Epistle LXII.
To Januarius, Archbishop of Caralis (Cagliari) in
Sardinia.
Gregory to Januarius, &c.
If our
Lord
Himself by
the testimony of Holy Scripture declares Himself to be the husband of
widows and father of orphans, we also, the members of His body, ought
with the soul’s supreme affection to set ourselves to imitate the
head, and saving justice, to stand by orphans and widows if need
be. And, having been given to understand that Catella, a
religious woman who has a son serving here in the holy Roman Church
over which under
God
we preside, is being
troubled by the exactions and molestations of certain persons, we think
it needful to exhort your Fraternity by this letter not to refuse
(saving justice) to afford your protection to this same woman, knowing
that by things of this kind you both make the
Lord
your debtor and bind us to you the more in the bonds
of charity. For we wish the causes of the aforesaid woman,
whether now or in future, to be terminated by your judgment, that she
may be relieved from the annoyance of legal proceedings, and yet be by
no means excused from submitting to a just judgment. Now I pray
the
Lord
to direct your life in a prosperous
course towards Himself, and Himself to bring you in His mercy to the
kingdom of glory which is to come.