Letter 11056: The language of your epistles, full of venerable gravity, has so engaged our heart's affection that it would please us to be ever mingling mutual discourse, to the end that, if we cannot enjoy your bodily presence, absence may make no difference with us while this intercourse goes on between us. For how great love of ecclesiastical order shines ...

Gregory to Etherius, Bishop of Lyon. The language of your letter, full of venerable gravity, has so engaged my heart that I wish we could exchange words constantly -- so that even in absence, this ongoing conversation might make distance irrelevant. How great is your love for the order of the Church, your respect for discipline, and your earnestness in upholding sound practice -- you demonstrate all of this by receiving my exhortation willingly and committing to observe it faithfully. Since you carry a heart ready to correct others, and since you condemn, as you should, an evil of long standing -- and since our other brothers and fellow bishops share that same resolve -- it is your collective duty to rise unanimously against the Lord's enemies and cast avarice out of the house of God through the formal declaration of a synod. In the conferral of sacred orders, let the fierce hunger for gold find no satisfaction. Let flattery gain no advantage. Let favoritism count for nothing. Let a man's conduct be the basis for honor, and his humility the path to advancement. When this standard is upheld, anyone who tries to rise through bribery is judged unworthy, and anyone whose life speaks well of him is properly honored. Make this your constant concern, most beloved brother. Let this vigilance guard your thoughts always, so that your actions prove the zeal in your letters comes from the heart. Press insistently for the convening of a synod, and acquit yourself with the energy your office demands. As for what you have requested to be granted to your church on the basis of ancient custom, I have ordered a search of our archives and will respond in due course.

Book XI, Letter 56 To Ætherius, Bishop of Lugdunum (Lyons) Gregory to Ætherius, Bishop of Gaul. The language of your epistles, full of venerable gravity, has so engaged our heart's affection that it would please us to be ever mingling mutual discourse, to the end that, if we cannot enjoy your bodily presence, absence may make no difference with us while this intercourse goes on between us. For how great love of ecclesiastical order shines forth in you, and how great is your regard for discipline, and how great your earnestness in the observance of wholesome ordinances you show in that you receive our exhortation submissively and altogether willingly, and declare that you will inviolably observe it. Since then you bear a heart prompt for the amendment of others, and condemn with a free voice, as becomes you, an evil of old standing, and seeing that our other brethren and fellow bishops also are similarly disposed, it is your duty to rise unanimously against the Lord's enemies, and cast avarice out of the house of God by a synodical definition. In the giving of ecclesiastical orders let not fierce hunger for gold find any satisfaction; let not flatteries filch any advantage; let not favour confer anything: let a man's life have the reward of honour, his modesty promote his advancement; that, while this kind of observance obtains, both he that seeks to rise by bribes may be judged unworthy, and he to whom his conduct bears good testimony may be worthily honoured. Let this be your care, most beloved brother, let this anxiety ever keep guard over your thoughts, so that you may prove by action that the zeal which you show in your letters is the witness of your heart. Wherefore continually and instantly press for the assembling of a synod; and so earnestly acquit yourself as to act up to the dignity of your title in the administration of your office. With regard to what you request to have granted to your Church on the ground of ancient custom, we have caused search to be made in our archives, and nothing has been found. Wherefore send to us the letters which you say you have, that from them we may gather what ought to be granted you. As to the acts or writings of the blessed Irenæus, we have now long been searching for them, but have not succeeded so far in finding any of them. Furthermore, let your Fraternity take care to hold as in all respects commended to you the monks whom we dispatched to our brother and fellow bishop Augustine, and for the sake of God display your charity towards them; and so earnestly concur with them in priestly zeal, and so hasten to help them with your succour for proceeding on their journey, that, while there shall be no cause of delay in your parts to detain them, both they may go on their way more speedily, and you may find a reward for what you have done in their behalf. Given this 10th day of July, Indiction 4 . 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/360211056.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.