GIUSTINT, Secrétaire

(En Anglais)

6 Decres or THE S. CONGREGATION or THE SACREMENTS, “ Quam singulari.” | On the age of those to be admitted to First Holy Communion.

This decree is to be publicly read, every year, from the pupit at Easter time.

The pages of the Gospel plainly testify to the gps love

224 ‘ APPENDICE which Christ showed whilst on! earth to the little ones. It was His delight to be in their midst : He laid His hands upon them ; He embraced and blessed them; ; He was indignant when se. ‘were repulsed by His disciples, land He reprimanded the latte in .the follqwing words : “ Suffer the little children to come: unto me and forbid them not : for of such is the Kingdom of God. ”” (Mark, x, 13-16). How highly He praised their innocence and simplicity of soul He #hows, when calling a little one, He says to His disciples : “ Amen I say to you, unless you be converted and become as little:children, you shall not enter

into the Kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall

humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the . Kingdom of heaven. And he that shall receive one such little

child in My name receiveth Me, ” (MaTT., XvVHI, 3, 4, 5).

Bearing this in mind. The Catholic Church, from the beginning took care to bring Christ: to the little ones, through the. : Euchàristie communion, which was given even to the sucklings. This, as was prescribed in almoët all the ancient rituals, till: the thirteenth century, was done at Baptism, and the same

‘custom prevailed for a long time‘in some places. It is still in

vogue with Greeks and Orientals. But to avoid all danger, lest the children should spit out the consecrated Host, the custom obtained from the beginning of giving the Holy € Communion under ‘the species of wine alone.

5» The infants did not however receive Holy Communion only at Baptism, for they frequently afterwards partook of the divine repast."Tt was then the: custom, in many churches, ‘to give Commänion to the children; immediately after the clergy; in others, to (ispense to them the small fragments left over after the Co union of the adults.

Later on, this custom became obéolete i in the latin Church. Neither were children permitted to approach the holy table before-the dawn of the use. of reason and before having some koopkédge of" the august sacrament. This. new discipline, already: abcépted by several particular couneils, was solemnly RE :

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APPENDICE À 7 225 confirmed, in the fourth Lateran Œcumenical. Council, by promulgating the celebrated canon xx1, in which the reception L

of the sacrament of Penañce and, Holy Communion is prescribed to all the faithful who hüve arrived at the use of reason, “in the following words : “ All the faithful'of both sexes, after “ coming to the use of reason, shall confess-all-their sins alone “to their proper priest at least once a year, strive to fulfil the “enjoined penance as far as possible, and devoutly receive Holy * ‘Communion, at least at Easter time, unless by the advice “of.the priest, and for some reasonable cause, they Should “ deem it well to abstain for a while, ” |

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The Council of Trent, in no way disapproving of the ancient discipline of giving Holy Communion to children before they have attained the use of reason, confirmed the decree of ; Lateran Council and pronounced anathema on those who hold a contrary opinion. (Sess. xx1, de Communiones.c. 4 dE Sess. xr11, de Eucharistia, c. 8, can. 9). “ If any one shall deny that all the faithful of both sexes who have attained thé*use of + ° reason are obliged to receive Communion, every year; at least at Easter time, according to the precepts of Holy Mother Church : : let him be anathema,. ” ‘

Therefore in virtue of the aforesaid decree of the Lateran Council, still in force, the faithful, as soon as they arrive at the years of discretion, are obliged to receive the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion, at least once a year.

But in determining the year when children come to the use of reason many errors and deplorable abuses have crept, in the course of time. There were those who considéred one age necessary for the sacrament of Penance and another for Holy Eucharist. For the sacrament of Penance they, judged that age necessary in which one can distinguish right from wrong, hence can commit sin ; for Holy Eucharist, however, they required a greater age in which a deeper knowledge in matters * of faith and a better preparation of the. soul can be had.

And thus, according, to the various customs of places and opinions of men, the age of ten years was fixed for receiving First Holy. Communion in some places : in others fourteen

years and even more were required, in the meanwhile for,

bidding all those children under the required age to receive *

H oly Communion.

This custom by which, under the Dles of safeguarding the august Sacrament, the faithful. were kept away from the same, was the cause of many evils. It happened that the innocence of childhood, torn away ‘from the embraces of Christ, was deprived of the sap of interior life ; from which it also followed that youth destitute of this strong help, surrounded by so many snares, having lost its candor, fell into

vice, before even'tasting of the sacred mysteries. Even though

a more thorough preparation and an accurate sacramental

E confession should precede first Holy Communion, ‘which “does not happen everywhere, yet the loss of first innocence is

always to be.deplored and might have been avoïded à by receiving oly Eucharist i in more tender years. -

Not less to be condémned is that custom, which exists in many placës, whereby children are not allowed to receive the Sacrament of ‘enance before they are admitted to communion ; ñ

or else absolution' is not given to them. Thus it happens that,

burdened perhaps with mortal sins? they remain a long time

in great danger.

