward him from affection. We therefore do not even now deviate from the path of whose fault was not at all clear to us, has been restored to his proper position, which the above-mentioned bishop has despised.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 203.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
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.
Saturday, 8 May 2010
One Faith
Letter 1,14 - to Demetrius, bishop of Naples. December 590.
"Stephen, the bearer of this letter, when his mind was wavering from the path of truth concerning certain articles of faith, had suspended himself from the communion of the Catholic Church because of his doubts over this matter, until God, the discloser of truth, should recall him to the path of righteousness. Please recognize that he has satisfied us and has taken communion, accepting the Catholic faith. (..) We give you this advice with the present letter, by virtue of our faith and at risk to us, that they [Stephen and a group sharing his earlier doubts, AS], that they themselves seem to have demanded. Receive them into the Catholic faith and communion, and recall them from the darkness into light in whatever ways you can, so that after a case of this sort has been brought to us, even if we pass over it in silence, we cannot endure the failure of negligence over their souls."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 130.
"Stephen, the bearer of this letter, when his mind was wavering from the path of truth concerning certain articles of faith, had suspended himself from the communion of the Catholic Church because of his doubts over this matter, until God, the discloser of truth, should recall him to the path of righteousness. Please recognize that he has satisfied us and has taken communion, accepting the Catholic faith. (..) We give you this advice with the present letter, by virtue of our faith and at risk to us, that they [Stephen and a group sharing his earlier doubts, AS], that they themselves seem to have demanded. Receive them into the Catholic faith and communion, and recall them from the darkness into light in whatever ways you can, so that after a case of this sort has been brought to us, even if we pass over it in silence, we cannot endure the failure of negligence over their souls."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 130.
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