Section 4: The Holy Eucharist

The Holy Eucharist is entitled to an important place in Moral Theology because it has been instituted as the spiritual food of the soul, as a means to avoid everyday sins, and as a pledge of eternal glory.¹ Christ instituted this Sacrament for the twofold purpose of transforming and ennobling human nature, and enabling men to advance on the way to righteousness and become intimately united with God. As Communion the Holy Eucharist is both the efficient cause and sign of a real and mystic union with Jesus Christ ² —"the sacrament of ecclesiastical unity, which is brought about by many being one in Christ." ³ "From the Eucharist the martyrs drew their strength, the virgins their zeal, the saints their courage." ⁴ The nature and effects of this Sacrament give rise to the following obligations.

¹ John VI, 50 sqq.—St. Ignatius (Ep. ad Ephes., 20, 2) calls the Holy Eucharist "the medicine of immortality, the antidote that we should not die, but live forever in Christ." (Funk, Patres Apost., Vol. I, 2nd ed., p. 230). —Rit. Rom., De S. Euch. Sacr., tit. 4, c. 2, n. 6: "O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is recalled, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us."

² Cfr. John VI, 54; 1 Cor. X, 16 sq.—Pohle-Preuss, The Sacraments, Vol. II, 2nd ed., pp. 218 sqq.; M. Heimbucher, Die Wirkung der hi. Kommunion, Ratisbon 1884.

³ "The Sacrament of ecclesiastical unity, which consists in this, that many are one in Christ." (St. Thomas, Summa Theol., 3a, qu. 82, art. 2, ad 2). —St. Augustine 123 exclaims: "O Sacrament of piety! O sign of unity! O bond of charity!" (TV. in loa., 26, n. 13). In another place (ibid., n. 14) he calls the Eucharist "panis concordiae." Again he says: "The martyrs are strong, the martyrs are steadfast; but bread strengthens the heart of man, the bread which came down from heaven." (Serm., 333, c. i; Migne, P. L., XXXVIII, 1464). —Cfr. K. Adam, Die Eucharistielehre des hl. Augustin, Paderborn 1908.

⁴ Don Bosco.

1. THE DUTY OF RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION. —Holy Communion is not necessary as a means of salvation (necessitate medii), but a divine precept imposes upon all who have attained the use of reason the duty of receiving the Eucharist if possible (necessitas praecepti).⁵

⁵ Cfr. Luke XXII, 19; John VI, 4 1 Cor. XI, 26. —Conc. Trident., Sess. XIII, c. 2, can. 9; Sess. XXI, c. 4, can. 4 (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 875, 891, 933, 937)- —St. Thomas, Summa Theol., 3a, qu. 73, art. 3; qu. 80, art. 11. 5 "The most perfect and most necessary provision for the journey."

1. This duty is based on the same general reasons as that of receiving Confirmation, plus the additional one that Holy Communion is a food without which the supernatural life of the soul must needs grow weak or cease altogether. There can be no doubt that the divine precept of receiving the Holy Eucharist as viaticum 6 (when there is danger of death from whatever cause) obliges under pain of mortal sin, for Christ expressly declared: "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you." ⁷

⁷ John VI, 54. —Codex Iuris Can., can. 864, § 1. —Conc. Nicaen. I., can. 13 (Hefele, Concilicngeschichte, Vol. I, 2nd ed., p. 417). —Conc. Trident-, Sess. XIII, c. 8. —On the ancient custom of receiving Communion as viaticum see A. Struckmann, Die Gegenwan Christi in der hi. Eucharistie, Vienna 1905, pp. 210 sqq.

2. The duty with which we are concerned is inculcated by the well-known ecclesiastical precept which commands all the faithful who have attained the use of reason to receive Holy Communion at least once a year, during Easter time. This law, passed by the Fourth Council of the Lateran,⁸ was at first purely disciplinary, but received dogmatic character at the Council of Trent.⁹ The paschal precept must be regarded as an authentic interpretation of the divine command to eat the Body and Blood of the Lord. Needless to say, it can be fulfilled only by a worthy Communion.¹⁰ If for some reason the precept is not complied with during the paschal season, it remains binding for the remainder of the ecclesiastical year, and if one foresees that he will be unable to perform his Easter duty within or after the prescribed time, he should try to attend to it in advance.¹¹

⁸ Conc. Lat. IV. (A. D. 1215), c. 21 (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 437).

