Letter 9053

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Constantius, Bishop of Milan Date: ~599 AD Context: Gregory writes about clergy of the church of Como, offering them reconciliation with the church if they return to unity. Gregory to Constantius, bishop of Milan. The clergy of Como [a city in northern Italy, near the border with the Arian Lombard kingdom] who are separated from the church's unity are to be offered the opportunity to return. If they are willing to come back and to accept the terms of reunion, receive them. The church's goal in matters of schism and separation is always reconciliation, not permanent exclusion. Those who have separated themselves out of genuine conviction — even if their conviction was wrong — are not the same as those who have separated themselves out of bad faith. Deal with them accordingly: firmly on the substance, generously on the terms. I will confirm whatever arrangements you make that are consistent with canonical principles. Gregory

AD CONSTANTIUM MEDIOLANENS. EPISCOPUN. Clericis Comanis, si ad Ecrclesie unitatem redeant, 88 controversam possessionem concedere paratum. Gregorius Constanlio episcopo Mediolanensi. Latore przsentium communi filio Eventio diacono, qui ſraternitatis vestrz nobis scripta detulit, referente, cognovimus clericos Ecclesiz * Comensis, quos $4- cerdotali studio reverti ad unitatem Ecclesiz monui- stis, respondisse non $ibi talem Þ a nobis affectum impendi, ut ad hoc redire charitate $uadente praeve leant : asserenles res diversas $uas injuste ab aliis, inter quos et a nostra Ecclesia possessionem que villa Mauriana dicitur, detineri. Nos quidem $ancli- tatis vesirz s0llicitudinem omnino laudavimus, quia quod vos oporluit facere, minime neglexistis. Sed nec nos przdictam possessionem, $i eis jure compel, eltiamsi ad communionem forte reverti distulerint, contra rationis. ordinem palimur detineri; sed eam cognita volumus verilate restitui. Si vero ad unitatemn Ecclesix, quod optamus, Deo se inspirante converie- rint, © etiamsi nihil jllis competat, eam illis parati s$umus concedere. Nam nulla occasione © excusari volumus quos ad matris Ecclesiz sinum redire desi- derabiliter exspectamus. De hortis vero quos in ca- pitulari transmiss0, * ex Subslantia Nalie Ecclesize vesirz compelere signastis, vel predictus nobis por- titor indicavit, in subsequenti illuc personam 9/7 $Z transmitiemus, cui inter alia curabimus evidenter injungere ut verilatem congrua indagatione cogno- scal, et quidquid justum fuerit, faciat. Nam nos qui alios contristari contra Zquitatem non ' palimur , multo magis vos quos valde diligimus, tristes relin- quere non valemus. De aliis autem causis quale no- Strum ad singula sit responsum, supradicti communis filii relatione cognoscelis. Scripta vero ad dileclissi- mum filium nostrum Anatolium diaconum pro com- mendatione hominum vestrorum, sicut voluistis, ſeci- mus. Mediolanensi. | © Quanto studio procurare debeamus unitatem, do- cet hic locus : docuerant raro exempl » Patres Aſri- canj, qui Donalistis episcopis ut ad Ecclesiz catho- liez sinum redirent, suas sedes, Suas cathedras offe- rebant. Istam charitatis industriam zelus amarus nec audit, nec ittelligit, nec adhibet. Legatur in hane rem 8ancti Auguslini, lib. de gestis cum Emerito, ubi historiam de annos0 sene reſfert haud illepidam. Sic exarserant omnes, inquit, ut parati essent ep;scopatum pro Christi unilate deponere, el non perdere, ed Deo lutius commendare. Duo ibi viz inventi >unt quibus dis- pliceret (Concilium eral pene Ccc episcopurum) «nu annosus 8ener, qui hoc etiam dicere liberius ausus el, alter voluntalem suam lacilo vultu 8ignificavit; 8 postquam senem illum liberius hoc dicentem obruil omnium ſraterna correptio, ec. GUSSANY. | « 14 est, nullam occasionem dare excusandi, nul- lam umbram objicere, qua in schi>mate reliner! possent. * Recent., ex 8ubslantia tali Ecclesi@. Reluctaniur Mss. Vatic., N»rm., Rhem., etc. Infra excusi habevt, vobis porlitor indicavit. Legendum vero nobis, el Mss. probant, et suadet ratio. 2 993 EPISTOLARUM LIB. IX. — INDICT. If. — EPIST. LVIL. 994