Scholion. On Frequent and Daily Communion

Canon 863 admonishes that the faithful are to be stirred up to be refreshed frequently, even daily, with the Eucharistic bread, according to the norms handed down in decrees of the Apostolic See. But the norms of which the cited canon speaks are contained in the Decree of the Sacred Congregation of the Council Sacra Tridentina Synodus,¹ and in other documents to be cited insofar as needed.

¹ 20 December 1905.

I. Requisites for daily Communion. "Frequent and daily Communion, as being most desired by Christ the Lord and by the Catholic Church, should 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 prohibited from it" (cited Decree, n. 1). "But a right mind consists in this, that one who approaches the sacred table does not indulge custom, vanity, or human reasons, but wills to satisfy God's good pleasure, to be united to Him more closely by charity, and by that divine medicine to meet his infirmities and defects" (n. 2). Now:

1. An intention which is predominantly supernatural suffices to this extent, that one who approaches with such an intention cannot be kept away from Communion.

2. It suffices that the good ends assigned be intended implicitly.

3. Custom, whether one's own or that of others, will in practice rather often be more the occasion than the principal reason. Vanity will be the principal reason if someone becomes conceited because of frequency of Communion and willingly speaks about it to others in the manner of little devotees.¹

¹ Instruction to the Bishops of Prussia, 8 December 1906.

II. The office of the confessor. 1. "In order that frequent and daily Communion may be done with greater prudence and be increased by richer merit, it is fitting that the counsel of the confessor intervene" (n. 5). Therefore the confessor, especially if he is asked, enjoys the right of judging about the state and disposition of the penitent; indeed it is entirely fitting that his counsel be sought. I said it is fitting, because it is disputed whether the word it is fitting in this case involves a true obligation. With sufficient probability it is denied, and the counsel of the confessor is declared necessary only insofar as, by seeking it, one proceeds with greater prudence and greater merit can be hoped for. In a word: the word it is fitting probably signifies only the necessity of greater prudence and greater merit. Moreover, the confessor does not grant permission to communicate daily, but only declares that the requisites for permission are present; the permission itself, or the right, is conferred by the Church or by Christ. Finally, a penitent who is certain about the required disposition is not bound to acquiesce in a confessor turning him away from daily Communion, but can use the right granted to him. But these things are merely theoretical.

2. "Let confessors nevertheless beware lest they turn anyone away from frequent or daily Communion who is found in the state of grace and approaches with a right mind" (n. 5).

Question. Whether the practice of daily Communion can finally be forbidden to one who permanently, without any amendment, falls back into venial sins.

Response. Some deny, because according to number 3 of the decree, it suffices "that those using frequent and daily Communion be free from mortal sins, with the purpose of never sinning in the future," certainly gravely. Others affirm, because the decree itself in n. 3 declares that it cannot happen "that those communicating daily should not little by little free themselves from even venial sins and from their effect." Therefore a permanent defect of amendment is a sign of a defect of right intention in the past, and it introduces a vehement prejudice for the future,¹ unless special circumstances or signs remove the said prejudice. Hence the practice of daily Communion is finally to be forbidden unless there is now hope that the penitent will approach with a right intention. To the argument of the adversaries they respond that the words opposed from number 3 of the decree regard only the required state of grace, but by no means exclude the obligation of bringing a right intention in approaching Holy Communion. Yet one who adheres to this opinion should take care not to bring it into practice too hastily; moreover, let him stir the penitent to greater fervor, and as soon as a founded hope of bringing a right intention is present, let him cease from turning him away from daily Communion.

¹ This argument, however, is weakened somewhat by responding that the quoted words, which are not judged to pertain to the doctrinal part, are not to be urged too much.

III. The office of others. 1. The faithful are to be stirred up to be refreshed frequently, even daily, with the Eucharistic bread, according to the norms handed down in the decrees of the Apostolic See; and those assisting at Mass, being duly disposed, should communicate not only by spiritual affection, but also by sacramental reception of the Most Holy Eucharist (canon 863). The cited Decree, n. 6, inculcates the same upon pastors, confessors, and preachers. Add the response of the Sacred Congregation of the Council,¹ by which it is declared that "the frequency of Holy Communion is commended according to the first article of the Decree even to children, who, once admitted to the sacred table... must not be prohibited from frequent participation in it, but rather are to be exhorted to it; with the contrary practice in force in some places being reproved."

2. Frequent and daily Communion is also to be promoted as much as possible in seminaries of clerics, whose students long for service of the altar; likewise in other Christian schools of every kind² (cited Decree, n. 7). Religious superiors should promote among their subjects the frequent, even daily, reception of the Most Holy Body of Christ; and frequent, indeed even daily, access to the Most Holy Eucharist should be freely open to religious who are rightly disposed (canon 595, § 2). As regards religious, observe besides:

a) If there are religious institutes of either solemn or simple vows in whose rules or constitutions, or even calendars, Communions are found to be assigned or ordered on certain days, these norms have only directive force (canon 595, § 4).

b) But if after the last sacramental Confession a religious has been a grave scandal to the community, or has committed a grave and external fault, the superior can prohibit him from approaching Holy Communion until he has again approached the sacrament of Penance (canon 595, § 3). The words scandal, and grave and external fault, are now to be taken at least in the theological sense. The prohibition falls away as soon as the subject has confessed.

Note. The law of reading the Decree Sacra Tridentina Synodus annually in religious houses is no longer in force (cf. canon 6, 6).

¹ 15 September 1906 (Monitore Ecclesiastico, vol. 18, p. 346).

² Under the name of schools are comprehended "all pious institutes in which boys or girls are instructed and educated" (Acta Sanctae Sedis, vol. XXI, p. 506).

IV. Daily Communion is commended to all by: 1. the desire of Christ and the Church, as is more fully explained in the prior part of the cited Decree; 2. the end and fruit of Communion. Concerning this observe that its end consists especially in this, "that Christ's faithful, united to God through the sacrament, may thence take strength to restrain lust, to wash away the slight faults which occur daily, and to prevent the graver sins to which human frailty is liable; but not principally that the honor and veneration of the Lord be consulted, nor that it be, as it were, wages or a reward of their virtues for those receiving" (cited Decree).

Corollary. The practice of persuading either the faithful or the members of some community to abstain from Communion on one or another day each week must be disapproved. For this practice cannot be reconciled with the cited decree and other ecclesiastical documents, which exhort daily Communion to be brought into practice and promoted, and prohibit the confessor "from turning anyone away from frequent or daily Communion who is found in the state of grace and approaches with a right mind" (n. 5). Nor should members of a community be persuaded to abstain from daily Communion on the occasion of spiritual exercises.