⁹ Conc. Trident., Sess. XIII, can. 9. —Cfr. J. P. Gury, Comp. Theol. Moralis, Vol. II, n. 218 sq. —The new Codex Iuris Can. states the law of paschal Communion in the usual terms of our catechisms, but adds (can. 859, § 1): "unless perhaps, on the advice of his own priest and for some reasonable cause, he judges that its reception should be postponed for a time."

¹⁰ This has been indirectly defined by Innocent XI when he condemned the proposition: "The precept of annual Communion is fulfilled by a sacrilegious eating of the Lord." (Prop. Damnat., n. 55; Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1205). The new Codex Iuris Can. expressly says (can. 861): “The precept of receiving Communion is not fulfilled by a sacrilegious Communion.”

¹¹ Cfr. Koch-Preuss, Handbook of Moral Theology, Vol. I, p. 179. —St. Alphonsus, Theol. Moral., 1. VI, n. 297 sqq.

The place for making the Easter Communion is the parish church. One who makes it elsewhere, under the new Code of Canon Law, is admonished to inform his pastor of the fact.¹²

¹² Codex Iuris Can., can. 859, § 3: "The faithful are to be advised that each fulfill this precept of paschal Communion in his own parish; and those who fulfill it in another parish are to take care to notify their own pastor that the precept has been fulfilled." —On the history of this procept see A. Villien, A History of the Commandments of the Church, St. Louis 1915, pp. 210 sqq.

II. PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION. —The nature of the Holy Eucharist is such that it must be received with the greatest possible purity of soul and body. i. PREPARATION OF THE SOUL. —In order to receive Holy Communion worthily, the soul must be free from mortal sin.¹³ Therefore, if one is conscious of a mortal sin, he must worthily receive the Sacrament of Penance before approaching the Holy Table. If he must communicate, and confession is impossible, he should at least make an act of perfect contrition. Mortal sins forgotten in a worthy confession should, if a good opportunity offers, be confessed before approaching the Holy Table. There is, however, no strict obligation to do so, and if one has no opportunity to confess, it will suffice to mention such sins in the next confession. To receive the Holy Eucharist while conscious of mortal sin is a very grievous sin, and the greatest of sacrileges, though, contrary to the opinion of many, by no means the most grievous sin a man can commit.¹⁴

¹³ Cfr. 1 Cor. XI, 27 sqq.; Conc. Trident., Sess. XIII, c. 7, can. 11 (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 880, 893); Sess. XXII, De Observ. et Evitand. in Celebrat. Missae. —Cfr. Prop, Dantnat. ab Alexandra VII., n. 38 (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1138).

¹⁴ Cfr. St. Thomas, Summa Theologica, 3a, qu. 80, art. 5; Pohle- Preuss, The Sacraments, Vol. I, 2nd ed., pp. 268 sq. —On the participation of Judas in the Last Supper see St. Thomas, Summa Theol., 3a, qu. 81, art. 2; J. Belser, Die Geschichte des Leidens und Sterbens des Herrn, Freiburg 1903, pp. 162 sqq.

As an immediate preparation for Holy Communion, acts of faith, hope, charity, adoration, desire, devotion, and humility should be elicited. All these acts may profitably be directed to Christ's sacrificial death on the cross.¹⁵ A part of the preparation for Communion in the wider sense is the thanksgiving following its reception. This is a very important and effective means of preserving the graces obtained and of making them fruitful for the spiritual life. The thanksgiving after Communion should consist mainly in acts of adoration, humility, gratitude, love, and self-oblation,¹⁶ and should contain some special petitions and resolutions.

¹⁵ Cfr. Luke XXII, 19; 1 Cor. XI, 26; Rit. Rom., De Euch. Sacr., tit. 4, c. 1, n. 4; F. S. Renz, Die Geschichte des Messopferbegriffes, Vol. I, pp. 115 sqq.

¹⁶ Cfr. P. Lejeune, Avant et après la Communion, Paris 1901.

