To Aregius, Bishop of Gap

Gregory to Aregius, bishop of Gaul. [a]

In brotherly love there is one heart and one soul. So, as the mind rejoices in another’s prosperity, it is afflicted in his adversity, since by the law of love it is bound to share in both. And so a greater sorrow had come upon us because of your sadness, for fear that the burden of a long grief might batter your heart with constant pain and weigh down your life with groans. But having received the letters of your love, we have been comforted with the joy we hoped for, and we give thanks to Almighty God that we now know your calm of mind is unimpaired and your mind has been restored to comfort. Nor indeed was anything else to be expected of you than that you would surely overcome with priestly patience whatever adversity there might be. [b]

Further, we well remember how the zeal of your fraternity once blazed up in rooting out the simoniac heresy. So we urge you to give your earnest attention to this, and that, among the other things we wrote about, it be condemned by the strict decree of a council. Then, our desire being fulfilled with the help of your care, you may both offer to Almighty God a most acceptable offering in the correction of vices, and show, for the building up of others, how the care of the pastoral office shines in you. Moreover, what we know of your life, which we have found to be far better than that of many, leads us to count on great help from you in this matter. So complete your kindness as, under God, you have begun it, so that the good which has been begun in you with a right aim may, with the help of God the Creator of all, be brought to completion.

Furthermore, let your fraternity show your accustomed love to the monks whom we have sent to our most reverend brother and fellow bishop Augustine. Try to help them on their way, both in person and through others, as far as you can, so that, while by your provision they meet no difficulties or delays in your region, we may feel that our confidence in you was not in vain, and Almighty God may give you the recompense of his grace for the conversion of the souls for whose sake they have been sent.