Letter 3,59 - to Eutychius, bishop of Tydari. August 593
"For you have written to us that some worshippers of idols and adherents to the dogma of the Angelii were found in these parts in which you are established. You have asserted that several of them had converted, but that some defended themselves through the names of potentates and by the nature of the region.
Giving help therefore to the good works of your Beloved, we have sent a letter of ours to that glorious man, the praetor of Sicily. We have asked him, with God's help, to work with you as vigorously as he can, so that your praiseworthy undertaking can be completed profitably.
Your Fraternity should therefore show the greatest of concern over this matter. For you will truly follow your episcopal path, if through your zeal and eloquence you bring back into the unity of the Church those who dissent from the true faith."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 279.
Showing posts with label unity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unity. Show all posts
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Schism And Concord
Letter 2,43 - to all of the eastern bishops concerning the Three-Chapters. July 592
"For you ought to know, just as Saint Cyprian says, that 'a punishment does not create a martyr, but a cause does'. Provided therefore that this is so, it is quite incongruous for you to glory in that persecution which you describe, through which it is certain that you are in no way being brought to eternal rewards.
And so may the integrity of your faith finally bring back your Charities to the mother Church into which you were born. May no mental strain separate you from the unity of concord, no persuasion tire and prevent you from rejoining the path of righteousness.
For in the synod, which dealt with the Three-Chapters, it is quite obvious that nothing to do with faith was cancelled or changed at all. Rather, as you know, action was only taken over certain persons there, one of whom, whose writings evidently deviated from the correctness of Catholic faith, was not unjustly condemned."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 222.
"For you ought to know, just as Saint Cyprian says, that 'a punishment does not create a martyr, but a cause does'. Provided therefore that this is so, it is quite incongruous for you to glory in that persecution which you describe, through which it is certain that you are in no way being brought to eternal rewards.
And so may the integrity of your faith finally bring back your Charities to the mother Church into which you were born. May no mental strain separate you from the unity of concord, no persuasion tire and prevent you from rejoining the path of righteousness.
For in the synod, which dealt with the Three-Chapters, it is quite obvious that nothing to do with faith was cancelled or changed at all. Rather, as you know, action was only taken over certain persons there, one of whom, whose writings evidently deviated from the correctness of Catholic faith, was not unjustly condemned."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 222.
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Wandering Monks
Letter 1,39 - to sub-deacon Peter. March 591.
"The venerable gentleman Paulinus, bishop of the city of Taurum, in the province of Calabria, has told us that his monks were dispersed by barbarian incursions, and are even now wandering through the whole of Sicily, and being without a bishop, are neither taking care of their souls nor maintaining the discipline of their habit.
On this matter, we order you to search out those same monks with all care and concern, to bring them together as one, and locate them with the aforesaid bishop and their ruler in the monastery of Saint Theodore, set in the city of Messina.
Thus those who are there now, whom we have found to lack a bishop, and those from his community, whom you will find and bring back, can with his leadership serve the almighty God in unity."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 159.
"The venerable gentleman Paulinus, bishop of the city of Taurum, in the province of Calabria, has told us that his monks were dispersed by barbarian incursions, and are even now wandering through the whole of Sicily, and being without a bishop, are neither taking care of their souls nor maintaining the discipline of their habit.
On this matter, we order you to search out those same monks with all care and concern, to bring them together as one, and locate them with the aforesaid bishop and their ruler in the monastery of Saint Theodore, set in the city of Messina.
Thus those who are there now, whom we have found to lack a bishop, and those from his community, whom you will find and bring back, can with his leadership serve the almighty God in unity."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 159.
Thursday, 13 May 2010
The Communion of Faith
Letter 1,16 - to Severus, bishop of Aquileia. January 591.
"(For) not to know the truth involves less of an aberration than not to remain in the same truth once it is known, and what is committed by one who has gone astray is one thing, and what is perpetrated through knowledge is another. And indeed, if we had rejoiced over how far you had been incorporated, long ago, into the unity of the Church, we are most upset that you are now so abundantly disassociated from Catholic society.
For this reason, as soon as the bearer of this letter arrives, following the command of the most Christian and serene Lordship of all, we wish you to come to the tomb of Saint Peter the apostle with your followers, so that with God's support, in a special synod,a decision may be made about that doubt which is prevalent among you all."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 131.
"(For) not to know the truth involves less of an aberration than not to remain in the same truth once it is known, and what is committed by one who has gone astray is one thing, and what is perpetrated through knowledge is another. And indeed, if we had rejoiced over how far you had been incorporated, long ago, into the unity of the Church, we are most upset that you are now so abundantly disassociated from Catholic society.
For this reason, as soon as the bearer of this letter arrives, following the command of the most Christian and serene Lordship of all, we wish you to come to the tomb of Saint Peter the apostle with your followers, so that with God's support, in a special synod,a decision may be made about that doubt which is prevalent among you all."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 131.
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