Letter 8033: Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage. The letter of your Holiness, which we received at the hands of the bearer of these presents, so expressed priestly moderation as to soothe us, in a manner, with the bodily presence of its author. Nor indeed does infrequency of communication cause any harm where the affection of love remains uninterrupted...

Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage. Your Holiness, the letter you sent through this bearer expressed such priestly moderation that it was almost like having you here in person. Infrequent correspondence does no harm when the affection of love remains unbroken in the heart. Great indeed is the power of charity, beloved brother. It binds hearts to one another with the chain of sincerity, never letting them come loose from the bond of grace. It joins what was separated, holds together what is united, and makes people who have never met face to face know each other through love. Whoever anchors his heart in charity -- no adversity can tear him from the dwelling place of the heavenly country, because wherever he turns, he never crosses the threshold of God's commandments. As the apostle Paul says in praise of this same charity: it is "the bond of perfection" (Colossians 3:14). What great praise belongs to something that not only produces perfection in the soul but also holds it together. Since the language of your letter shows you burning with this fire, I rejoice in the Lord and hope it shines ever brighter in you. The flame of the shepherd is the light of the flock. It is fitting for the Lord's priest to shine in conduct and life, so that the people entrusted to him can look at him as in a mirror -- seeing both what to follow and what to correct. I know, too, that you remember where priestly ordination in Africa first began [from Rome], and that your love for the Apostolic See traces back to the very origin of your office. You do well to maintain that connection with commendable constancy.

Book VIII, Letter 33 To Dominicus. Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage. The letter of your Holiness, which we received at the hands of the bearer of these presents, so expressed priestly moderation as to soothe us, in a manner, with the bodily presence of its author. Nor indeed does infrequency of communication cause any harm where the affection of love remains uninterrupted in one's mind. Great, moreover, is the power of charity, beloved brother, which binds hearts one to another in mutual affection with the chain of its sincerity, and suffers them not to be loosened from the cohesion of grace, which conjoins things disjoined, keeps together things united, and causes persons who are unknown by sight to be known through love. Whosoever therefore fixes his heart on the hinge of charity, him no impulse of any adversity whatever tears from the habitation of the heavenly country, since, in whatever direction he may turn himself, he parts not from the threshold of the commandments. Hence also it is said by the excellent preacher in praise of this same charity, Which is the bond of perfectness Colossians 3:14. We see, then, what great praise is due to that which not only engenders perfectness in the soul, but also binds it. Wherefore, since the language of your letters shows you to be inflamed with the fire of this virtue, I rejoice in the Lord with abundant exultation, and hope that it may shine forth in you more and more, seeing that the flame of the shepherd is the light of the flock. For it becomes the Lord's priest to shine in manners and life, to the end that the people committed to him may be able, as it were in the mirror of his life, both to choose what to follow, and to see what to correct. Knowing, furthermore, whence priestly ordination took its beginning in the African parts, you act laudably in recurring with wise recollection, in your love of the Apostolic See, to the origin of your office, and in continuing with commendable constancy in your affection towards it. For indeed it is certain that whatever reverence and devotion in priestly wise you show to it, this you add to your own honour; seeing that you hereby invite it to be bound with answering love to you. It remains, most dear brother, that we beseech Almighty God with continual prayer that He would direct the steps of our hearts into the pathway of His truth, and bring us to the heavenly kingdoms, granting us by the grace of His protection to exhibit in our works the office which we bear in name. The Month of August, first Indiction. 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/360208033.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.