“We should make a distinction, dearest brother, between — on the one hand — those who either have apostatized and … are living heathenish lives, or have become deserters to the heretics . and — on the other hand — those who do not depart from the Church’s threshold, who, constantly and sorrowfully imploring divine and paternal consolation, profess that they are now prepared for the battle, and ready to stand and fight bravely for the name of their Lord and for their own salvation.”

(St Cyprian of Carthage on restoring those who denied the faith and the earnestly repented)