Book VIII. The Commandments of the Church

WE saw in the book on Laws that the Church has received power from God to make laws which bind all her children, and that she alone has authority to regulate all matters pertaining to the worship of God and the salvation of souls. The Catholic Church has exercised the power entrusted to her and imposed certain laws and precepts on the faithful. According to the Catechism the chief of these are six in number:

To keep the Sundays and holy days of obligation holy, by hearing Mass and resting from servile work.

To keep the days of fasting and abstinence appointed by the Church.

To go to confession at least once a year.

To receive the Blessed Sacrament at least once a year, and that at Easter or thereabouts.

To contribute to the support of our pastors.

Not to marry within certain degrees of kindred, nor to solemnize marriage at the forbidden times.

The last of these will be best explained when we come to treat of marriage; the other five will form the subject of the following chapters.