Letter 1042: John, our brother and fellow bishop, in a schedule sent to us by his cleric Justus, has among many other things intimated to us as follows: that some monks of the diocese of Surrentum transmigrate from monastery to monastery as they please, and depart from the rule of their own abbot out of desire for a worldly life; nay even (what is known to ...
Pope Gregory the Great→Anthemius|c. 590 AD|Pope Gregory the Great|Human translated
grief deathmonasticismproperty economics
Military conflict; Economic matters
Book I, Letter 42
To Anthemius, Subdeacon [Gregory's financial agent in the Sorrento area].
Gregory to Anthemius.
John, our brother and fellow bishop, has sent us a report through his cleric Justus that includes, among many other things, the following: certain monks in the diocese of Sorrento [a coastal area south of Naples] are moving from monastery to monastery as they please, abandoning the rule of their own abbot out of a desire for worldly living. Worse still -- which is known to be forbidden -- some are even aiming to hold personal property.
We therefore command you by this order: no monk is henceforth to be allowed to transfer between monasteries, and you are not to permit any of them to own anything personally. If anyone dares to do so, send him back under proper constraint to the monastery where he originally lived, to be placed again under the authority of the abbot he fled from. If we allow such a grave violation to go uncorrected, the souls of those who are lost will be required from their superiors.
Furthermore, if any clergy choose to become monks, they may not afterward return to the church where they previously served, nor to any other -- unless a monk proves to be of such outstanding character that the bishop under whom he formerly served considers him worthy of the priesthood. In that case, the bishop may choose him and ordain him to whatever position he sees fit.
We have also learned that some monks have fallen into such wickedness as to openly take wives. Seek these out with all diligence and, when found, send them back under constraint to the monasteries they belonged to. Apply the same rules to clergy who have professed the monastic life. Do this, and you will be pleasing in God's eyes and share in a full reward.
Book I, Letter 42
To Anthemius, Subdeacon.
Gregory to Anthemius, etc.
John, our brother and fellow bishop, in a schedule sent to us by his cleric Justus, has among many other things intimated to us as follows: that some monks of the diocese of Surrentum transmigrate from monastery to monastery as they please, and depart from the rule of their own abbot out of desire for a worldly life; nay even (what is known to be unlawful) that they aim severally at having property of their own. Wherefore we command your Experience by this present order, that no monk be henceforth allowed to migrate from monastery to monastery, and that you permit not any one of them to have anything of his own. But, if any one whatever should so presume, let him be sent back with adequate constraint to the monastery in which he lived at first, to be under the rule of his own abbot from which he had escaped; lest, if we allow so great an iniquity to take its course uncorrected, the souls of those that are lost be required from the souls of their superiors. Further, if any of the clergy should chance to become monks, let it not be lawful for them to return anew to the same church in which they had formerly served, or to any other; unless one should be a monk of such a life that the bishop under whom he had formerly served should think him worthy of the priesthood, so that he may be chosen by him, and by him ordained to such place as he may think fit. And since we have learned that some among the monks have plunged into such great wickedness as publicly to take to themselves wives, do thou seek them out with all vigilance, and, when found, send them back with due constraint to the monasteries of which they had been monks. But neglect not to deal also with the clergy who profess monasticism, as we have said above. For so you will be pleasing in the eyes of God, and be found partaker of a full reward.
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Book I, Letter 42
To Anthemius, Subdeacon [Gregory's financial agent in the Sorrento area].
Gregory to Anthemius.
John, our brother and fellow bishop, has sent us a report through his cleric Justus that includes, among many other things, the following: certain monks in the diocese of Sorrento [a coastal area south of Naples] are moving from monastery to monastery as they please, abandoning the rule of their own abbot out of a desire for worldly living. Worse still -- which is known to be forbidden -- some are even aiming to hold personal property.
We therefore command you by this order: no monk is henceforth to be allowed to transfer between monasteries, and you are not to permit any of them to own anything personally. If anyone dares to do so, send him back under proper constraint to the monastery where he originally lived, to be placed again under the authority of the abbot he fled from. If we allow such a grave violation to go uncorrected, the souls of those who are lost will be required from their superiors.
Furthermore, if any clergy choose to become monks, they may not afterward return to the church where they previously served, nor to any other -- unless a monk proves to be of such outstanding character that the bishop under whom he formerly served considers him worthy of the priesthood. In that case, the bishop may choose him and ordain him to whatever position he sees fit.
We have also learned that some monks have fallen into such wickedness as to openly take wives. Seek these out with all diligence and, when found, send them back under constraint to the monasteries they belonged to. Apply the same rules to clergy who have professed the monastic life. Do this, and you will be pleasing in God's eyes and share in a full reward.
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