Letter 65: 1. Saluting your Excellency with the respect due to your worth, and earnestly seeking an interest in your prayers, I beg to submit to the consideration of your wisdom the case of a certain Abundantius, ordained a presbyter in the domain of Strabonia, belonging to my diocese. He had begun to be unfavourably reported of, through his not walking in...

Letter 65 — To the Aged Xantippus: The Case of Abundantius (A.D. 402) To the aged Xantippus, my most blessed lord, worthy of all veneration, my father and colleague in the priestly office — Augustine sends greetings in the Lord. With the respect your worth demands, and earnestly asking for a place in your prayers, I bring to your wisdom the case of one Abundantius, ordained a presbyter in the domain of Strabonia in my diocese. Reports had begun to circulate that he was not walking in the way that becomes a servant of God. Though I did not believe rumors without evidence, I became watchful, and took pains to obtain clear proof of the charges against him. The first thing I established was that he had embezzled money belonging to a countryman, entrusted to him for religious purposes — and he could give no satisfactory account of how it had been used. The second charge, which he himself admitted, was this: on Christmas Day, when the fast was being observed by the Church of Gippe as by all the other churches, he took his leave of his colleague the presbyter of Gippe around eleven in the morning, as if returning to his own church — but he stayed in that same parish, without any other clergyman in his company, and dined, supped, and spent the night in the house of a woman of ill repute. It happened that a cleric from my church at Hippo was lodging in the same place that night; since the facts were known beyond doubt to this witness, Abundantius could not deny the charge. As for the other things he denied, I left those to God's judgment. I imposed sentence only for what could not be concealed. I was afraid to leave him in charge of a church — especially one situated in the very midst of rabid and barking heretics. When he begged me to give him a letter explaining his case to the presbyter of Armema in the district of Bulla, the area he had come from, so as to prevent any exaggerated suspicion following him there and to give him the chance to live more uprightly — since he would have no priestly duties — I was moved by compassion to grant this. But it was above all necessary that I lay these facts before your wisdom, lest any deception be practiced upon you. I passed sentence in his case one hundred days before Easter Sunday, which this year falls on the seventh of April. I note the date because of the Council's decree, which I also explained to Abundantius himself: if he believes there are grounds to appeal my decision, he must begin proceedings within a year; after that, no one will hear his plea. For my own part, my lord, I have never found pleasure in sentencing anyone — but I found even less pleasure in the thought of leaving the flock entrusted to me unprotected. I entrust this matter entirely to your wise and holy judgment. Farewell in the Lord.

Letter 65 (A.D. 402) To the Aged Xantippus, My Lord Most Blessed and Worthy of Veneration, and My Father and Colleague in the Priestly Office, Augustine Sends Greeting in the Lord. 1. Saluting your Excellency with the respect due to your worth, and earnestly seeking an interest in your prayers, I beg to submit to the consideration of your wisdom the case of a certain Abundantius, ordained a presbyter in the domain of Strabonia, belonging to my diocese. He had begun to be unfavourably reported of, through his not walking in the way which becomes the servants of God; and I being on this account alarmed, though not believing the rumours without examination, was made more watchful of his conduct, and devoted some pains to obtain, if possible, indisputable evidences of the evil courses with which he was charged. The first thing which I ascertained was, that he had embezzled the money of a countryman, entrusted to him for religious purposes, and could give no satisfactory account of his stewardship. The next thing proved against him, and admitted by his own confession, was, that on Christmas day, on which the fast was observed by the Church of Gippe as by all the other Churches, after taking leave of his colleague the presbyter of Gippe, as if going to his own church about 11 A.M., he remained, without having any ecclesiastic in his company, in the same parish, and dined, supped, and spent the night in the house of a woman of ill fame. It happened that lodging in the same place was one of our clergy of Hippo, who had gone there; and as the facts were known beyond dispute to this witness, Abundantius could not deny the charge. As to the things which he did deny, I left them to the divine tribunal, passing sentence upon him only in regard to those things which he had not been permitted to conceal. I was afraid to leave him in charge of a Church, especially of one placed as his was, in the very midst of rabid and barking heretics. And when he begged me to give him a letter with a statement of his case to the presbyter of the parish of Armema, in the district of Bulla, from which he had come to us, so as to prevent any exaggerated suspicion there of his character, and in order that he might there live, if possible, a more consistent life, having no duties as a presbyter, I was moved by compassion to do as he desired. At the same time, it was very specially incumbent on me to submit to your wisdom these facts, lest any deception should be practised upon you. 2. I pronounced sentence in his case one hundred days before Easter Sunday, which falls this year on the 7th of April. I have taken care to acquaint you with the date, because of the decree of Council, which I also did not conceal from him, but explained to him the law of the Church, that if he thought anything could be done to reverse my decision, unless he began proceedings with this view within a year, no one would, after the lapse of that time, listen to his pleading. For my own part, my lord most blessed, and father worthy of all veneration, I assure you that if I did not think that these instances of vicious conversation in an ecclesiastic, especially when accompanied with an evil reputation, deserved to be visited with the punishment appointed by the Council, I would be compelled now to attempt to sift things which cannot be known, and either to condemn the accused upon doubtful evidence, or acquit him for want of proof. When a presbyter, upon a day of fasting which was observed as such also in the place in which he was, having taken leave of his colleague in the ministry in that place, and being unattended by any ecclesiastic, ventured to tarry in the house of a woman of ill fame, and to dine and sup and spend the night there, it seemed to me, whatever others might think, that he behooved to be deposed from his office, as I dared not commit to his charge a Church of God. If it should so happen that a different opinion be held by the ecclesiastical judges to whom he may appeal, seeing that it has been decreed by the Council that the decision of six bishops be final in the case of a presbyter, let who will commit to him a Church within his jurisdiction, I confess, for my own part, that I fear to entrust any congregation whatever to persons like him, especially when nothing in the way of general good character can be alleged as a reason for excusing these delinquencies; lest, if he were to break forth into some more ruinous wickedness, I should be compelled with sorrow to blame myself for the harm done by his crime. About this page Source. Translated by J.G. Cunningham. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 1. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1102065.htm>. Contact information. 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