But the worst of all is that, in some places, children not yet

‘admitted' to First Holy Communion are not permitted to ré”

ceivé the Sacred Viaticum, even when in danger ‘of death”.

” and thus, dying and being buried as infants, they are not helped by the prayers of the Church.

Such i injury is caused by those who insist on an extraordinary preparation for first Holy Communion, more than is reasonable, not realizing that this kind of precaution proceeds from the errors of Jansenists, who maintain that Holy Eucharist is à

reward, not a‘remedy for human frailty. The Council of Trent holds a different opinion, when it teaches that it is ‘‘ an antidote by which we aïe freed from daily faults and'preserved from mortal sin. ” (Sess. xun1, de Eucharistia, ce. 2). This doctrine has lately been inculcated by a decree given, on 26 December 1905, in which daïly approach to Communion is opened to ail, : both old and young,—two conditions only being required, the state of grace and the right intention. — Neïther does it appear reasonable that, whilst formerly even sucklings received the remnants of the sacred particles, at present anex- : traordinary preparation should be required from the children, who are in the happy state of innocence and candour, and greatly need this heavenly food, on account of the many temptations and dangers of our times.

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-, The abuses we condemn may be traced to'’the fact that those .- who demand a certain age for Penance and another for Holy Eucharist, have neither wisely nor rightly defined the required

age. The Lateran Council requires one and the same age for . both sacraments, since it imposes a joint obligation of Penance « and Communion. Therefore, since the age of discretion required for Penance is that at which right can be distinguised from wrong, namely when one comes to the use of reason, so

also for communion that age is required which can distinguish

the Eucharistic bread from the common ; which age, indeed,

is that at which a child attains the use of reason.

Nor did the principal interpreters of the Lateran Council, and those who lived at that time think otherwise. From the history of the Church, it is evident that many synods and episcopal decrees, beginning, with the twelfth century, shortly after the Lateran Council, admitted children of seven years of age to Holy Communion. There is moreover a tes- N timony of the greatest authority : St. Thomas Aquinas, which reads : “When children begin to have some use of reason, so that they can conceive some devotion towards the sacrament (Eucharist) then this sacrament can be given them. ”*

The same is explained by Ledesma, as follows : ‘I say, with the consent of all, that Holy Eucharist should be given to all having the use of réason, no matter how soon they may acquire the same ; even though a child should have but a confused idea of what it is doing.

Vasquez explains the same passage in the following words : “ As soon as a child attains the use of reason, he is obliged, by

divine law, so that not even the Church, can dispense him with the ‘same. ”

The same is taught by St. Antonine who says : ‘But when a child is capable of doing wrong, that is, of committing mortal ain, then he is subject to the precept of confession and consequently communion. ” (P. xt, tit. XIV, ©. 2).

The Council of Trent also forces us to the same conclusion ; for whilst it declares that, “ infants, lacking the use of reason, . are not obliged to receive Holy Communion, ” it assigns as. the only reason, because they cannot commit sin. ($Sess. xxXI, e. 4). “ Sinçe,” it says, ‘at that age they cannot lose the acquir- : ed grace of the children of God.” From this it is evident. that the Couneïl believed that children are obliged to receive communion, as soon as they can lose grace by sin.

Thé words of the Roman Council, held under Benedict XIII, agree with this, for they hold that the obligation of receiving the Holy Eucharist, begins ‘ after the boys and girls have come to the use of reason, to that age, namely, in which they are capable of distinguishing this sacramental food which is no other than the true body of Jesus Christ, from common and profane bread, and know how to approach the same with the proper devotion and religion.’ (Istruziane per che debbono la prima volla ammetersi alla S. Communione, (Append. xxx, p. Hi).

The Roman catechism, (of the Council of Trent), however,

to whom they confess their sins. For theirs is the duty to find out and to inquire of the children whether they have acquired some knowledge of this admirable sacrament, and a taste for the same. ” (P. 17, de Sacr. Euchart. , N, 63).

From ali this, it follows that the age of discretion required for Holy Communion is that at which the child can distinguish the Eucharistic from common and material bread and knows bow to approach the altar with proper devotion.

grfect knowledge of the articles. of faith is, therefore,

that is some kind of use of reason suffices. Wherefore

to put oË communion any longer or to exact a riper age for the

reception of the same, is a custom that is to be rejected absolu-

tely, and the same has been repeatedlÿ condemned by the

Holy See. Thus Pius IX, of happy memory, in the letters of

Cardinal Antonelli, to the Bishops of France, given March 12,

1866, severely condemned the growing custom existing in some. dioceses of putting off Holy Communion, to a maturer age, and

rejected the number of years as fixed by them.

