Letter 6037: The letters of your Fraternity, full of priestly sweetness, we have received at the hands of Rogatianus the deacon, the bearer of these presents. And their kind expressions rejoiced us much, especially as we were informed through them of what we long to hear of, your welfare. But the devotion of your Holiness we have both known of old; and as yo...

Gregory to Columbus, Bishop of Numidia. The letters of your Fraternity, full of priestly warmth, have reached us through Rogatianus the deacon, the bearer of these presents. Their kind words gave us great joy, especially in informing us of what we have long wished to hear — that you are well. The devotion of your Holiness we have known for a long time; and it is exactly as you now write, that we hold it to be. As to the sincerity of your Fraternity toward us, we need nothing to confirm it, since we know it from the love in our own heart that embraces you. We have given the bearer you commended to us by letter a letter to the Rector of the patrimony in Sicily, directing him to press the opposing party to do what is just, so that, setting aside evasions, the whole disputed matter may be promptly resolved. We now inform your Holiness that a certain man named Peter has come to us, claiming to be a bishop, and seeking from us a remedy for his complaint. At first he set out matters that might have deserved sympathy, but on inquiry we found the situation to be very different from what he had told us, and his conduct has greatly distressed us. Since, separated as we are by so great a distance, we could not adequately grasp the substance of his case, we have been unable to decide it, being in doubt. But now, since the aforesaid deacon who is returning to you has asked that this man be allowed to accompany him, and he himself has requested to be sent to you — both of them aware that your Holiness has, as befits you, zeal for the faith and love of justice — this arrangement has seemed acceptable to us, and we have granted what they asked. Since you are on the spot and can investigate the merits of the case more thoroughly, we urge you to deal justly and canonically with this same Peter, so that the demands of right may be fully met by you in all respects and his case may be seen to have been judged in the fear of God and according to the rules of the Church. But if anyone is said to have been complicit in or party to the things of which the aforesaid Peter is accused, an accurate inquiry must be made, and when the truth is known, judgment pronounced canonically in the same way. Furthermore, something altogether hard to bear, and hostile to right faith, has come to our ears: that Catholics — terrible as this is to say — and religious persons — which is worse still — allow their children, their slaves, or others in their power to be baptized in the heresy of the Donatists. If this is true, let your Fraternity apply all your effort to correcting it, so that the purity of the faith may remain inviolate through your care, and innocent souls who might be saved by Catholic baptism may not perish through the infection of heretics. Whoever among the persons mentioned above has allowed anyone belonging to him to be baptized among the Donatists, strive with all your strength and urgency to bring such people back to the Catholic faith. But if anyone of this kind should under any pretext permit this to happen with those belonging to him in the future, let him be cut off entirely from the communion of the clergy.

Book VI, Letter 37 To Columbus, Bishop. Gregory to Columbus, Bishop of Numidia. The letters of your Fraternity, full of priestly sweetness, we have received at the hands of Rogatianus the deacon, the bearer of these presents. And their kind expressions rejoiced us much, especially as we were informed through them of what we long to hear of, your welfare. But the devotion of your Holiness we have both known of old; and as you now write, so we hold it to be. For of what kind the sincerity of your Fraternity towards us is we need nothing to satisfy us, since we know it from the love of our own heart which encircles you. We have given to the above-named hearer, whom you commended to us by letter, writings addressed to the Rector of the patrimony of Sicily, bidding him urge the opposite party to do what is just, to the end that, idle excuses being put aside, the whole case in dispute may be speedily brought to an end. We now inform your Holiness that a certain man has come to us, Peter by name, who asserted that he was a bishop, and requested from us a remedy of his complaint. And at first indeed he related things that might have been deserving of pity; but on enquiry we found things to be very different from what he told us, and his behaviour has exceedingly distressed us. But, inasmuch as, separated as we are by so great a distance, we could by no means learn thoroughly the gist of his case, we have been unable to determine it, being in doubt. But now, seeing that the aforesaid deacon, who is returning to you, has asked that this person should be allowed to go with him, and he himself has requested to be sent to you, both of them knowing that your Holiness has, as becomes you, zeal for the faith and a love of justice, the proposal has been acceptable to us, and we have granted what they asked. Since, then, you being on the spot can ascertain the merits of the case more thoroughly, we exhort you so to observe what is just and canonical towards the same Peter that both the requirements of rectitude may be fulfilled by you in all respects, and his case may be seen to have been judged after the fear of God and the rules of the Church. But, if any one is said to have been privy to, or a partaker in, the things which the aforesaid Peter is accused of, accurate enquiry must be made, and, when the truth is known, judgment in like manner pronounced canonically. Furthermore, a thing altogether hard to be borne, and hostile to the right faith, has come to our ears; namely that Catholics (which is awful to be told) and religious persons (which is worse) consent to their children and their slaves, or others whom they have in their power, being baptized in the heresy of the Donatists. And so, if this is true, let your Fraternity study with all your power to correct it, to the end that the purity of the faith may through your solicitude stand inviolate, and innocent souls who might be saved by Catholic baptism perish not from the infection of heretics. Whosoever, then, of the persons above mentioned has suffered any one belonging to him to be baptized among the Donatists, study with all your power, and with all urgency, to recall such to the Catholic faith. But, if any one of such persons should under any pretext endure the doing of this thing in the case of such as are his in future, let him be cut off entirely from the communion of the clergy. 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/360206037.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.