To John, Bishop of Syracuse, on Making Peace with Venantius

Gregory to John, bishop of Syracuse. [a]

There may have been cause enough to provoke your fraternity’s spirit to anger, and not without reason, so that you would neither receive the offerings of the lord Venantius nor allow the sacred solemnities of the mass to be celebrated in his house. Yet since our earthly interests ought to be pursued in such a way that no quarrel can succeed in cutting us off from the bond of love, we urge your holiness, as we have already written, both to receive this man’s offerings with all sweetness and with a sincerity pleasing to God, and to allow the mysteries of the mass to be performed in his house. And, as we have written, if he should perhaps wish it, go there in person, and by celebrating mass with him renew your former friendship. For it is your duty to show a priest’s affection to your sons, though still, in cases that may arise, by no means to neglect the jurisdiction of your church, as reason approves. So, considering this, your fraternity must try to conduct yourself in these matters with wise moderation, so as both to settle to good effect what the nature of the business requires and not to depart from the grace of fatherly love.