The Fathers of the Church, Expanded Edition by Mike Aquilina

Author:Mike Aquilina
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Theology, Religion & Spirituality, Churches & Church Leadership, Reference, Catholicism, Christianity, General, Religious Studies & Reference, Church History, World, Religious Studies, Religious, Christian Books & Bibles, History
Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor
Published: 2006-11-02T06:00:00+00:00

A PLEA TO THE POPE

Basil looked around him and saw the Eastern churches in disarray. He believed the only remedy to be a personal visit from Pope St. Damasus, which he begged for in a letter to the pontiff.

To renew laws of ancient love, and once again to restore to vigorous life that heavenly and saving gift of Christ, which in course of time has withered away—the peace, I mean, of the Fathers—is a labor necessary and profitable to me. But it is pleasant, too, as I am sure it will seem to your Christ-loving disposition.

For what could be more delightful than to behold all, who are separated by distances so vast, bound together by the union effected by love into one harmony of members in Christ’s body? Nearly all the East (I include under this name all the regions from Illyricum to Egypt) is being agitated, right honorable father, by a terrible storm and tempest. The old heresy, sown by Arius the enemy of the truth, has now boldly and unblushingly reappeared. Like some sour root, it is producing its deadly fruit and is prevailing. The reason is that in every district the champions of orthodoxy have been exiled from their churches by calumny and outrage, and the control of affairs has been handed over to men who are leading captive the souls of the simpler brethren. I have come to see the visit of your mercifulness as the only possible solution of our difficulties.

In the past, I have ever been consoled by your extraordinary affection; and for a short time my heart was cheered by the gratifying report that we shall be visited by you. But, as I was disappointed, I have been constrained to beg you by letter to be moved to help us, and to send some of those who are like-minded with us, either to conciliate the dissidents and bring the churches of God back into friendly union, or at all events, to make you see more plainly who are responsible for our unsettled state, that it may be clear to you, for future reference, with whom it befits you to be in communion. In this I am by no means making any novel request, but am only asking what has been customary in the case of men who, before our own day, were blessed and dear to God, and conspicuously in your own case.

For I well remember learning from the answers made by our fathers when asked, and from documents still preserved among us, that the illustrious and blessed Bishop Dionysius, conspicuous in your see as well for soundness of faith as for all other virtues, visited by letter my Church of Caesarea, and by letter exhorted our fathers, and sent men to ransom our brethren from captivity. But now our condition is yet more painful and gloomy and needs more careful treatment. We are lamenting no mere overthrow of earthly buildings, but the capture of churches. What we see before us is no

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