Letter 9034

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Venantius, bishop Date: ~599 AD Context: Gregory directs Venantius to ordain priests and deacons in a city, and to bring its inhabitants back from their unbelief. Gregory to Venantius, bishop. Two things are needed in this city: proper clergy, and the genuine conversion of its inhabitants from whatever remnants of paganism or nominal Christianity remain among them. On the first: ordain priests and deacons there. The sacramental life of a community cannot be maintained without ordained ministers. See that suitable men are identified and ordained promptly. On the second: this is the harder work. Conversion is not achieved by mandate but by persuasion, by the quality of the Christian life visible in the community, and by patient instruction. Do not be discouraged by the slowness of this work. Plant what you can and trust God for the harvest. Gregory

AD VENANTIUM EPISCOPUM. Prezbyleros vel diaconos in Aldionis civitate ordinet, atque ips0s ad infidelium conversionem adhorte- tur, Gregorius Venantio *® episcopo. Quoties ea que hortari nos convenit postulamur, moras ad concedendum facere non debemus ; ne dif- ſerre bona desideria, quz magis fovenda sunt, videa- wur. Et ideo quia gloriosus Aldio magister militum in civitate ips1us presbyteros vel diaconos omnino, icut 8uis nobis epistolis indicavit, desiderat ordinari, Wig. et San Victorino, qui fere soli cum Valic. A epi- d0'am hanc exhibent. Preterea, in epis!. 31, que adem de causa $Cripta est, magno Mss. omnium eonsensu legitur in- {oto. | Episr. XX XIII [Al. 32]. — *® In recent, Excusis, Andree Scholast1co. Abest Schol. a quinque Vatic. omnibus Anglic., Norim., etc. PaTROL, LXXVII. diligenter inquirat. Et si nibil est quod canonice eo- rum ordinationem impediat, Deo illos propitio stu- deat ordinare, Cum quibus etiam loqui QF$ vos convenit, ut adhbortationis sue $0llicitudine degentem illic populum ab infidelitate revocare, ac contendant Joannem prefecture vices acturum commendat ; ea - lamen lege ut (quod contigerat in Vi igilio) inde non gravetur Ecclesia. | Gregorijus Constantio episcopo Mediolanensi. Quamvis ita ſraternitas vesira convenienti $ibi gravitate discreta sit, ut non admonita, sed ex $6 quid cui sit impendendum inlelligat, verumtamen quia lator presentium Joannes, vir magnificus, qui preſecturz vices illic acturus advenit, nostra se pe- liit epistola commendari, sanctitas ei vestra , dum neeesse ſuerit, 8alva ratione presidium ui favoris impendat , et ita eum sacerdotaliter 8vis studeat solatiis adjuvare, qualenus vobis presentibus nec aliorum debeat injuste oppressionibus laborare, nec ipse aliis contra rationem gravis existat. Quia vero pervenit ad nos quod Vigilius, qui vices illic ante bunec preſecturz gessit, per scriptorum nostrorum occasionem', quibus eum pelitione ejus compulsi commendavimus, mutuas a vobis, ut ita dicamus, pecunias exegisset, xgre si verum es sustinemus, at hoc non ex $e, 8ed quasi per nostram epistolam ob- tineret. Et ideo ſraternitatem vestram scire necesse est ita 8ibi a nobis eos qui hoc exigant commendari, ut eis adesse in quantum possibile et juslum est de- beat, non lamen ut Ecclesiz suz hujus rei occa- 8ione aliquod gravamen imponat. * Data mense Fe- bruario, indictione 2.