Article Fifth. On Frequent Communion

158. On frequent communion itself. 1. By the name frequent communion there is properly designated only communion which is received several times in the week or even daily. Therefore weekly communion is not properly and strictly called frequent.

The use of frequent communion took hold especially after the Council of Trent, and today it flourishes and is strong widely in the Church. Its most bitter enemies were the Jansenists, who, under a false pretext of religion, kept the faithful away from receiving sacred communion more frequently: for they demanded such purity and holiness of soul in the recipient that everyone had to consider himself unworthy of frequent communion.

2. According to the mind of the Church, frequent communion must be earnestly recommended to the faithful. Concerning the use of sacred communion the Church has established two things: first, that communion is to be received only once in the day (n. 129), then, that it is to be received at least once in the year. Within these limits she indeed commands nothing, but nevertheless she shows in every way that she greatly desires the faithful to approach sacred communion frequently, indeed even daily.

a. The Council of Trent desires "that in individual Masses the faithful present communicate not only by spiritual affection, but also by sacramental reception of the Eucharist";² and the Roman Catechism, edited by order of the Council of Trent, admonishes pastors to exhort the faithful often to receiving holy communion frequently.³ Hence it happened that the acts of the provincial council of Rouen, which decreed that in the future holy communion would be distributed only twice in the week, were reprobated at Rome, with this admonition added: it is opposed by the Council of Trent.

b. The very celebrated decree of Innocent XI, Cum ad aures (12 Feb. 1679), exhibits the Church's manner of thinking and speaking concerning this matter, so that Benedict XIV declared: if in a synod speech is instituted concerning the frequent or even daily use of the holy Eucharist, one must not depart from the path of this decree. Now this decree contains especially three things: alpha. it reprobates the prohibition of frequent communion made in some dioceses because of abuses which had crept in from daily communion; beta. it decrees that neither the state of merchants nor the conjugal state impedes frequent communion, which depends solely on the disposition of the soul; gamma. it establishes that judgment concerning the interior disposition, and therefore concerning the frequency of communion in a particular case, is to be left to the confessor.

c. Most clearly the Church opened her mind concerning frequent communion by the solemn decree Sacra tridentina synodus, issued by Pius X (20 Dec. 1905), by which not only frequent and daily communion is earnestly commended, but also easier conditions for receiving it are determined.

d. The Church draws this manner of thinking and acting from the words of Christ, who not obscurely manifests the desire that the faithful often eat the eucharistic bread,⁴ and from the end and effects of the Eucharist, concerning which St. Thomas argues thus: this sacrament is spiritual food; hence, as bodily food is taken daily, so it is laudable to receive this sacrament daily.⁵

Note. Therefore there act against the mind of the Church not only priests who indiscriminately deny frequent communion to all the faithful for this reason alone, that it is frequent, and pastors who neither distribute holy communion nor permit it to be distributed except on Sundays and feasts; but also confessors who, in the Jansenist manner, require for frequent communion such great purity of soul that they judge scarcely any penitent worthy of frequent communion. These are led by a false principle, namely that holy communion is the prize and reward of acquired virtue, whereas rather it is the means of acquiring virtue.

¹ Cf. Lugo, De eucharistia, disp. 17; Dalgairns, Die heilige Kommunion; ihre Philosophie, Theologie und Praxis (Mainz, Kirchheim, 1862); Segur, Die wochentliche Kommunion (Mainz, Kirchheim, 1880); Bastien, De frequenti quotidianaque communione (Rome, Desclee, 1907).

² Sess. 22, c. 6; sess. 13, c. 8. Cn. 863 agrees.

³ Pars II, c. 4, q. 58.

⁴ John 6:59.

⁵ Summa III, q. 80, a. 10, ad 1.

159. Required dispositions. 1. As to the required dispositions, all demand the state of grace; but concerning further disposition theologians disputed. Some demanded a greater purity of soul and actual devotion; others, on the contrary, thought that the state of grace suffices, while immunity from venial sins and actual devotion are indeed greatly to be desired, but are not required as necessary conditions.

