Letter 11054: Many good things having been reported to us with regard to your pursuits, such joy arose in our heart that we could not bear to refuse what your Fraternity had requested to have granted to you. But it afterwards came to our ears, what we cannot mention without shame, that your Fraternity is in the habit of expounding grammar to certain persons. ...

Gregory to Desiderius, Bishop in Gaul. So many good things had been reported to us about your pursuits that great joy arose in my heart, and I could not bring myself to refuse what your Fraternity had requested. But then I received news I cannot even mention without shame: your Fraternity has been teaching grammar to certain people. This displeased me so thoroughly, and I disapproved of it so strongly, that my earlier joy turned to groaning and sorrow. The praises of Christ cannot share a mouth with the praises of Jupiter. Consider what a grave and scandalous thing it is for a bishop to be reciting what would be unbecoming even for a devout layman. When our most beloved son Candidus the priest came to us, he was closely questioned about this and denied it, trying to clear your name. But the thought has not left my mind. The more abominable it would be for such a thing to be true of a priest, the more thoroughly it ought to be verified by strict and honest evidence. If hereafter what was reported proves clearly to be false, and it becomes evident that you do not occupy yourself with frivolous secular literature, I will give thanks to God for not allowing your heart to be stained with the praises of pagan gods -- and I will proceed without hesitation to grant what you have requested. I also commend to you in every respect the monks whom, together with our most beloved son Laurentius the priest and Mellitus the abbot, I am sending to our most reverend brother and fellow bishop Augustine [of Canterbury]. With the help of your Fraternity, let nothing delay their onward journey.

Book XI, Letter 54 To Desiderius, Bishop of Gaul . Gregory to Desiderius, etc. Many good things having been reported to us with regard to your pursuits, such joy arose in our heart that we could not bear to refuse what your Fraternity had requested to have granted to you. But it afterwards came to our ears, what we cannot mention without shame, that your Fraternity is in the habit of expounding grammar to certain persons. This thing we took so much amiss, and so strongly disapproved it, that we changed what had been said before into groaning and sadness, since the praises of Christ cannot find room in one mouth with the praises of Jupiter. And consider yourself what a grave and heinous offense it is for bishops to sing what is not becoming even for a religious layman. And, though our most beloved son Candidus the presbyter, having been, when he came to us, strictly examined on this matter, denied it, and endeavoured to excuse you, yet still the thought has not departed from our mind, that in proportion as it is execrable for such a thing to be related of a priest, it ought to be ascertained by strict and veracious evidence whether or not it be so. Whence, if hereafter what has been reported to us should prove evidently to be false, and it should be clear that you do not apply yourself to trifles and secular literature, we shall give thanks to our God, who has not permitted your heart to be stained with the blasphemous praises of the abominable; and we will treat without misgiving or hesitation concerning the granting of what you request. We commend to you in all respects the monks whom together with our most beloved son Laurentius the presbyter and Mellitus the abbot we have sent to our most reverend brother and fellow bishop Augustine, that, through the succour of your Fraternity, no delay may stop their onward progress. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 13. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1898.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360211054.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.