Letter 9111: Inasmuch as the desire of a pious purpose and the bent of a laudable devotion ought always to be aided by the earnest endeavours of priests, anxious care should be taken that neither remissness, neglect nor presumption disturb whatever has been ordained for the quiet of monks and of religious conversation. But, as it was right that what reason r...

Gregory to Virgilius, Bishop of Arles. Pious purposes and laudable devotion always deserve the earnest support of priests. Careful attention must be paid to ensure that neither carelessness, neglect, nor overreach disturbs what has been established for the peace of monks and religious communities. What reason required should be wisely prescribed -- and what has been prescribed must not be violated. Here is the background: Childebert of glorious memory, King of the Franks, driven by his love of the Catholic faith, founded a monastery for men within the walls of the city of Arles and granted it certain resources for the support of its inmates. To protect his intentions from being frustrated, he wrote to the Apostolic See asking that the rights he had granted be confirmed by papal authority. He also requested certain privileges for the monastery -- both in the management of its affairs and in the election of its abbot. He knew that what the Apostolic See confirms, no unlawful interference can later overturn. Since both the royal purpose and the request itself demanded action, my predecessor Pope Vigilius wrote to your predecessor Aurelius confirming everything that was asked for, with the full support of apostolic authority. A request of this kind could not reasonably be refused. To ensure your Fraternity knows exactly what was decreed at that time, I have enclosed a copy of my predecessor's written orders. These arrangements stand. Protect them.

Book IX, Letter 111 To Virgilius, Bishop of Arelate (Arles). Gregory to Virgilius, etc. Inasmuch as the desire of a pious purpose and the bent of a laudable devotion ought always to be aided by the earnest endeavours of priests, anxious care should be taken that neither remissness, neglect nor presumption disturb whatever has been ordained for the quiet of monks and of religious conversation. But, as it was right that what reason required should be profitably prescribed, so what has been prescribed ought not to be violated. Now Childebert of glorious memory, King of the Franks, inflamed by love of the Catholic religion, in founding for his own reward a monastery for men within the walls of the city of Arelate, as we find set down in writing, granted certain things there for the sustentation of its inmates. And, lest his purpose should ever be frustrated, and what had been arranged for the quiet of the monks be disturbed, he prayed in his letters that whatever rights he conceded to the said monastery might be confirmed by apostolic authority; adding this also to his petition, that certain privileges might at the same time be accorded to the same monastery, as well in the management of its affairs as in the ordination of its abbot. This he did as knowing such reverence to be paid by the faithful to the Apostolic See that what had been settled by its decree no molestation of unlawful usurpation would thereafter shake. Hence, since the royal purpose as well as the thing desired, urgently demanded effect to be given to it, letters were sent by our predecessor Vigilius, bishop of the Roman See, to your predecessor Aurelius, wherein all things that a desire to embrace that purpose demanded were willingly confirmed by the support of apostolic authority, inasmuch as a thing of this kind, when requested, could not be allowed to encounter difficulty. But, that your Fraternity may know what was decreed at that time, we have seen to the written orders of our aforesaid predecessor being added to this letter. These having been perused, we exhort you to keep them all inviolate with priestly earnestness, as becomes you, and to allow nothing undue or unlawful to be imposed on that monastery, or the said orders to be infringed by any usurpation. For, though what has once been sanctioned by the authority of the Apostolic See has no lack of validity, yet we do, over and above, once more corroborate by our authority in all respects all things that were ordained by our predecessor for quiet in this matter. Let your Fraternity, then, so acquit yourself in observing them as both to shut out all occasion of disturbance, and also to persuade others to carry these things out, while you show yourself careful and devoted, as becomes you, in observing the most pious will of the departed one. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 13. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1898.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360209111.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.