‘The $S. Congregation of the Council, on 15 March 1851, corrected a chapter of the Provincial Couneil of Rouen in which children under 12 years-of age were forbidden to receive Holy Communion. This same congregation of the Discipline of Sacraments, acting in a similar manner, in 2 case proposed to it from Strassburg, on 25 March 1910, in which it was asked whether children of twelve or fourteen years could be admitted to Holy Sacrament, answered : .‘“ Boys and girls are to be admitted to Holy Communion, when they arrive at the age of discretion or attain the use of reason |

After seriousiy considering all these things, the S. Congregation of the Discipline of the Sacramnts'at a general meetinge held 15 July 1910, in order that the above mentioned abuses might be removed and the children of tender years become

—’attached to Jesus, live His life, and obtain assistance, against

the dangers of corruption, bas judged it opportune tb lay down the following norm for admitting children to first Holy Communion, to be observed everywhere.

k = The’ age of discretion required both for confession and communion is the time when the child begins to reason, that is about the seventh year, more or less. From this time on, the obligation of satisfying the precept of both confession and communion begins.

2.— Both for first Confession and first Communion a complete and perfect knowledge of Christian Doctrine is not necessary. The child will, however, be obliged to learn gradualy the whole catechism, according to its ability.

À, — The knowledge of christian Doctrine, required from,

‘ children in order to be properly prepared for first Holy Com-

munion is that they understand, according. to their capacity, those mysteries of Faith which are necessary, as a means of salvation, that they be able to distinguish the Eucharistic from common and material bread, and also approach the sacred table with devotion becoming their age.

4.— The obligation of the precept of confession and com- | munion which rests upon the child, falls back principally upon those in whose care it is, that is parents, confessor, teacher and the pastor. It belongs to the father, however, or to the person taking his place, as also to the confessor, as the Roman

Catechism declares, to admit the child to first Holy Communion.

5. — The Pastor shall take care to announce and distribute general cominunion, once or several times a year, to the children, and on those occasions, he shall admit not only first communicants, but also others who with the consent of their parents and the confessor, have been admitted to the sacred

table. For both classes several days of instruction and preparation shall precede. -

.. 6.—Those who have the care of children should use all diligence, so that after first communion, the children shall often approach the holy table even daily, if possible, as Jesus Christ and Mother Church desire, and that they do it with a devotion becoming their age. They should bear in mind their most important duty, by which they are obliged to have the children present at the public instructions, in catechism ; otherwise they must supply this religious instruction, in some other Wav.

7.— The custom of not admitting children to confession, -or not absolving them, is absolutely condemned. Wherefore the Ordinaries of places using those means which the law gives them, shall see that it is done away with.

8. — It is a most intolerable abuse not to administer Viaticum and Extreme Unction to children who have attained the use of reason, änd to bury them according to the manner of infants. The Ordinaries of places shall proceed sevefelÿ against those who do not abandon this custom.’

. These resolutions of the Eminent Fathers, the Cardinals of this S. Congregation, have been approved by our most holy Lord, Pope Pius X, in an audience given, on the seventh day of the current month, and he hasscommanded the present decree to be published and promulgated. He has comme led also to all the Ordinaries that the present decree shall be made known not only to the pastors and the clergy but also to the people, to whom it shall be read, yearly at Easter time, in the vernacular.

The Ordinaries themselves will be obliged, at the end of every five years, to give account of the observance of this de-

cree to the Holy See, together: with the other affairs of their .

diocese.

Everything else to the contrary, notwithstanding.

in a.

Fait

Given in Rome, at the residence of the same S. Congregation, on the eighth day of August 1910.

Signed : D. CanrD. FerrATA, Prefect.

Pa. Grusrini, Secretary.

7% FORMULE DE SERMENT À PRÊTER PAR LES EXAMINATEURS SYNODAUX ET LES CURÉS CONSULTEURS.

N. T. S. Père le Pape Pie X a décrété que désormais les exa-

minateurs synodaux et les curés consulteurs qui sont ‘associés

à l'Évêque pour porter un décret de déplacement de curé ou reviser un décret de ce genre, seront tenus, à chaque fois, et à la première session, de prêter le serment suivant sous peine de nullité de tous les actes.

Formule de Serment des Consulteurs diocésains.

‘Ego, N. N... Examinator (vel parochus consultor), synodalis (vel prosynodalis) spondeo, voveo ac juro munus et officium mihi demandatum me fideliter, quacumque humana affectione postposita, et sincere, quantum in me est, executurum ; secretum officii circa omnia qüæ ratione mei muneris noverim et maxime circa documenta secreta, disceptationes in concilio habitas, suffragiorum numerum et rationes religiose servatururm ; nec quidquam prorsus occasione hujus officii, etiam sub specie doni oblatum, nec ante nec post, recepturum.

Sic me Deus adjuvet et hæc sancta Dei Evangelia qu& meis :

+ manibus tango. (Acta Ap. Sedis 1v, 141).