MISUNDERSTOOD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 939, 5 October 1910, Page 7

MISUNDERSTOOD.

A PAPAL DECREE CHILDREN'S FIRST COMMUNION AT ■' SEVEN YEARS. PARENT'S DISCRETION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copy right. ./ (Reo.':October 4 ); 10.35 p.m.)' , . , .; .. London, October 4. The Rome \correspqndent of the "Catholic Herald" states..that -.-.the Papal decree' relative to children ' receiving their first- Communion at seven years of:■ ago has been misunderstood. "The:Popo only,counsels that children should receive commission at. as early an age.as possible, and leaves it to 'their-guardians and.''father confessors to; decidevwhether-.their, faculties are sufficiently/developed to justify the reception of .the. Sacraments of- Penance ,and Eucharist. ' ' . .'■ ■■:; :; : :.:: ; DECREE; : i;V.-. ■'.-,' ' : i -.;. The "Catholic Times'' of August 26 publishes a : "decree on the age of..those to be admitted-to- : first, Holy .Communion." After.' an- historical\statement as to .the practice ..of the ■ Church in this .matter the decree-proceeds:— '--.';..•■"-■' - ■ "From all this -it follows that the age; of discretion-required for Holy Communion I is that at which, the child can distinguish the Eucbaristic froin common and, material bread and knows how to approach the 'altar' with', proper devotion.. _ , : "A perfect knowledge of the articles oi /faith is, ; therefore,:not necessary as.> 'few. elements .alone are sufficient; nor:.is the full use of reason required . since. the ;.be-„' ginning of the.use of reason that is some End': o? use of. reason' suffices. : Wherefore,to'' put off. Communion : any ■ longer • or to exact a : riper age for the reception.of the same'.is to 'be rejected absolutely, .and, the same has been repeatedly condemned by the -Holy :See. •'-.- Thus Pius, IS, of happy'memory,: in the letters of Card.. Ahtonelli: to the Bishops of. France given. ,on the 12th; day.of March;- 1886, severely condemned the -growing custom existing in some dioceses ..of putting off Holy .Communion -to- a' rhaturer, age and rejected 'the", number of years as fixed by them.,'. "The S..Congregation of the Council, on the. 15th day 'of' March, 1851, corrected a chapter' of 'the', Provincial; Council, of Ko'uen in under; twelve years of age? were forbidden'to receive : Holy, Communion._ This, same ; Congregation, of .'the discipline of Sacraments, tuning in ' a; in a' case pro-; posed' to it':from,. Stras'sburg' on .March: '25, 1910, in .whichat being.asked whether 'children;of twelw'or:fourteen years-could. be admitted to'Holy;Communion, answer-; e'd:.;"'Boys„:and:giris. are to be -admitted. :t6- Holy-Communion, when they, arrive at the ,age .'of discretion or attain, the use. of reason:"..-■:-■ ■'■■:-, '.'- ;-.'"" ~v'',;.' "'■'• : .' "Having"-seriously considered all these things:the'• S:. Congregation';on the; disciplined Sacraments, at ,'a general'.meet-', in'g::heidi:bn-the .15th of July 1910,.-in order;-/that, .'the -above-mentioned abuses 1 mightVbe.;removed and the. children..of tender years-'become attached' to ...Jesus, live His.vlife,: - and obtain ..assistance, against'*:'the - dangers .-of. corruption naa judged it Opportune'to -lay down the following' :form for (admitting children ;.to .First. .Holy ■Co.mmiJinion to be ''observed everywhererr- • ; ; : '::',-'";'»".'•■ .'■'■'■'■'■'-'.,■:■??■ :.'''■'};,'■"■' "1. The"'age o£ : discretion required-'bbth for • .Confession;.and',.'Communion 'is the' time ;'when. the child . begins to .reason,, ;that.-is,. about;.the seventh year, 1 -:more• lir• : less.:-From on.; ; the obligation'.: of ..'satisfying;: the precept:■' of both: Con-' .fession^and.Communion begins.. •/■/ :-\ .' -'11. .Both"for First Confession.and First Communion'a complete.and perfect knowledge, of ChristianlDbctrine ; is sary.''' -The ; .child v ,will, However,'• bo obliged to gradually, learn the -whole :.cate-' chism according .to its. ability, r ,-;.-,; '■..• '.:':"IH. : The, knowledge'.of Christian/Doc-; trine.required-in. childrenin order, to, be properly prepared .for. First Holy, Communion ■' is .that; they ;apcq'rding;, to: their capacity :tl6so"mystei'ies'':bf Faith '.which i : are'necessary.. as;'a; means of "salvation,"'that;.they he 'able ;to dis,and : material "bread,'■ and" also . approach ..the sacred,table'.with'the devpti6n';becbming their, age." '[';■;. :,'■-,■': ■ .'.,,.'' •'"...' :'■;