"The duty of the Church is not only to teach the ignorant, but to correct the erring, and to punish, according to their deserts, those who sin presumptuously"

Pope Gregory IX articulates a hierarchical approach to ecclesial responsibility: first to enlighten, then to reform, and finally to administer just discipline. Teaching addresses the condition of ignorance, recognizing that many moral and doctrinal failures stem from lack of formation rather than malice. Instruction is therefore foundational, a remedy that seeks to prevent fault by cultivating understanding and virtue.

Correction follows when error persists beyond ignorance. To “correct the erring” assumes a pastoral process aimed at conversion: admonition, counsel, accountability, and the call to amend one’s life. It reflects the Church’s role as a moral and doctrinal guardian, responsible for preserving truth and harmony within the community. Correction is medicine rather than retribution, oriented toward restoration of right belief and right conduct.

Punishment applies when a person sins “presumptuously,” that is, knowingly and willfully, with defiance rather than weakness. By invoking “according to their deserts,” Gregory underscores proportionality and discernment, punishments should match culpability and scandal, neither excessive nor lax. This acknowledges moral agency and protects the common good: obstinate wrongdoing harms not just the sinner but the faithful who may be misled or scandalized. Punishment thus has multiple ends: justice, deterrence, the protection of the community, and the hoped-for reform of the offender.

Historically, Gregory IX codified canon law and expanded ecclesial judicial mechanisms, including efforts against heresy. His formulation reflects a medieval synthesis in which the Church bore both pastoral and juridical duties. Yet the ideal he names contains safeguards: teaching precedes blame, correction precedes censure, and punishment is tempered by equity and ordered to salvation. Mercy and justice are meant to interpenetrate, discipline without cruelty, patience without indifference.

The vision is demanding: a Church that forms consciences, confronts error with charity and clarity, and, when necessary, exercises measured authority for the sake of truth, communal integrity, and the ultimate good of souls.