2. PREPARATION OF THE BODY. —On the part of the body the worthy reception of the Eucharist requires: a) Cleanliness and a decent habiliment. Neglect of these requisites betrays a moral defect and is a violation of the respect due to the Sacrament and to Jesus Christ, who is present therein. Holy Communion must not, however, be denied to those who suffer from diseases which ordinarily involve physical uncleanness, e. g., leprosy, smallpox, eczema, etc. The married are advised (though not commanded) to abstain from carnal intercourse immediately before and after Communion. ¹⁷ "Neither legitimate cohabitation nor a flow of blood nor seminal pollutions during sleep but only impious and illicit conduct can violate nature or expel the Holy Ghost/' ¹⁸ b) A second bodily requisite for the worthy reception of Communion is that the recipient be fasting. The Eucharistic fast, known as ieiunium naturale, consists in complete abstention from food and drink and everything that is ordinarily taken after the manner of food and drink (per modum cibi et potus) after midnight (post mediam noctem).¹⁹™ This law binds under pain of mortal sin and admits of no parvitas materiae. The term midnight is to be understood physically, not morally, but we are allowed to follow either standard or sidereal time.

¹⁷ Cfr. 1 Cor. VII. 5 sq.; Cat. Rom., P. II, c. 4, qu. 56; Innocent XI's Decree "Quum ad Aures," Feb. 12, 1679 (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1147); Missale Rom., De Defect, in Celebr. Missae, tit. 9, n. 5; Pseudo- Augustine, Append. Serm., 292 (at. 244 De Temp.), n. 3 (Migne, P. L., XXXIX, 2298).

¹⁸ Constit. Apost., VI, c. 27 (ed. Funk, Vol. I, p. 371); cfr. Struckmann, Die Gegenwart Christi in der hi. Eucharistie, pp. 207 sqq.; St. Thomas, Summa Theol., 3a, Suppl., qu. 64, art. 3.

¹⁹ St. Augustine, Epist., 54 (a/. 118), n. 8: "It pleased the Holy Spirit that, in honor of so great a Sacrament, the Lord’s body should enter the Christian’s mouth before other foods; for this is why that custom is observed throughout the whole world." (Migne, P. L., XXXIII, 203). Missale Rom., De Defect, in Celebr. Missae, tit. 9, n. 1-4; Rit. Rom., tit. 4, c. 1, n. 3. —St. Thomas says (Summa Theol., 3a, qu. 80, art. 8, ad 5): "The Roman Church begins the day at midnight. Therefore, if anyone takes anything after midnight by way of food or drink, he cannot receive this Sacrament on the same day; but he can if it was before midnight." —The new Codex Iuris Can. reinforces the old law as follows (can. 858, § 1): "One who has not observed the natural fast from midnight cannot be admitted to the Most Holy Eucharist unless danger of death is urgent or there is a necessity of preventing irreverence toward the Sacrament."

The Eucharistic fast does not, however, bind those who are in danger of death, i. e., who suffer from a disease in which the Holy Eucharist is given as viaticum (which may be done repeatedly in the course of the same illness²⁰20). Nor does it bind when there is danger of a profanation of the Sacrament by unbelievers, or of scandal or infamy, or when a priest is compelled to complete the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass after the Consecration, either because he has "consecrated" and consumed water instead of wine (in which case he is obliged to reconsecrate and consume both species) or, for good reason, the wine only, or because he is overcome by sudden illness or death. It is of precept to complete a Mass once it has proceeded beyond the consecration of the bread, and in case of necessity it may be done by one who is no longer fasting. If the priest who finishes a Mass in place of another has not yet said Mass himself, he is not allowed to say another Mass, etiam ablutione non sumpta, unless he has the privilege of binating.²¹

²⁰ See the decision of the Holy Office of Sept. 7, 1897, and that of the S. Congregation of the Council, of Dec. 7, 1906. —Codex Iuris Can., can. 858, § 2; 864, § 3.

²¹ Missale Rom., De Defect, in Celebr. Missae, tit. 10, n. 5. —Cfr. St. Alphonsus, Theol. Mort, 1. VI, n. 287 sqq.

The Eucharistic fast, finally, is not binding on in- valids or on those who have been legitimately dispensed by the Pope. Invalids may receive Communion once or twice a week even if they are obliged to take some liquid food.²¹

²¹ Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 858, § 2.

