教牧守則·對話錄與書信 第 545 章

Gregory to Chrysanthus bishop of Spoleto. Since it is proper to discipline to prohibit from unlawful things, and wholesomely to cut back the faults of excesses, its judgment must be zealously observed. For if it is neglected, all things come into confusion, while one destroys whatever another builds up by guarding it. And so Valentinus the priest has complained to us that, if a monk of his monastery has, on account of a demanding fault, been deprived of communion, he betakes himself to your places, and receives communion without any reservation.

If the matter is so, since not only is the regular order dissolved, but also from this the material of perdition is supplied, you need strictly and more solicitously to forbid the priests who are under you, that they should not presume to do this henceforth. But if perchance someone complains that he has been unjustly excommunicated, let your fraternity ascertain it by subtle investigation; and so arrange the matter, the truth being known, that neither may injustice long prevail unto the affliction of the innocent, nor may the vigor of discipline be able to be broken, or dissolved by indiscreet presumption.

But since likewise the above-mentioned priest has complained to us that a certain deacon manumitted two slaves of his own right under this condition, that they should become monks and remain in the same monastery where he himself had been, adding that if anyone should presume to do contrary, he should again by all means be subjected to the yoke of servitude; and that one of them utterly despised this condition, and with rash boldness deserted the monastery, and joined himself among the clergy;

let your fraternity also examine this by subtle investigation, and if you find it so, so decently show yourself in this matter with priestly zeal, that neither may there be for that man the faculty of deserting the monastery, and yet the will of the one who manumitted, being nonetheless preserved, may not be able to be passed over by any excuse.