Letter 3049: Gregory to Adeodatus, Primate bishop of the province of Numidia. After what manner the charity of affection has bound your Fraternity to usward the tenour of your letters has evidently shown; and they have afforded us great matter of rejoicing, in that we have found them to be composed in a spirit of loving-kindness, and to glow with affection w...

Gregory to Adeodatus, Primate Bishop of the Province of Numidia. The depth of your Fraternity's affection toward us is plainly evident in your letters. They have given us great cause for rejoicing, composed as they are in a spirit of genuine warmth and glowing with a devotion pleasing to God. As we have briefly noted, the letter you addressed to us has so fully revealed your mind that its author might as well have been standing before us. Indeed, those whose hearts are united in mutual charity cannot truly be called absent from one another. And though, as you say, neither your health nor your age permits you to visit us in person — much as we would welcome your company — since we are one with you and you with us in spirit, we are entirely present to each other. We see one another through a mind made one by love. Greeting your Fraternity with proper affection, we urge you to devote all your energy to carrying out wisely the office of primacy that you hold under God, so that attaining this rank may profit your soul and so that you may stand out as a worthy example for others to follow. Be especially vigilant in the matter of ordinations. Admit no one to sacred orders except men who are mature in age and upright in conduct, lest immature candidates permanently forfeit the possibility of becoming what they too hastily tried to be. You must first examine the life and character of those to be placed in any sacred office. To ensure you admit only worthy candidates, let no one's influence or lobbying sway you. Above all, guard against any corruption in the ordination process. God forbid that so grave a sin should defile the very thing that ought to benefit the souls of the faithful.

Book III, Letter 49 To Adeodatus, Bishop. Gregory to Adeodatus, Primate bishop of the province of Numidia. After what manner the charity of affection has bound your Fraternity to usward the tenour of your letters has evidently shown; and they have afforded us great matter of rejoicing, in that we have found them to be composed in a spirit of loving-kindness, and to glow with affection well-pleasing to God. As, then, we have briefly said, the epistle which you have addressed to us has so laid open your mind that its author might be supposed not to be absent from us at all. For, indeed, persons are not to be accounted absent whose feelings are not at variance with mutual charity. And though, as you say in your letter, neither your strength nor your age allow you to come to us, that we might be gratified by the bodily presence of your Fraternity, yet, seeing that we are one with you and you with us in feeling, we are entirely present one to the other, while we see each other in a mind made one through love. Furthermore, greeting your Fraternity with the suitable affection of charity, we exhort you that you study with all your heart so to acquit yourself wisely in the office of primacy which under God you hold, that it may both profit your soul to have attained to this rank, and that you may stand out as a good example for imitation to others in the future. Be, then, especially careful with regard to ordination; and by no means admit any to aspire to sacred orders but such as are somewhat advanced in age and pure in deeds, lest perchance they cease for ever to be what they immaturely haste to be. For you must first examine the life and manners of those who are to be placed in any sacred order; and, that you may be able to admit such as are worthy to this office, let not the influence or the entreaty of any persons whatever inveigle you. But before all things it behooves you to be cautious that no venality may have place in ordination, lest (which God forbid) the greater danger hang over both the ordained and the ordainers. If ever, then, there is need for such things to be taken in hand, call grave and experienced men into your counsels, and consider the matter in common deliberation with them. And before all others it is fit that you should in all cases call in Columbus our brother and fellow bishop. For we believe that, if you shall have done what is to be done with his advice, no one will find anything in any way to find fault with in you; and know that it will be as acceptable to us as if it had been done with our advice; inasmuch as his life and manners have in all respects so approved themselves to us that it is clearly apparent to all that what is done with his consent will be darkened by no blot of faultiness. But the bearer of these presents, Victorinus, deacon of our fellow bishop above-named, has been such a herald of your merits as exceedingly to refresh our spirits with regard to your behaviour. And we pray the Almighty Lord to cause the good that has been reported of you to shine forth more fully in operation as well-pleasing to Him. When, therefore, the council which you are taking measures to assemble has, with the succor of God, been brought to a conclusion, rejoice us by telling of its unity and concord, and give us information on all points. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360203049.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.