Quote from Letter 5,16 to John, bishop of Prima Justiana, in Illyria. November 594
(W)e have duly sent over a pallium, and decree that you carry out the office of the apostolic see with regular renewal, and suggest that you should show yourself as so approachable among your subjects, that they are encouraged to love your rectitude rather than fear it. If perchance their sins should demand it, you will take care so to correct their faults, that you in no way give up the paternal affection you feel for them.
Be vigilant and concerned in guarding the flock entrusted to you, and strict with a keen desire for discipline, so that the wolf lying in wait does not succeed in disturbing the Lord's sheepfold or in harming the sheep with any chance of deceit. Be quick to make a profit in souls for our God, with the full attention of your mind. Realize that we have adopted the name of shepherd not for rest but for hard work. Let us show, therefore, with our work what we signify in the name.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, translated by John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMPS, 2004), II, 333
Showing posts with label shepherd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shepherd. Show all posts
Friday, 7 September 2012
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
Friday, 21 January 2011
The Ancient Enemy
Letter 2,39 - to bishop Columbus. 23 July 592
"It is well known, dearest brother in Christ, that the ancient enemy, who first used cunning persuasion to depose man from the delights of paradise to this life of misery, and then in this act at once inflicted the penalty of mortality on the human race, is now trying with the same cunning to infect the shepherds of the Lord's sheep, pouring his poison through them, to capture their flocks more easily, and to claim them as already rightfully under his own control.
But we who, although undeserving, have received the government of the apostolic see in the place of Peter, prince of the apostles, are forced by the office itself of the pontificate to oppose our universal enemy with all the effort we can muster.
And so the bearers of this present letter, Constantius and Mustelus, presenting a petition, have suggested to us, as is asserted by the archdeacons of the church of Pudentia, that Maximian, bishop of the same church, in the place where he lives, has been corrupted by a bribe from the Donatists, and has allowed a bishop to be elected with a new license, although the Catholic faith prohibited this from continuing and persisting, even if an earlier use might have permitted it.
Because of this therefore we have thought it necessary to advise your Fraternity with the present letter that, when our private secretary Hilary reaches you, and a universal council of your bishops has been arranged, with the terror of a coming judgment before their eyes, the same affair should be examined with a careful and sagacious inquiry.
If the bearers of this letter endorse this charge, with documents pertinent to the aforesaid bishop, he must be stripped in every way of the dignity of the office he holds, so that he may return to the profits of penitence through the acknowledgement of his sin, and so other may not resume to try such things. For it is just that he who has sold our Lord, Jesus Christ, to a heretic, accepting money they say, should of course be removed from handling the mysteries of his sacrosanct body and blood."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 217.
"It is well known, dearest brother in Christ, that the ancient enemy, who first used cunning persuasion to depose man from the delights of paradise to this life of misery, and then in this act at once inflicted the penalty of mortality on the human race, is now trying with the same cunning to infect the shepherds of the Lord's sheep, pouring his poison through them, to capture their flocks more easily, and to claim them as already rightfully under his own control.
But we who, although undeserving, have received the government of the apostolic see in the place of Peter, prince of the apostles, are forced by the office itself of the pontificate to oppose our universal enemy with all the effort we can muster.
And so the bearers of this present letter, Constantius and Mustelus, presenting a petition, have suggested to us, as is asserted by the archdeacons of the church of Pudentia, that Maximian, bishop of the same church, in the place where he lives, has been corrupted by a bribe from the Donatists, and has allowed a bishop to be elected with a new license, although the Catholic faith prohibited this from continuing and persisting, even if an earlier use might have permitted it.
Because of this therefore we have thought it necessary to advise your Fraternity with the present letter that, when our private secretary Hilary reaches you, and a universal council of your bishops has been arranged, with the terror of a coming judgment before their eyes, the same affair should be examined with a careful and sagacious inquiry.
If the bearers of this letter endorse this charge, with documents pertinent to the aforesaid bishop, he must be stripped in every way of the dignity of the office he holds, so that he may return to the profits of penitence through the acknowledgement of his sin, and so other may not resume to try such things. For it is just that he who has sold our Lord, Jesus Christ, to a heretic, accepting money they say, should of course be removed from handling the mysteries of his sacrosanct body and blood."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 217.
Saturday, 11 September 2010
The Snares Of The Enemy
Letter 1,58 - to the clergy, senate and people, living in Perugia. July 591.
"For it is well known that a flock of sheep, left without the shepherd's care, wanders from the true path and for that reason falls more easily into the insidious snares of the enemy.
For this reason, it is necessary for you to search for one of those who are soldiers of the Church, with the fear of God before them, one who can take on the ministry of pastoral care in a worthy manner and in that role, with the protection of the Lord, can act as steward of the divine mysteries."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 178.
"For it is well known that a flock of sheep, left without the shepherd's care, wanders from the true path and for that reason falls more easily into the insidious snares of the enemy.
For this reason, it is necessary for you to search for one of those who are soldiers of the Church, with the fear of God before them, one who can take on the ministry of pastoral care in a worthy manner and in that role, with the protection of the Lord, can act as steward of the divine mysteries."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 178.
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.
Saturday, 15 May 2010
A Flock Needs A Shepherd
Letter 1,18 - to Sub-deacon Peter. January 591.
"If some cities in the province of Sicily are known to be without the rule of a priest, through the loss of priests because of misdemeanors, see if someone can be found worthy of a priestly position. Inquire first of all into the gravity of their morals, and then send them over to us, as the flock of every single place ought not to be found destitute for a long time, due to a pastor's lapse.
But if, in fact, you will find some positions vacant, but nobody from that same church is discovered suitable for such an honor, report back to us after a similarly thorough inquire, so that God can decide whom he judges worthy of such ordinations.
For it should not happen that, through one person's deviation, the Lord's flock may be scattered through rugged places without a shepherd. For in this way, proper order results for the parishes, and no suspicion will remain for those who have lapsed of reverting to there former state, so that they are more rightly penitent."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 132.
"If some cities in the province of Sicily are known to be without the rule of a priest, through the loss of priests because of misdemeanors, see if someone can be found worthy of a priestly position. Inquire first of all into the gravity of their morals, and then send them over to us, as the flock of every single place ought not to be found destitute for a long time, due to a pastor's lapse.
But if, in fact, you will find some positions vacant, but nobody from that same church is discovered suitable for such an honor, report back to us after a similarly thorough inquire, so that God can decide whom he judges worthy of such ordinations.
For it should not happen that, through one person's deviation, the Lord's flock may be scattered through rugged places without a shepherd. For in this way, proper order results for the parishes, and no suspicion will remain for those who have lapsed of reverting to there former state, so that they are more rightly penitent."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 132.
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