2. The former opinion, which de Lugo especially defends,¹ and to which St. Alphonsus also adheres,² up to now had by far the greater part of theologians as patrons; few defended the second. Therefore also the practice which up to now was observed in the Church concerning frequent and daily communion was directed according to the norm of the former opinion.

a. They taught that a twofold disposition is required for frequent communion: that affection toward deliberate venial sins be removed, so that therefore they are at least not ordinarily committed; that a serious effort be employed for advancing in virtues and perfection; and that the greater the frequency of communion was, the more perfect this disposition ought to be. Wherefore, in order that someone be worthy of daily communion, they demanded that deliberate venial sin happen rarely, or that depraved inclinations for the most part already be overcome, and that there be present a serious effort of advancing in the way of perfection. From these points they inferred that daily communion must be denied to many and conceded to few.

b. This is their chief reason. The reverence due to Christ the Lord demands that those who communicate frequently do this only with great purity of soul and actual devotion, although from this many must lack the spiritual benefit received from frequent communion; just as, because of the same reverence of the sacrament, holy communion is not given to infants, although grace would be increased in them ex opere operato.

¹ De euchar., disp. 17.

² Praxis confessarii, n. 152.

160. 3. Now, however, the Holy See declares: for frequent, indeed even daily, communion no other disposition is required except that someone be in the state of grace and approach the sacred table with a right mind. Hence it is not only not licit to keep away from frequent and daily communion anyone who is endowed with this disposition, but the faithful are rather to be exhorted to it; especially in religious institutes of whatever kind, frequent and daily communion is to be promoted, with this disposition supposed.¹

a. The state of grace, according to the mind of the decree, is not required as habitual, which excludes relapses into mortal sin, but actual suffices, which consists in the simple existence of sanctifying grace, yet with a firm purpose of not committing mortal sin and a serious will of avoiding occasions and dangers. Therefore nothing prevents a penitent who is now first converted from a looser life from being admitted to frequent communion, provided a true and serious will of amending himself appears. Although, according to the mind of the Church, the state of grace suffices for frequent communion, nevertheless the cited decree admonishes and exhorts that, for receiving greater fruits, greater dispositions also be placed beforehand according to each one's strength and condition.

b. A right mind consists in this: that he who approaches the sacred table does not indulge habit or vanity or human reasons, but wishes to satisfy the good pleasure of God, to be joined to Him more closely by charity, and by that divine medicine to meet his infirmities and defects. He who follows the practice of others only because others do it, or pursues a practice long ago undertaken by himself without due reverence, acts badly; but he who follows the good example of others in this matter, or with due intention and reverence pursues a practice long ago begun by himself, does not act badly. If the pursuit of vain glory is the sole motive for approaching, the approach is morally bad; but if it is a partial motive, the approach is partly good and partly bad. The same is to be said of human reasons.

c. The faithful who are about to receive holy communion frequently or even daily should seek the counsel of a confessor. In order that his counsel be prudent, he, who must follow the norms of the cited decree in all things, should advert: alpha. that what before was designated as the necessary disposition of frequent communion is now rather the end to be intended and the fruit to be gathered from daily communion. "Although it is most expedient" - these are the words of the cited decree - "that those using frequent and daily communion be free from venial sins, at least fully deliberate ones, and from affection toward them, nevertheless it suffices that they be free from mortal faults, with the purpose of never sinning in the future; with which sincere purpose of soul it cannot happen that those communicating daily are not gradually freed from venial sins also and from affection toward them." beta. In order that this effect be obtained, "care must be taken" - again these are the words of the decree - "that careful preparation for holy communion precede, and suitable thanksgiving follow thereafter, according to each one's strength, condition, and duties."

d. The reasons for this doctrine and practice are taken: alpha. From the ancient practice of the Church: for it can scarcely be denied that in the first times of the Church the faithful indiscriminately received holy communion frequently, indeed even daily, and yet in general they were not better and more perfect than the faithful of our time. beta. From the spiritual good of the faithful: as often as a man in the state of grace approaches holy communion, he at least partially receives its fruit ex opere operato, although he commits venial sins; and indeed a fruit of supreme value, namely an increase of sanctifying grace and charity; but a frequent and daily increase of grace and charity causes venial sins and imperfections gradually to be amended. gamma. From the principle: the sacraments are for the sake of men: for from this it must be inferred that Christ the Lord prefers the greater spiritual utility of the faithful to a more perfect disposition, and therefore for daily communion requires nothing else except that the communicant be in the state of grace and approach with a right mind. This opinion, which was that of the holy Fathers, the Church confirms by a recent decree.

e. Therefore frequent communion is not to be denied to those who sometimes fall into mortal sin, provided they detest it and seriously propose to amend; nor is it to be denied to those who have affection toward deliberate venial sins. But it must be denied to those who have affection toward mortal sins and therefore frequently fall into mortal sins; nevertheless those are to be excepted who fall from internal fragility or from vehement and extraordinary temptation and show a serious will of fighting against sin: for from frequent communion these draw greater strength for resisting temptations.²

4. In order that the use of daily communion might be propagated more day by day, to those who have the custom of communicating daily there has been conceded the privilege of gaining, without weekly confession, all indulgences for the gaining of which confession would be necessary.

