Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 340

Gregory to Victor and Columbus, bishops of Africa. How a disease, neglected in its beginnings, gathers strength, we have proved from our own necessities, whoever of us are established in this life. If therefore the foresight of physicians resists this disease as it is being born, we know indeed that it would cease before, when tardily attended to, it should do very much harm. The reasoning of this consideration therefore ought vehemently to impel us that, when the diseases of souls are beginning, we hasten with all possibility to resist, lest, while we neglect to apply salutary medicines, they snatch away from us the life of the many whom we strive to gain for our God.

Whence it behooves us so to fortify with vigilant solicitude the sheepfolds over which we are seen to be set as guardians, that the lurking wolf may find the shepherds everywhere resisting him, and may not have a way of entering into them. For we have learned that the goad of the Donatists has so troubled the Lord's flock in those parts, as if it were governed by the control of no shepherd. And it has been announced to us—what we cannot say without grievous sorrow—that very many of them have already been mangled by venomous teeth. In short, that with most depraved rashness they have driven catholic priests from their churches, and moreover, rebaptizing many to whom the water had furnished the salvation of regeneration, they have by most abominable depravity slain them.

The matter greatly grieves our souls, that men set among you there should have been permitted to perpetrate so great a crime of damnable presumption. On which account we exhort your Fraternity by these hastening letters, that, having held a discussion and united in council, you may with eager and steadfast valour set yourselves to withstand this disease while it is yet newly arising, so that it may neither gather strength from neglect, nor by the ruin of a plague shake the flock committed to you. For if in any way whatever — which we do not believe — you neglect to resist iniquity at its beginning, they will wound very many with the sword of their error. And it is assuredly a most grievous thing to permit those to be ensnared in the noose of diabolical deceit whom, before they are bound, we are able to rescue.

It is better to resist so that no one be wounded, than after one is wounded to search out how he may be healed. Considering this, therefore, hasten with diligent prayer and with what virtue you are able to overwhelm this sacrilegious depravity, so that the following report, by the aid of Christ's grace, may gladden us over their punishment rather than sadden us over their transgression. Moreover, send to us our brother and fellow-bishop Paul with all the zeal you can and in all haste; so that, learning from him more exactly the grounds of so great a crime, we may, with the comfort of our Creator, be able to apply to this most abominable depravity the medicine of a worthy correction. Gregory to Leo, Bishop of Catania.

We have learned from the report of many that this custom formerly prevailed among you, namely, that subdeacons were lawfully permitted to have intercourse with their wives. That no one might again presume upon this, it was forbidden by a deacon of our see, a servant of God, on the authority of our predecessor, in this manner: that at that same time those who had already been joined to wives should choose one of two things — that is, either to abstain from their wives, or by no means to presume to minister.

And as it is said, the subdeacon Speciosus then suspended himself from the office of his administration on this account, and until the time of his death he discharged indeed the office of a notary, but ceased from the ministry which it behoved a subdeacon to render. After his death, since his widow Honorata was joined to a husband, we have learned that by your Fraternity she was assigned to a monastery. Therefore, if, as is reported, her husband suspended himself from administration, it ought not to prejudice the aforesaid woman that she passed to a second bond of marriage — especially if she was not joined to the subdeacon with such a mind as to abstain from the pleasures of the flesh.

If, therefore, you find the truth to be as we have been informed, it is fitting that you release the aforesaid woman from the monastery in every respect, so that she may be able to return to her husband without any fear. As for the rest, let your Fraternity be altogether careful that, whomsoever it may befall to be promoted to this office, it examine this as diligently as possible, lest, if they have wives, they obtain licence to have intercourse with them; but rather, after the likeness of the Apostolic See, let it appoint that they observe all things nonetheless by its own strictness.