Article — Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis
Article IV. On Frequent Communion
215. Notion. By the name frequent Communion is properly understood Communion received several times in the week, or even daily Communion. Therefore weekly Communion, and a fortiori Communion from fortnight to fortnight, is not properly frequent Communion.192 According to the present discipline of the Church, it is no longer lawful to receive Communion several times in one day. Cf., however, what was said above in n. 209 concerning Viaticum and what is to be said below in n. 285 concerning several Masses celebrated on the same day.
Concerning frequent Communion, or rather concerning the dispositions required for it, the rules formerly handed down, especially by St. Alphonsus,193 St. Francis de Sales,194 and others, have been abolished. Now the statutes issued by the Sacred Congregation of the Council and approved by Pius X on December 20, 1905,195 must be observed altogether. Since the whole doctrine and discipline are found in these statutes, we append them here with brief commentaries.
Rules. 1. "Frequent and daily Communion,196 as something most desired by Christ the Lord and by the Catholic Church, is to be open to all Christ's faithful of whatever order or condition, so that no one who is in the state of grace and approaches the sacred table with a right and pious mind can be prevented from it." Nearly the essence of the entire decree is contained in these words. Innocent XI197 had already determined that no one should be barred from frequent Communion solely because of the lay, married, or commercial state, and that the frequency of Communion should be determined by a prudent confessor. But the decree of Pius X adds that no other condition is strictly required for such frequent Communion except: a) the state of grace; and b) a right and pious mind.
2. "A right mind, moreover, consists in this: that he who approaches the sacred table not indulge custom, vanity, or human motives, but wish to satisfy the good pleasure of God, to be more closely united to Him by charity, and to meet his infirmities and defects with that divine medicine." This statute must be attended to altogether, especially in colleges of boys and girls, where several sometimes approach the sacred table more frequently, not from a right mind or from a supernatural motive, but either to please their teachers or solely because they see others doing so. These ends, if they are the principal ones, entirely bar one from Holy Communion, since it ought not serve earthly advantages.
3. "Although it is most expedient that those who use frequent and daily Communion be free from venial sins, at least fully deliberate ones, and from affection for them, it nevertheless suffices that they be free from mortal sins, with the resolution never to sin in the future; with which sincere resolution of mind it cannot happen that daily communicants will not gradually free themselves even from venial sins and from affection for them." By this statute the greater severity of the ancients was indeed abolished, but even now what St. Alphonsus says seems to remain valid:198 "But if it is afterward recognized that, notwithstanding the frequency of Communion, the soul advances nothing in the way of perfection and does not amend itself of deliberate faults, even venial ones, as if it clings also to pleasures of the senses in seeing, hearing, and eating, and in dressing with some vanity, then certainly the use of Communion is prudently to be restricted, so that it may also begin to think seriously about its amendment and to take counsel for its spiritual perfection." This discipline should indeed also be applied to priests celebrating Mass; but because the sacrifice of the Mass ex opere operato brings such immense fruits to the whole world, a priest, according to the present discipline, is not to be barred from celebrating Mass unless he lives scandalously.
4. "But since the sacraments of the New Law, although they obtain their effect ex opere operato, nevertheless produce a greater effect in proportion as greater dispositions are employed in receiving them, therefore care is to be taken that diligent preparation for Holy Communion precede and fitting thanksgiving follow from it, according to the powers, condition, and duties of each person." It is not indeed necessary that the whole preparation or thanksgiving be made in a church or oratory, but the confessor should diligently insist that the faithful occupy themselves with pious affections before and after Communion and that they avoid all voluntary distractions.
5. "That frequent and daily Communion may be made with greater prudence and be increased with more abundant merit, the counsel of the confessor ought to intervene. Nevertheless, confessors should take care not to turn anyone away from frequent or daily Communion who is found in the state of grace and approaches with a right mind." But the confessor should prudently judge whether frequent Communion is accidentally joined with grave inconveniences, for example, with disturbance of peace in the family, with detriment to the obligations of one's state, and so forth.
6. "But since it is evident that from the frequent or daily reception of the Holy Eucharist union with Christ is increased, the spiritual life is more abundantly nourished, the soul is more copiously furnished with virtues, and an even firmer pledge of eternal happiness is given to the recipient, therefore pastors, confessors, and preachers, according to the approved teaching of the Roman Catechism,199 should exhort the Christian people to this so pious and so salutary practice by frequent admonitions and with much zeal."
7. "Frequent and daily Communion is especially to be promoted in religious institutes of every kind,200 for which, however, the decree Quemadmodum, issued by the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars on December 17, 1890, is to remain in force. It is likewise to be promoted most earnestly in seminaries of clerics, whose students aspire to the service of the altar; likewise in other Christian institutions for young persons of every kind."
8. "If there are any institutes, whether of solemn or simple vows, in whose rules, constitutions, or even calendars Communions are found assigned to and commanded on certain days, these norms are to be regarded as merely directive, not as preceptive. But the prescribed number of Communions must be regarded as a minimum for the piety of religious. Therefore, more frequent or daily access to the Eucharistic table must always be freely open to them according to the norms handed down above in this decree. But that all religious of either sex may be able rightly to know the provisions of this decree, the superiors of the individual houses shall take care that it is read in common every year in the vernacular language within the octave of the feast of Corpus Christi."
9. "Finally, after the promulgation of this decree, all ecclesiastical writers are to abstain from every contentious dispute concerning the dispositions for frequent and daily Communion." By this final statute it does not seem to be prohibited at all that theologians discuss the required dispositions; only the contentions and controversies which formerly existed concerning this matter are forbidden.
Note. Although weekly Confession is ordinarily to be recommended to those who receive Communion frequently, it is nevertheless not necessary for them, not even for gaining indulgences.200a Hence they can defer Confession for a fortnight or three weeks or longer, if a sufficient cause is present, for example, lack of time either on their part or on the part of the confessor. Nevertheless, let this delay not be excessive.
192 Communion received more frequently and at regular intervals, for example, every month or every two months, is greatly to be commended to pious societies existing in a parish. As experience testifies, Communions of this kind received at regular intervals are accustomed to produce most abundant fruits.
193 Praxis confess., n. 148 ff.
194 Philothea, l. 2, c. 20.
196 The Angelic Doctor, who is not undeservedly called the Doctor of the Eucharist, says concerning daily Communion: "This sacrament is spiritual food; hence, just as bodily food is taken daily, so also it is praiseworthy to receive this sacrament daily" (S. theol. 3, q. 80, a. 10 ad 1).
197 Decree Cum ad aures, February 12, 1679 (Denz., n. 1147 sq.).
198 Praxis confess., n. 155.
199 P. 2, c. 4, n. 60 or q. 47.
200 Cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 595, § 2 ff.
200a Ibid., c. 931.