Letter 1.76 to Leo, bishop in Corsica (August 591)
Pastoral care obliges us to help a church bereft of a priest's guidance with concerned inspection. And recognizing that the church of Saona has been since the death of its bishop entirely destitute for many years, we have decided to charge your Fraternity with the task of its visitation as your arrangements will benefit it. Also in this church and in its parishes, we give you the licence to ordain deacons and presbyters. With regard to them, however, be keen to examine them diligently, to ensure that their characters in no way contradict the sacred canons.
But those whom your Fraternity would consider worthy of such a great ministry, recognizing their morals and actions to be suitable for ordination, you can promote freely to the aforesaid office with the permission of our authority. We want you to make use of all the resources of the abovementioned church as its bishop, up until our next letter.
Therefore, be diligent and careful and mindful in all of these matters, so that your management will, with God's help, in all ways improve the well-being of the church.
(trans. Martyn 2004: 189-190, altered by J. Szafranowski)