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.

A Plea For Merciful Justice

Letter 1,53 - to Sub-deacon Anthelm. July 591.

"I remember having warned you quite often not only with frequent injunctions, but also face to face, to administer our office there not so much for the sake of Church interests as for alleviating the needs of the poor, and more for protecting them against th oppression of whoever it may be.
(...) It is harsh that some who buy their freedom for the due price are reduced to slavery once more by the Church, that should have protected them against it. And so we find it necessary to advice your Experience again and again that if some questions arise there between poor people and the holy Roman Church, you must discuss them with total integrity of mind, and pursue the interests of the patrimony in such a way that you do not withdraw from merciful justice."

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 175.