Letter 4018: The care of churches which is evidently inherent in the priestly office compels us to be so solicitous that no fault of neglect may appear with regard to them. Since, however, we have learned that the church of Saint Pancratius, which had been committed to presbyters, has been frequently neglected, so that people coming there on the Lord's day t...

Gregory to Maurus, Abbot. The responsibility we bear for the churches compels us to act so that no fault of negligence may be charged against us. The Church of Saint Pancratius, which had been entrusted to presbyters, has been so frequently neglected that people arriving on the Lord's Day for Mass have returned home complaining that no presbyter was there. After careful deliberation, we have decided to remove those presbyters and, with God's favor, establish a monastic community at the church. The abbot who presides there will be responsible for maintaining proper care and attention in all respects. We have appointed you, Maurus, as abbot of this monastery. The lands of the church, and whatever revenues or property belong to it, are to be transferred to your monastery without any reduction — on the condition that any necessary repairs or improvements to the church are carried out by you without fail. However, so that the church does not lack divine services after the removal of the presbyters, we direct you to install a visiting presbyter to celebrate the sacred rites of the Mass. This priest must live in your monastery and receive his provisions from it. Above all, let this be your concern: that over the most sacred resting place of the blessed Pancratius, the daily worship of God is performed without interruption. These duties that we assign to you by this decree, we intend not only for you to fulfill, but for all who succeed you in this office to observe and carry out in perpetuity.

Book IV, Letter 18 To Maurus, Abbot. Gregory to Maurus, etc. The care of churches which is evidently inherent in the priestly office compels us to be so solicitous that no fault of neglect may appear with regard to them. Since, however, we have learned that the church of Saint Pancratius, which had been committed to presbyters, has been frequently neglected, so that people coming there on the Lord's day to celebrate the solemnities of Mass have returned murmuring on finding no presbyter, we therefore, after mature deliberation, have determined to remove those presbyters, and with the favour of God constitute for the same church a congregation of monks in a monastery, to the end that the abbot who shall preside there may give care and attention in all respects to the aforesaid church. And we have also thought fit to put you, Maurus, over this monastery as abbot, ordaining that the lands of the aforesaid church, and whatever may have come into its possession, or accrued from its revenues, be applied to this your monastery, and belong to it without any diminution; but on condition whatever needs to be effected or repaired in the church above written may be so effected and repaired by you without fail. But lest, after the removal of the presbyters to whom this church had previously been committed, it should seem to be without provision for divine service, we therefore enjoin you by the tenour of this authority to supply it with a peregrine presbyter to celebrate the sacred solemnities of Mass, who, nevertheless, must needs both live in your monastery, and have from it provision for his maintenance. But let this also above all be your care, that there over the most sacred body of the blessed Pancratius the work of God be executed daily without fail. These things, then, which by the tenour of this precept we depute you to do, we will that not only thou perform, but that they be also so observed and fulfilled for ever by those who shall succeed you in your office and place, that there may be no possibility henceforth of neglect being found in the aforesaid church. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360204018.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.