Letter 2025

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Benenatus, bishop Date: ~592 AD Context: Gregory delegates to Benenatus the oversight of the church of Cumae, directing him to protect it and to watch for suitable clergy. Gregory to Benenatus, bishop. I delegate to your fraternity the visitation and care of the church of Cumae [an ancient city near Naples], which is in need of oversight. You are to protect that church and its resources, to ensure that its clergy fulfill their obligations, and to be attentive to any matters requiring correction. At the same time, keep watch for clergy who appear particularly suitable for positions of greater responsibility — men of sound faith, good conduct, and genuine pastoral ability. When you identify such people, bring them to my attention. The church is well served by bishops who pay attention not only to problems but to promising individuals. The cultivation of good clergy is as important as the correction of bad ones. Gregory

AD BENENATUM EPISCOPUM. Cumane Ecclesie visitationem delegat, ut tum Eccle- Stam. illam tueatur, lum ex ipsius clero idoneum 5acerdotem eligt procuret, Gregorius * Benenalo episcopo. (Qnoniam » Camanz Ecclesiz Liberius quondam antisles de hac luce migrasse' cognoscilur : Hg pro- pterea vicitationis destitulze Ecclesiz fraternitati tux operam solemniter delegamus, quam ita te convenit exhibere, ut nihil © de provectionibus clericorum, reditu, ornatu, ministeriisque, vel quidquid illud est, Sacerdotem, qui et lanto ministerio dignus valeat reperiri, et a venerandis canonibus nullatenus res- puatur. Qui dum ſuerit postulatus, cum solemniiate _ decreti, omnium $subscriptionibus roborati, et dile- clionis tuz lestimonio litterarum, ad nos $acrandus occurrat. Commonemus etiam ſraternitatem tuam ut - © nullum de altera eligi permittas Ecclesia, nisi forte inter clericos ipsius civitatis in qua visitationis im- pendis oflicium nullus ad episcopatum dignus (quod evenire non credimus) poutuerit inveniri. Provisurus ante omnia * ne ad boc cyjuslibet conversatiouis vel merit 5 laic pers0u# aspirare praumant, et lu pe- . riculum ordinis tui (quod absit) incurras. ' EeisT. XXV (AL. 19). — *® Erat hic episcopus Mi- senas, ut liquet ex episl. 45, ubi Cumanam Ecclesiam, cujus eum visilalorem in h.c epistola le-crat, Mise- ali >u#e adjungit. De eo etiam fit wentio epi>l. 54 lib. v, et 4 ac 50 lib, noni. Prius legebalur, epi>copo visitatori Cuman@ Leccl. qua absunt a Corb., Norm., Rhem:. et tribus Vaticanis. Scopalis, in ora lilloralijuxta Migenum promonLrium, Nunc prorsus excisa, Cujus Sedes episcoupalis Aversam lrauslata est. Ever-am luis>e a Teutonuibus an, 1207, legimus apud Bolland., ad 16. Febr. In Mss. s&pe legitur, Cumensis Eccl. pro Comensis. Vide Mabill., Musei lial. p. 219, ubi exhibet chartam Lolarii imp. datam rogante Awalrico Cumensi, id est Comeusi epi>c. in Liguria. Aiteserra eorum sLlipendia, quz minui vetat Sancts- Shnus pounlilex. * In Vulgatis, sfudio diversarum pariium, que duo vera omillere sua>erunt Codd. Vatic. , Norm. , Lorb.,, etc; © Utlinam hzc regula, a conciliis et sanctis Patribus $ancita, repelila, inculcata, nosIris nou jaceret tem- poribus Gtiosa ! In decretis Cweleslini papa, cap. 18, Sic habetur : Tunc alter de altera eligutur Ecclesia, $i de civilalis ipsius clericis cut es. episcopus ordinandus nullus tignus poluerit inveniri. Primum 'enim illi re- orobandi sunt, ut aliqui de alienis clericis merito pra@- ſerantur. Habebat unusquisque 8ue ſructum militice in Eccl5iz in qua 8uam per omnia officia transegit wa1a-