III. FREQUENT COMMUNION. —By frequent Communion (communio frequens) is understood the reception of the Holy Eucharist daily or at least several times a week. i. There can be no doubt that frequent Communion agrees perfectly with the teaching and practice of the Church. St. Augustine says that, unless a man's sins are so great as to merit excommuniation, he should not deprive himself of the daily medicine of the Body of Christ.²² The Council of Trent "admonishes, exhorts, begs, and beseeches... that all and each of those who bear the Christian name... would believe and venerate these sacred mysteries of [Christ's] Body and Blood with such constancy and firm- ness of faith, with such devotion of soul, with such piety and worship, as to be able frequently to receive that supersubstantial bread/' ²³ which, according to the same holy Synod, is "an antidote whereby we may be freed from daily faults and preserved from mortal sins/' "the spiritual food of our souls/' by which we are "fed and strength ²⁴ ened."

²² St. Augustine, Epist., 54 (al. ii 8), n. 4: "If sins are not so great that anyone is judged worthy of excommunication, he ought not separate himself from the daily medicine of the Lord’s body. Yet let each one do what, according to his faith, he piously believes should be done. For one, out of reverence, does not dare to receive daily, while another, out of reverence, does not dare to omit it on any day. This food desires only that it not be despised, just as the manna desired not to be loathed." (Migne, Pair. Lat., XXXIII, 201 sq.)—IDEM, Serm., 227 (al. 83 De Diversis): "You, the newly born, ought to know what you have received, what you are about to receive, and what you ought to receive every day." (P. L., XXXVIII, 1099). —Pseudo-Augustine, Append, Serm., 84 (al. 28 De Verbis Domini), n. 3: "Receive daily what may benefit you daily; live so that you may deserve to receive daily. He who does not deserve to receive daily does not deserve to receive after a year." (P. L., XXXIX, 1908 sq.). —The latter passage appears verbatim also in Pseudo-Ambrose, De Sacram., 1. V, n. 25 (P. L., XVI, 452).

²³ Conc. Trident., Sess. XIII, c. 8; Sess. XXII. c. 6 (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 882, 944). —Cfr. the decree of Innocent XI, "Quum ad cures" (Denzinger-Bannwart. n. 1147 sqq. ); St. Thomas, Summa Theol., 3a, qu. 80, art. 10; Lejeune, La Pratique de la Sainte Commitnion, Paris 1900; F. X. Godts, C.SS. R., Exagcrations Historiques et TMologiques concernant la Communion Quotidienne, Roulers and Bruxelles, 1904; Ch. Madridius. —J. P. Bock, De Frequenti Usu S. Eucharistiae Sacramenti, Vienna 1909.

²⁴ Conc. Trident., Sess. XIII, c. 2 (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 875). — Cfr. Cat. Rom., P. II, c. 4, qu. 69; F. Meffert, Der hl. Alfons, pp. 253 sqq.

2. Since frequent Communion is so ardently desired by Jesus Christ and His Church, the way to the altar railing should be open to all the faithful without distinction of rank, class or condition. No one should be turned away who is in the state of grace and approaches the table of the Lord with a right intention. The right intention demanded by the Church consists in the desire to receive the Eucharist, not as a matter of habit, or out of vainglory or human respect, or for some other earthly motive, but for the purpose of pleasing God, of becoming more closely united with Him by charity, and of seeking this divine remedy for one's weaknesses and defects.²⁵

²⁵ Decree of the S. Congr. of the Council, Dec. 20, 1905, "Sacra Tri- dentina Synodus." The best English commentary on this decree is, The Decree on Daily Communion, by J. B. Ferreres, S.J., translated by H. Jimenez, S.J., London 1909.

The frequent reception of Holy Communion quite naturally entails certain demands upon the recipient.

While it would be presumptuous to set up absolute rules, we may safely say that a) It is fitting that he who receives Communion daily be free from conscious attachment to (venial) sin and strive earnestly and sincerely after perfection. However, though it is highly desirable that daily and frequent communicants be free from venial sins, at least from those which are entirely voluntary, and also from all attachment to sin, it is sufficient if they avoid mortal sins and harbor the earnest intention to sin no more, for with such a purpose they will inevitably be weaned more and more from sin. b) How often each one may go to Communion is a question to be decided by the confessor.²⁶ In admitting children to their first Communion, the parents and the confessor should be consulted, but the final decision rests with the pastor.²⁷

²⁶ Innocent XI's Decree "Quum ad aures" (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1147): "Frequent approach to receive the sacred nourishment is to be left to the judgment of confessors who examine the secrets of the heart; from purity of conscience, the fruit of frequency, and progress in piety, they ought to prescribe to laymen engaged in business and to married persons whatever they foresee will benefit their salvation." (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1147). —Cfr. Leo Kill's Decree "Quemadmodum omnium rerum hutnanarum," Dec. 17, 1890.