To those who are accustomed to confess at least twice in the month, unless they are legitimately impeded, there has been conceded the privilege of gaining all occurring indulgences, for the gaining of which confession is prescribed (except the indulgences of the ordinary and extraordinary jubilee); the same privilege is conceded to those who have the practice of daily or quasi-daily communion without the obligation of confessing every week. Therefore they do not lose this privilege who abstain from communion once or twice during the week.³

5. Boys and girls are not to be kept away from frequent communion; indeed daily communion should be recommended to them already after they have received first communion, especially to those who are educated in boys' seminaries and other boarding schools, so that they may be imbued with Christ and His grace before passions arise in their hearts and begin to dominate.⁴

Nevertheless care must be taken: a. lest superiors, unless cautiously, tell someone in particular to approach holy communion more frequently, lest they foster hypocrisy and give occasion to sacrileges; b. lest boys and girls approach from mere habit, distracted and dissipated: for, given the lightness of childish age, there is danger lest the sacred food become cheap to them from daily use.⁵

¹ S. C. C., Sacra tridentina synodus, 20 Dec. 1905.

² Cf. Frassinetti, Compendio della teolog. morale, 9th ed. (Genova, Fassicomo, 1898), Dissertation X; M. C. Gennari, Sulla communione frequente, 2nd ed. (Napoli, Tipogr. degli artigian., 1900).

³ Cn. 931, 3; S. C. Indl., 14 Feb. 1906.

⁴ S. C. C., 15 Sept. 1906.

⁵ Cf. S. C. C., 10 Dec. 1905.

161. For practice. 1. Pastors and confessors should esteem frequent communion greatly, as a practice praised and commended by the Church, and should earnestly exhort the faithful to it. For the Church commands this, because frequent and even daily communion is strongly commended to the Christian faithful by the Lord Himself because of its excellent fruits.¹

2. Although great zeal in commending frequent and daily communion is rightly to be praised, nevertheless let them remember that one must never depart from the norm of prudence and truth. Hence:

a. In extolling the frequency of communion, let them not speak in such a way that they confuse counsel with precept. Annual communion is prescribed to all; more frequent communion to some (the young, habitual sinners), but daily communion, indeed frequent communion generally, is only commended.

b. At the same time let them inculcate the necessity of due preparation and thanksgiving, which also before and after daily communion must certainly be arranged according to the strength, opportunity, duties, and state of the communicants. For the rest, it is not necessary that the whole preparation and thanksgiving take place in the church itself, just as it is not necessary that the faithful, e.g., workers and students, use different clothing for communicating than they use on weekdays.

c. Let confessors see whether frequent and daily communion can be received by penitents without detriment to the obligations of state in servants, maidservants, mothers of families, etc., or without the loss of greater goods, such as peace and tranquility in families for wives, etc.

d. Where up to now not even monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly communion was in use, the pastor should first of all devote every effort to this, that the people approach the sacred table every month, without however being silent about more frequent, indeed daily, communion. For in every parish there are found faithful inclined to true piety and to a more frequent use of the sacraments. These, if they are suitably directed by a zealous and prudent confessor, can induce others to more frequent communion.

3. Unless duties of state or greater goods to be preserved stand in the way, the pastor and confessor must admit to frequent and daily communion all who are in the state of grace and intend to acquire for themselves the fruits of communion, whether they are women or men, unmarried or joined in matrimony, adults or children. Nor is he immune from sin who, when the required conditions are supposed, withdraws anyone from frequent communion or denies it to him.

4. If there is question of children whose parents are displeased by frequent communion in their children, the priest should exhort them to ask from their parents permission to communicate frequently and, if there is need, to obtain it for themselves by obedience, good morals, diligence, kindness, etc. Let the confessor continually exhort and instruct the same children to approach devoutly and to make preparation and thanksgiving well. Similarly, let wives see to it that, with their husbands consenting, they can communicate frequently.

5. Although weekly confession ordinarily seems to be recommended for those communicating frequently, nevertheless not rarely circumstances will be present which suggest less frequent confession. Such are, for example, lack of time either on the part of the confessor or on the part of the penitent; the danger lest access to confession be made more difficult for those who most need it. Hence it can licitly happen that those communicating frequently or daily confess only every month. For pastors of souls should remember that a greater spiritual good is received from holy communion than from sacramental confession. Therefore, where both cannot be joined, it is better to omit confession rather than communion.

¹ Cf. S. C. C., 10 Dec. 1905.