Letter 9031: **From:** Gregory I, Bishop of Rome
I want to address a problem that has come to my attention regarding the extension of church protection to those who seek it. The Church's protection is not unlimited or unconditional — we cannot place our patronage behind every person who requests it without regard to the merits of their case or the justice of the cause. Be selective. Those who are genuinely in need of protection from unjust treatment should receive it. Those who are using the Church's name to escape legitimate accountability should not. Use your judgment carefully.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
AD ROMANOM DEFENSOREM.
Ecelesiaslica patrocinia non omnibus indiscrete impen-
| denda.
Gregorius Romaio defensori.
Pervenit ad nos quia quidam homines minorem
emnimodo discretionem tenentes, in SUis nos periculis
implieari desiderant, alque ita volunt * ab ecclesias-
ticis personis deſendi, ut ipsx quoque pers0ne- ec-
clesiastice ex eorum culpa teneantur. Idcirco proce
senti te przxceptione admoneo, et per te ſratrem et
coepiscopum nostrum domnunm Joannem, vel caxteros
qui interesse possuntl ; ut patrocinia ecclesiastica, sive
mea SusCipiatis scripla, sive etiam minime ſuerint di-
qualenus (Grat. 14, q. 6, c. 3) si qui in furlis publicis
implicati sunl, a nobis-non videantur injuste deſendi
ne opinionem male agentium ex indiscretz deſensio-
Nis ausu in nos ullo modo Lransſeramus ; 8ed quantunt
decet Ecclesiam, admonendo, verbum intercessionis
adhibendo, quibus valetis succurrite, ut et illis opem
ſeraltis, et opinionem 8anclz, Ecclesiz non inquine-
lis Þ. (Cf. Joan. Diac, l. rv, e. 56.)
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