教牧守則·對話錄與書信 第 784 章

Gregory to Deusdedit, bishop of Milan. It is doubtful to none that just as bishops have no licence to alienate property acquired within the episcopate, so concerning those things which they had before, whatever they wish to decree they are not forbidden. And so we recall that your Fraternity, at the time when it was here, complained that certain immovable goods which Constantius, your predecessor, left to Luminosa, a handmaid of God, daughter of his brother, by the terms of a will under the title of a legacy, he had acquired when already a bishop; and we decreed that, if this were established, your Church should suffer no prejudice from these things.

Which you also ought to recall, and to cause no trouble to the aforesaid handmaid of God, nor to take anything from her, without inquiry, of the things which she possesses. But if the agents of your Church are confident that this can be proved, signify it to us by your letters, that we may dispose how this very thing ought to be established; provided only that, the truth being known, neither your Church suffer prejudice nor she seem to be unjustly afflicted—since, as some report, your aforesaid predecessor acquired this not in the episcopate, but while he was still a deacon. Whence it is necessary that, as we have said, proof being made, it ought to be established what is true.

But that same handmaid of God we commend to your Fraternity, that she suffer to be by no one burdened or oppressed, lest, if she be disquieted, it be thought that from the occasion of this cause she suffers what is not fitting. And therefore, if perchance there be anything which ought to be amended, either let it be corrected by the plain moderation of your exhortation, or at least let it be subtly reported to us, so that both you may be a stranger to ill-will, and we may in no wise omit to do what is fitting. In the month of May, indiction 5.