To Columbus, Bishop in Numidia, on the Donatists

Gregory to Columbus, and so on. [a]

It is well known, dearest brother in Christ, that the ancient enemy, who by cunning persuasion threw the first man down from the delights of Paradise into this life of care, and in him even then laid the penalty of mortality on the human race, is now trying with the same cunning, so as to seize the flock more easily, to infect the shepherds of the Lord’s sheep with poisons poured into them, and to claim them already as his own by right. But we, who, though unworthy, have taken up the government of the Apostolic See in the place of Peter, prince of the apostles, are compelled by the very office of our pontificate to resist the common enemy with all the effort in our power. Now the bearers of this letter, Constantius and Mustellus, have informed us in a petition they presented, and the deacons of the church of Pudentiana in the province of Numidia assert, that Maximianus, prelate of that same church, bribed by the Donatists, has by a new license allowed a bishop to be made in the place where he lives. Although earlier practice allowed this, the catholic faith forbids it to remain and continue. For this reason we have thought it necessary to urge your fraternity by this letter that, when Hilarus our chartulary comes to you, this same case be put to a thorough and wise investigation in a united general council of bishops, with the terror of the coming Judge before their eyes. And if the bearers of this letter prove this charge against the bishop with sufficient evidence, let him by all means be removed from the rank and office he holds, so that he may return to the gains of penitence by acknowledging his fault, and others may not presume to attempt such things. [b] For it is right that one who has sold our Lord Jesus Christ to a heretic for money, as he is said to have done, should be removed from handling the mysteries of his most holy body and blood. Further, if apart from this accusation there is any dispute going on among them about certain wrongs or private dealings, as the petition of the deacons themselves contains, let your fraternity, together with our chartulary, inquire into it fully, with evidence brought forward, and decide it justly between all the parties.

Further, we have learned from what the bearers of this letter have told us that the heresy of the Donatists is spreading daily, because of our sins, and that a great many people, given leave through bribery, are being baptized a second time by the Donatists. How serious a matter this is, brother, we ought to consider with the whole bent of our minds. See, the wolf is tearing the Lord’s flock, no longer in secret by night but in the open light; and we see him going forward in the slaughter of the sheep, and we oppose him with no concern, with no darts of words. What fruits of a multiplied flock, then, will we show to the Lord, if we look on with an easy mind while even the flock we took on to feed is mangled by the wild beast? So let us strive to set our hearts on fire by imitating earthly shepherds. They often keep watch through winter nights, pinched by rain and frost, so that not even one sheep may be lost, and perhaps not a profitable one at that. And if the prowler has bitten it with his greedy mouth, how they bustle about! With what pounding of heart they pant, with what cries they leap forward to rescue the captured sheep, driven on by the pressing need, so that nothing lost through their carelessness may be demanded of them by the Lord of the flock! Let us keep watch, then, so that nothing may be lost. And if anything should happen to be seized, let us bring it back to the Lord’s flock by the cries of God’s words, so that he who is the Shepherd of shepherds may mercifully see fit to approve us in his judgment as having kept watch over his sheepfold. You must also see to this wisely: if the same bishop brings any proper petition against the bearers of this letter, it should be thoroughly inquired into. And if they too should rightly deserve to be punished for a fault of their own, we declare that they are by no means to be spared on the ground that they took the trouble of coming to us. In the month of August, in the tenth indiction. [d]