Letter 6043: Gregory to Venantius, Patrician, and Ex-monk. Your communication to us has found us much distressed from having become aware that offense has arisen between you and John our brother and fellow bishop, in whose agreement with you we were desirous of rejoicing. For, whatever the cause may have been, rage ought not to have broken out to such a pitc...

Gregory to Venantius, Patrician and former monk. Your communication has reached us at a time of great distress, for we have learned that a serious quarrel has arisen between you and our brother and fellow bishop John, in whose harmony with you we had hoped to rejoice. For whatever the cause, anger ought not to have been carried to such a point that your armed men, as we are informed, burst into the episcopal palace and committed various injuries in a hostile manner, and that this affair should in the meantime separate you from his fatherly charity. Could not the dispute, whatever it was, have been quietly settled, so that neither party should suffer harm nor good feeling be disturbed? It is well known to us what gravity, what holiness, and what gentleness our aforesaid brother possesses. From this we conclude that, unless excessive pressure of grievance had driven him to it, he would by no means have resorted to the action that you say has caused you injury. On hearing of it by letter from him, we at once wrote to him, urging him to receive your offerings as before, and not only to permit Mass to be celebrated in your house but, if you so wish, even to officiate there himself; and that he should have pursued his complaint without any breach of charity. And since we wish no one to enter into or remain in conflict, we have taken care to renew this same urging. It is therefore necessary, dearest son, that you on your part should show him, as befits a son, the reverence owed to a priest, and not provoke his spirit to anger. For with whom will you have any assured goodwill if — God forbid — you are at odds with your own bishop? Lay aside therefore all swelling of spirit, and try to conduct the matters you have between you in such a way that charity remains inviolate and what is to the mutual advantage of both may be reached in peace.

Book VI, Letter 43 To Venantius, Patrician. Gregory to Venantius, Patrician, and Ex-monk. Your communication to us has found us much distressed from having become aware that offense has arisen between you and John our brother and fellow bishop, in whose agreement with you we were desirous of rejoicing. For, whatever the cause may have been, rage ought not to have broken out to such a pitch that your armed men, as we have heard, should have burst into the episcopal palace, and committed various evil deeds in a hostile manner, and that this affair should meanwhile separate you from his paternal charity. Could not the dispute, whatever it may have been, have been quietly arranged, so that neither party might suffer disadvantage, nor good feeling be disturbed? Now it is not unknown to us of what gravity, of what holiness, of what gentleness our above-named brother is. Whence we gather that, unless excessive force of vexation had compelled him, his Fraternity would by no means have resorted to the measure by which you say that you are aggrieved. We, however, on hearing of it by letter from him, at once wrote to him, admonishing him to receive your offerings as before, and not only to allow masses to be celebrated in your house, but, if you wish it, even to officiate himself, and that he ought to have prosecuted his cause without breach of charity. And, inasmuch as we wish none to come or continue to be at variance, we have taken care to renew this same admonition. Hence it is necessary, dearest son, that you, as becomes sons, should show him the reverence due to a priest, and not provoke his spirit to anger. For with whom will you have assured goodwill, if (which God forbid) you are at variance with your priest? Wherefore, putting away swelling of spirit, try so to transact the causes that you have one with another that both charity may remain inviolate, and what is to your mutual advantage may be peaceably attained. 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/360206043.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.