Letter 2037: The care of our pastoral office warns us to appoint for bereaved churches bishops of their own, who may govern the Lord's flock with pastoral solicitude. Accordingly we have held it necessary to appoint you, John, bishop of the civitas Lissitana (Lissus, hodie, Alessio?), which has been captured by the enemy, to be cardinal in the Church of Squ...
Pope Gregory the Great→John of Jerusalem|c. 591 AD|Pope Gregory the Great|Human translated
Book II, Letter 37
To Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse [Gregory's trusted deputy in Sicily].
Gregory to Maximianus.
I must write to your Fraternity about a situation that requires pastoral attention. We have learned that certain monks in the province of Sicily are wandering about without any supervision, neither observing their monastic rule nor submitting to any authority. This brings scandal to the religious life and harm to their own souls.
We therefore direct Your Fraternity to investigate this matter and gather such monks back under proper discipline. Those who have abandoned their monasteries should be returned to them. Those whose monasteries have been destroyed by barbarian raids should be assigned to other houses. No monk should be allowed to wander freely without submission to an abbot.
Furthermore, regarding the matter you raised about the ordination of clergy, ensure that only those of proven character and adequate learning are advanced. Test them carefully before ordination, and do not allow anyone to be ordained who does not meet the requirements of the sacred canons [church law]. Be both gentle and firm -- gentle in winning souls, firm in maintaining standards. This is the balance that true pastoral care demands.
Book II, Letter 37
To John, Bishop of Squillacium (Squillace, in Calabria).
Gregory to John, etc.
The care of our pastoral office warns us to appoint for bereaved churches bishops of their own, who may govern the Lord's flock with pastoral solicitude. Accordingly we have held it necessary to appoint you, John, bishop of the civitas Lissitana (Lissus, hodie, Alessio?), which has been captured by the enemy, to be cardinal in the Church of Squillacium, that you may carry on the cure of souls once undertaken by you, having regard to future retribution. And although, being driven from your own Church by the invading enemy, you must govern another Church which is now without a shepherd, yet it must be on condition that, in case of the former city being set free from the enemy, and under the protection of God restored to its former state, thou return to the Church in which you were first ordained. If, however, the aforesaid city continues to suffer under the calamity of captivity, you must remain in this Church wherein you are by us incardinated. Moreover, we enjoin you never to make unlawful ordinations, or allow any bigamist, or one who has taken a wife who was not a virgin, or one ignorant of letters, or one maimed in any part of his body, or a penitent, or one liable to any condition of service, to attain to sacred orders. And, should you find any of this kind, you must not dare to advance them. Africans generally, and unknown strangers, applying for ecclesiastical orders, on no account accept seeing that some Africans are Manichæans, and some have been rebaptized; while many strangers, though being in minor orders, are proved to have pretended to a higher dignity. We also admonish your Fraternity to watch wisely over the souls committed to you, and to be more intent on winning souls than on the profits of the present life. Be diligent in keeping and disposing of the goods of the Church, that the coming Judge, when He comes to judge, may approve you as having in all respects worthily executed the office of shepherd which you have taken upon you.
To Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse [Gregory's trusted deputy in Sicily].
Gregory to Maximianus.
I must write to your Fraternity about a situation that requires pastoral attention. We have learned that certain monks in the province of Sicily are wandering about without any supervision, neither observing their monastic rule nor submitting to any authority. This brings scandal to the religious life and harm to their own souls.
We therefore direct Your Fraternity to investigate this matter and gather such monks back under proper discipline. Those who have abandoned their monasteries should be returned to them. Those whose monasteries have been destroyed by barbarian raids should be assigned to other houses. No monk should be allowed to wander freely without submission to an abbot.
Furthermore, regarding the matter you raised about the ordination of clergy, ensure that only those of proven character and adequate learning are advanced. Test them carefully before ordination, and do not allow anyone to be ordained who does not meet the requirements of the sacred canons [church law]. Be both gentle and firm -- gentle in winning souls, firm in maintaining standards. This is the balance that true pastoral care demands.
Human translation - New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)