Letter 7035: Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage. Though we believe that your Fraternity gives attention with pastoral vigilance to the care of monasteries, yet we think it necessary to inform you of what we have learned about a monastery in the African province. Now the abbot Cumquodeus, the bearer of these presents, complaints that, if at any time he ...

Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage. I trust that your Fraternity already gives careful pastoral attention to the monasteries under your care, but I must bring a specific problem to your notice. The abbot Cumquodeus, who carries this letter, reports that whenever he tries to enforce proper discipline over his monks, they simply leave the monastery and are allowed to wander freely wherever they choose. This is dangerous to the monks themselves and sets a terrible example for others. I urge your Fraternity to take firm action: apply ecclesiastical discipline, impose appropriate penalties, and put an end to this presumption. Bring them back under obedience. Subdue their proud spirits to the yoke of monastic rule, so that their correction teaches others not to imitate their disobedience, and so that all learn to obey their superiors as they should. He also tells me that some bishops are providing cover for these wandering monks. Your Fraternity must look into this carefully and put a stop to it by every means available.

Book VII, Letter 35 To Dominicus, Bishop. Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage. Though we believe that your Fraternity gives attention with pastoral vigilance to the care of monasteries, yet we think it necessary to inform you of what we have learned about a monastery in the African province. Now the abbot Cumquodeus, the bearer of these presents, complaints that, if at any time he wishes to restrain under regular discipline the monks over whom he presides, they at once leave the monastery, and are allowed to wander wherever they will. Seeing, then, that this is both altogether pernicious to themselves and also sets an example of perdition to others, we exhort your Fraternity that, if it is so, you should bring ecclesiastical censure to bear upon them, and withhold them by suitable punishment from such undoubted presumption; and that you should so bring them to obedience by salubrious provision, subduing their proud minds to the yoke of discipline, that correction may recall from guilt others whom their example might have provoked to similar transgression, and teach them to obey their superiors, as is fit. But, since he tells us that stray monks are defended by some bishops, let your Fraternity give careful attention to this, and restrain them by your menaces in all ways from such defense. The month of July, Indiction 15.