Letter 50014: Ambrose, Bishop, to his beloved clergy — greetings.

From: Ambrose, Bishop of Milan To: The clergy of Milan Date: ~386 AD Context: A pastoral instruction to the Milanese clergy on the duties and conduct expected of those in holy orders, drawn from principles Ambrose adapted from Cicero's "De Officiis" [On Duties] into a Christian framework. Ambrose, Bishop, to his beloved clergy — greetings. I write to you not as a superior to subordinates but as one who shares your calling and bears responsibility for your formation. When I was called from the governor's tribunal to the bishop's chair [Ambrose was serving as provincial governor of Aemilia-Liguria when he was acclaimed bishop by popular demand in 374, before he had even been baptized], I brought with me some understanding of how public servants should conduct themselves. That understanding has only deepened in the service of the Church. First, on speech: a cleric should be measured in his words. Silence is not weakness; it is discipline. The man who speaks at every opportunity will eventually say something he regrets. Better to be thought reserved than to be known as reckless. Second, on modesty: avoid display. The people watch us, and they draw conclusions from everything — how we dress, how we walk, how we eat. A cleric who lives ostentatiously undermines his own teaching. Simplicity is not poverty; it is integrity made visible. Third, on friendship: choose your companions wisely. The world will judge you by the company you keep, and the world is not wrong to do so. Associate with those who share your commitments, not with those who will erode them. Fourth, on money: handle it honestly and handle it carefully. More clergy have been destroyed by financial carelessness than by doctrinal error. The funds of the Church belong to the poor, not to us. We are stewards, not owners. I say these things not because I suspect you but because I love you, and love does not flatter. The Church of Milan has earned a reputation for integrity. Let us keep it.

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