Problematic Appointments

Leo urbis Romae episcopus per Caesariensem Mauritaniam constitutis in Domino salutem.  Cum de ordinationibus sacredotum quaedam apud vos illicite usurpata crebrior ad nos commeantium sermo perferrei, ratio pietatis exegit ut pro sollicitudine quam universae Ecclessia ex divina institutione dependimus, rerum fidem studeremus agnoscere: vicem curae nostrae proficiscenti a nobis fratri et consacerdoti nostro Potentio delegantes, qui secundum scripta quae per ipsum ad vos direximus, de episcopis quorum culpabilis ferebatur electio quid veritas haberet inquireret, nobisque omnia fideliter indicaret. Unde quia idem plenissime notitiae nostrae cuncta reseravit et sub quibus qualibusque rectoribus quaedam Christi plebes in partibus provinciae Caesariensis habeantur, sincera nobis relatione patefecit, necessarium fuit ut dolorem cordis nostri, quo pro Dominicorum gregum periculis aestuamus, datis nunc quoque ad dilectionem vestram litteris promeremus, mirantes tantum apud vos per occasionem temporis impacati aut ambientium praesumptionem, aut tumultum valuisse popolarem, ut indignis quibusque et longe extra sacerdotale meritum constitutis pastorale fastigium et gubernatio Ecclesiae dederetur. Non est hoc consulere populis sed nocere, nec praestare regimen, sed augere discrimen. Integritas enim praesidentium salus est subditorum, et ubi est incolumitas obedientiae, ibi sana est forma doctrinae. Principatus autem quem aut seditio contulit, aut ambitus occupavit, etiamsi moribus atque actibus non offendit, ipsius tamen initii sui est perniciosus exemplo, et difficile est ut bono peragantur exitu, quae malo sunt inchoata principio.   Leo I, Epistula XII

Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to the ordained of Mauritania Cæsariensis, greetings in the Lord. With regard to the ordination of priests among you, the frequent accounts of those who visited us reported certain illicit practices among you, and thus for reasons of piety we were obliged to strive to arrive at the exact state of the case in accordance with that solicitude which by the Divine command we bestow on the universal Church; and we delegated care of this to our brother and fellow priest, Potentius, who was setting out from us, and who, according to what we wrote and addressed to you by him, was to make inquiry into the truth about the flawed elections of bishops, and to report everything faithfully to us. Thus because he has has most fully brought us to awareness by sincere account of under whom certain people of Christ in parts of the province of Caesarensis are and of their quality, it was necessary that the grief of our heart, stirred up for the Lord's flocks imperiled, be revealed by sending this letter to you, beloved. We are astonished that on account of the troubles of the time that either the over-bearing conduct of the self seeking or the tumults of the people would have so much influence upon you, and that to the unworthiest and those far removed from meriting the priesthood the chief pastorate and governance of the Church has been given. This is not to consult but harm the peoples' interests, not to establish order but to increase divisions. The integrity of those who preside is the safeguard of those governed, and where there is assured obedience, there the form of doctrine is sound. An appointment which is made by sedition or brought about by plotting, even if it does not offend in morals nor in practice, is nevertheless wicked from the mere example of its origin, and it is difficult for things to be brought to a good end which have started from a bad beginning. Leo I, Letter 12