Folio 355

Innocent XI, 1676-1689

printed p. 323 · pdf p. 355

contumely, whether it be that of denying the necessity of any love of God in the aforementioned attrition inspired by the fear of hell, which seems to be the more common opinion among scholastics today, or whether that of asserting the necessity of this love, until something has been defined by the Holy See concerning this matter.

CLEMENT IX 1667-1669 CLEMENT X 1670-1676

INNOCENT XI 1676-1689

Frequent and Daily Communion 1

[From the Decree C. S. Conc., Feb. 12, 1679]

1147. Although the daily and frequent use of the most holy Eucharist has always been approved by the holy Fathers of the Church, yet never have they appointed certain days either for receiving it more often or certain days of the weeks and months for abstaining from it, which the Council of Trent did not prescribe; but, as if it considered the frailty of human nature, although making no command, it merely indicated what it would prefer when it said: "The Holy Council would indeed wish that at every Mass the faithful present would communicate by the sacramental reception of the Eucharist" [see n. 944]. And this not without cause, for there are very many secret recesses of conscience, various diversions because of the occupations of the spirit, likewise many graces and gifts of God granted to children, and since we cannot scrutinize these with human eyes, nothing can be established concerning the worthiness or integrity of anyone, and consequently nothing concerning the more frequent or daily partaking of the bread of life.

And thus, as far as concerns tradesmen themselves, frequent approach to the receiving of the holy sustenance is to be left to the judgment of the confessors who explore the secrets of the heart, who from the purity of consciences and from the fruit of frequency and from the progress in piety in the case of laity, tradesmen, and married men, will be obliged to provide for them whatever they see will be of benefit to their salva-tion.

In the case of married persons, however, let them seriously consider this, since the blessed Apostle does not wish them to "defraud one another, except perhaps by consent for a time, that they may give them-

  1. Collect. S.C. de Prop. Fide (1907) n. 219; DuPl III, II 346 b f.; Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca, s.v. "Eucharistis" I 41 (III 244 b ff.).—This decree conforms entirely with the response S.C. Conc. already given in the year 1587 (Jan. 24) to the Bishop of Brescia [Dict. de Théol. cath. s.v. Communion eucharist. (fréquente), T. 3, col. 534 f.; Analecta Iuris Pontifici, ser. 7, col. 789 f.]. ↩