²⁷ Codex Iuris Can., can. 854, 5 5-

In regard to frequent Communion two extremes must be avoided: (i) Jansenistic rigorism, which demands a high state of perfection, and (2) laxism, which regards the frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist as an infallible mark of predestination.²⁸

²⁸ Prop. Damnat. ab Alex. Vlll., Dec. 7, 1690, prop. 22: "Those are to be judged sacrilegious who claim a right to receive Communion before they have done fitting penance for their offenses." —Prop. 23: "Likewise those in whom there is not yet a most pure love of God, free from every admixture, are to be kept from Holy Communion." (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1313)- —Prop. Damnat. sub Innoc. XI., prop. 56: "Frequent confession and Communion, even in those who live like pagans, is a sign of predestination." (Denzinger-Bannwart, n- 1206).

Since the promulgation of the decree " Sancta Tridentina Synodus/' Dec. 20, 1905, it is forbidden to engage in " contentious controversies " concerning the dispositions required for frequent and daily Communion.²⁹

²⁹ Decree "Sancta Tridentina Synodus," art. 9; Ferreres, The Decree on Daily Communion, p. 33.

—The duty of adoring Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is fulfilled, broadly speaking, by participating in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, which is the acme and centre of our religion. The custom of offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in common on Sundays is as old as Christianity itself.³⁰ The duty of attending Mass on Sundays and holydays was enforced by ecclesiastical synods since the sixth century.³¹ Under the present discipline this duty can be complied with in any church or in any public or semi-public oratory.³² Pastors are bound to offer the Holy Sacrifice on every Sunday and holyday of obligation for the people under their charge.

³⁰ Cfr. Justin Martyr, Apolog., I, 65 sq.; Pliny, Epist.. X, 97; Tertullian, De Fuga, c. 14.

³¹ Conc. Agath., A. D. 506, can. 47; cfr. the Decretum Gratiani, dist. i, can. 64, De Consecratione (Friedberg' s ed., Leipsic 1879, col. 1312).

³² Cfr. Noldin, Summa Theol. Mor., Vol. II, 11th ed., pp. 280 sqq. —Conc. Trident., Sess. XXII, Deer, de Observandis; Sess. XXIII, c. 1, De Ref. —Codex Iuris Cano- nlci, can. 859, § 3.—Instruct™ Pa- Storalis Eystettenstis, 5th ed., Freiburg 1902, pp. 20 sqq.

Though the second commandment of the Church merely establishes the general duty of hearing Mass on Sundays and holydays of obligation, particular individuals, because of special needs, may be bound to hear Mass more frequently.

Belief in the Real Presence of Christ and the signification and value of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, as well as the oft-expressed desire of the Church, ought to induce every faithful Catholic to attend Mass whenever possible and to communicate sacramentally, or at least spiritually, by eliciting an ardent desire to be united with Christ and to be made worthy of the graces of Communion.³³ Special opportunities for worshipping our Eucharistic Lord are furnished by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, the exposition of the Sacred Host during the Forty Hours' Devotion, the so-called Holy Hour, the Corpus Christi procession, and other celebrations.

³³ Conc. Trident.. Sess. XIII, c. 8; Sess. XXII, c. 6 (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 882, 944). —St. Thornas, Summa Theol., 3a, qu. 80, art. i, ad 3.

READINGS. —St. Thomas, Summa Theologica, 3a, qu. 80, art. l-n. —H. Noldin. S.J., Summa Theol. Mor., Vol. III, pp. 115 sqq. —P. Gasparri, Tract. Can. de SS. Eucharistia, 2 vols., Paris 1890. —Chr. Pesch, S.J., Praelectiones Dogmaticae, Vol. VI, 2nd ed., pp. 346 sqq. —Pohle-Preuss, The Sacraments, Vol. II, pp. 265 sqq., pp. 136 sqq. —M. Heimbucher, Die Wirkung der hi. Kommunion, Ratisbon 1884.—Labouré, L’Eucharistie Centre de la Vie Chretienne, Paris 1899. —Leo XIII, Encyclical "Mirae Caritatis" May 28, 1902. —Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 801-869. —J. Gerber, S.J., La Sainte Eucharistie, Paris 1925 (a resume of the moral theology of the Holy Eucharist as a sacrament and as a sacrifice.)