Letter 3024: The bishop Castorius of Rimini [a port city on the Adriatic] is ill and absent from his diocese.

TO LEONTIUS THE BISHOP. That, while Castorius the bishop is ill and absent, he should govern the Church of Rimini. Gregory to Leontius, bishop of Urbino. [The opening of the letter is corrupt in the source; the surviving editorial summary reports that Castorius, our brother and fellow bishop, is unable to return to his own Church.] Therefore, [...] [I would have believed that the discipline of the clergy, so much desired and so often attempted in vain through joint efforts, could be restored by a better path: namely, if the shepherds were freed from the administration of temporal affairs. For thus avarice, pride, and quarrels would be reined in; the canons concerning the life and honesty of the clergy would be carried into execution; residence would be made stable; the study of letters would be stirred up; and one would be free for God alone.] [This passage belongs to the editor's commentary, which cites the sixth Council of Paris, canon 29, and Saint Gregory there cited from the Pastoral Rule, book 2, chapter 7. -- Gussanville.] [Editorial footnotes follow: On Epistle 22 -- That is, against the resolve of a chaste life he had loosened the reins of incontinence. A fault of this kind among the higher clergy was once properly called a "lapse," in Greek [...]; and for that reason, as a penalty for it, the man is here passed over for ordination. And below, where we read "whose provision is at stake," the Vatican manuscript D reads only "is at stake." So too in the Corbie manuscript. On Epistle 24 -- In all the Norman, Colbert, and [...] manuscripts [...].] [EPISTLE 24, the actual letter:] ...he is not able to return to his Church; therefore, in his absence, we have provided that the task of visiting that same Church should be delegated to your Fraternity, admonishing your Charity to carry out all its interests so effectively that, through your presence, it may not feel itself deprived of its own bishop. Moreover, whatever shall seem good to you to arrange for the interests of that same Church, you shall have full license by all means, with our permission. But let the watchfulness and care of your solicitude preserve its revenues, ornaments, and sacred vessels. And apart from the ordinations of the clergy, in all other matters in the aforesaid Church we wish you to act as its cardinal and proper bishop. [Compare John the Deacon, book 4, chapter 32. See above, epistle 9; below, epistle 25; book 5, epistle 34.]

AD LEONTIUM EPISCOPUM. Ut infirmo et absenle Castorio episcouo Ariminensem Ecclesiam regat, ; Gregorius Leontio episcopo © Urbinati. Castorium fralrem el coepiscopum nestrum hic meliori via crediderim instanrari posse tam deside- ratam totque geminariis ſrustra tentatam clerj disci- plinam, quam $i exlricentur a temporaltium rerum -adinivnisirations2 paStores. Sic enim avaritia, Super- bia, lites refrenarentur, canones de vita et boneslatle clericorum exsecutioni mandarentur, residentia stabi- liretur, lilerarum $Studium excitlaretur, uni Deo va- caretur. Expendat lector conc. Paris. vi, EC. 29, et. Sanctum Gregorium ibi citatum ex Pastorali, Wb. n, C. 7. GUus<avv. EersT. XXII. — * Hoc est, contra castZ vite pro- 05itum incoutinentiz ſrena laxaverit. lujusmodi agitium in majoribus clericis olim dicebatur pro- prie casus, Grzece 7-:ouz; tum quod in illius penam Vaticinus D, omitlitur ordinari. Et infra ubi legi- mus, Ccnjus prorisio imnleresl, legitur lantum cus interes!. Ita quoque in Corb. Eeist. XXIV. — * la omnibus Norm., Colbert., et Shu ti* — co _ l —_ SANCTI GREGORIN MAGN! 624 8yuam Ecclesiam non valet remeare, propterea, eo a\bsente, Ecclesiz ipsius ſraternitati tuz operam pro- ridimns vi>itationis delegandam; admonentes chari- later fuam ut-ila elficaciter omnes utititates ejus #xerceal, qualenus tui praevntia proprium $e absen- tem habere n- n Sentiat 8acerdotem. Quidquid autem ti visum ſuerit pro utlilitat:bus ejusdem Ecclesize ordinare, habebis modis omnibus ex nosira permis- Sione licentiam. Reditus vero vel ornamenta, mi- ni«ieriaque ipsins, Þ s0llicitudinis tuz intujlus et cura conservet. Ft © przter ordinationes clericorum, ex- tera <©mnia in priedicta Ecclesia tanquam 4 cardina- lem et proprium te volumus agere $acerdotem. (CF. Joon, Diac. |. w, c. 32. Vide 8up. ep. 9, inf. ep. 25, lib. v, ep. 34.)