Columbanus, Letter to Pope Boniface

Watch therefore for the Church’s peace, succor your sheep, who already tremble at what seems the terrors of the wolves, and who also fear yourselves with too much trembling as they are driven into various folds. Thus they are in doubt, partly coming, but partly going, and as they come so they return, and are ever in fear. Then use, dear Pope, the call and known voice of the true shepherd, and stand between sheep and wolves, so that, shedding their fear, they may then first fully acknowledge you as shepherd. For the people that I see, though it maintains many heretics, is zealous and quickly troubled like a trembling flock, and so is not quickly pacified, since Italy has so many wolves, whose cubs can scarcely all be exterminated, while indeed so many have been reared at home. But may God destroy such a progeny, and nourish His flock and fight with you; do you fulfill your pastoral duty with all vigilance, standing on your guard day and night, that you may see that almond staff which afterwards you may deserve to see in the shape of a crook at the time of the gathering of the true fruits. Therefore, that you may not lack apostolic honor, maintain the apostolic Faith, establish it by testimony, strengthen it by writing, defend it by a synod, that none may lawfully resist you. Do not despise a foreigner’s word of counsel, as being the teacher of him who is zealous for your sake. The world is already in its latter days; the chief of shepherds hastens; beware lest He find you heedless and striking your fellow servants with the blows of a bad example an eating and drinking with the drunken, lest carelessness receive the consequent reward; for he who disregards shall be disregarded. It is not enough for you, who have undertaken responsibility for many, to be careful for yourself; for to whom more is entrusted, from him will more be demanded.

Translation, G. S. M. Walker

This excerpt is an example of the extraordinary courage and conviction of Columbanus, the greatest of the Irish peregrini, as he conducted his ministry within the Roman Catholic lands of Gaul early in the 7^th century. Columbanus and his companions were shocked, but not surprised, by what they observed of the state of the Church and the faith of Jesus in Gaul. And they were not content simply to “leave well enough alone” and allow heretics, clerical delinquents, and royal hypocrites to terrorize the flocks of the Lord.

We note first that Columbanus wrote to the pope as a counselor, not a subject. The Irish did not regard themselves as accountable to the pope in Rome, although they did not question his authority to oversee the churches that submitted to his pastoral governance. In other letters to Boniface and Gregory, Columbanus describes the state of the Church and the clergy to the pontiffs, and gives them the benefit of the doubt regarding the deplorable conditions in Gaul. Apparently they were not aware of how bad things were there. The people of God were set upon by wolves from within the flock of the Lord, false teachers, lazy and covetousness priests, and irresponsible bishops who had no concern for the Kingdom of God but only their own prosperity and peace. Such conditions were unacceptable to Columbanus in the Body of Christ, even that which lay beyond the scope of his own authority and calling, and he spoke and wrote against them as part of his effort to bring renewal to the Roman Church in Gaul.

Columbanus is neither angry nor haughty in his approach to Boniface. He refers to himself early on in the letter as a “greenhorn” and acknowledges that the pope probably shouldn’t be listening to him. But he cannot hold back on what he has observed, and he merely calls the pope to fulfill his duty as the over-shepherd of these fearful flocks. His tone is plaintive and hortatory; at the same time, he is direct and firm.

We also note that Columbanus holds the pope accountable to Scripture and the Chief Shepherd of the flock. His letters, like all his writings, are filled with references and allusions to God’s Word. No church leader at any level is above the Word of God, and no one could be compelled to act or serve in any way other than what the Word reveals. He calls on Boniface to speak the Word of Christ to the priests and bishops in Gaul, so that they will cease dominating the flocks of God with their wicked ways and begin to serve them as true shepherds. It is his “pastoral duty” to care for the sheep and not simply to maintain an ecclesiastical structure which, while loyal to him, does nothing to edify the Church. He will only be the true successor of the apostles when he acts like them, teaching, testifying, writing, convening, and serving the Church for the cause of truth and the Gospel.

Columbanus is “zealous” for Boniface to do his job. He neither challenges the pope’s authority nor questions the structure of the Roman Church. He is an “outsider” to this structure, however, and sees no reason to submit to its authority, except voluntarily as he can, within the bounds of Scripture (hence, he refused, in a letter to the bishops of Gaul, to attend a synod being convoked to rebuff and silence him).

We see here the Biblical and pastoral heart of these Irish clerics. They loved God’s Word, loved His people, loved the truth, and they were not about to stand by when men of God were failing in their duty. The Church today needs to hear the voices of such men, calling us back to the Word, to the true work of shepherding, and to seeking first the Kingdom and righteousness of God in all things.

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