Letter 7042: Gregory to Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna. We find from the information given in your Fraternity's letter that the sons of the Church of Cornelium are continually supplicating you to consecrate a bishop for them in place of their former bishop who has lapsed, and that you are in doubt as to what should be done in the matter, and await our plain c...

Gregory to Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna. Your Fraternity's letter informs me that the people of the church of Cornelium keep petitioning you to consecrate a new bishop, since their former bishop has lapsed [fallen into serious sin or heresy]. You write that you are unsure what to do and await my clear instruction. The answer is straightforward. No reasonable argument allows someone who has departed in disgrace to be restored to the position from which he fell. And the sacred canons do not permit a church to go without a bishop for more than three months -- otherwise the ancient enemy may find an opening to scatter the Lord's flock. Your Fraternity should grant their request and ordain a new bishop to replace the one who lapsed. Frankly, you should have urged them to do this before they even asked. You have no grounds to refuse them now. A church of God must not remain widowed of its own bishop any longer than necessary.

Book VII, Letter 42 To Marinianus, Bishop. Gregory to Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna. We find from the information given in your Fraternity's letter that the sons of the Church of Cornelium are continually supplicating you to consecrate a bishop for them in place of their former bishop who has lapsed, and that you are in doubt as to what should be done in the matter, and await our plain command. Inasmuch, then, as no sort of reason allows any one who has departed criminally to be recalled to the place from which he has lapsed, and as the ordinances of the sacred canons allow not a Church to be without a bishop beyond three months, lest (which God forbid) the ancient foe should lie in wait to tear the Lord's flock, your Fraternity ought to comply with their entreaty, and ordain a bishop in the place of the lapsed one. For, seeing that you ought to have admonished them to this thing by your exhortations before they asked you, you can have no excuse for refusing them when they demand it of you, since a Church of God ought not to remain long widowed of a bishop of its own.