The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-01
LETTER OF THE MOST
REVEREND ARCHBISHOP
ADMISSION OF CHILDREN TO
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION.


Sacred Congregation of Sacramento
which are laid down, by order of the
Holy Father, rulings governing hence
forth the admission of children to First
Holy Communion.
The rulings determined upon by the
Sacred Congregation and approved by
the Holy Father are the general law
to which, in common with their fellow
Catholics of the entire world, the
clergy and the laity of the Diocese
of st. Paul will give prompt and will
ing obedience. The observations l
deem fit to make are nothing more
nor less than explanations Of the law
and indications as to the best manner
of giving to it practical application
in view of the local and other particu-
lar considerations to which, in the
mind of the Holy Father, due atten-
tion is to be paid.
Such explanations and indications as
l am giving are, almost to the letter,
in harmony with similar declarations,
made public in other dioceses of the
Catholic world under the direct ap-
proval of the Holy Father. The aim
is to guard on the one hand against
laxity in observing the general law as
proclaimed by Supreme Authority, and
on the other against imprudence and
over-zeal in its practical application.
One extreme is as hurtful to religion
and as contrary to the mind of the
Holy Father as the other; both should
be carefully avoided.
Age of Admission to First Holy Com
munion.
The age at which the child is to
be admitted to First Holy Communion
is the age of discretion or reason,
usually that of seven years.
The age, however, of discretion or
reason as marked in the general law
as that of seven years, varies in chill
dren according to cline and race, and
very much SO, according to the circum-
stances of training and education amid
which different classes of children
pass their earlier years. In our north
ern lands we must often see in chill
dren a more tardy mental develop
ment than in those of similar age un-
der less rigid skies; and, to speak of
situations falling more Immediately un-
der our observations, it must be con-
fessed the mental culture of children
is in many cases much neglected in
their home circles, and, as a matter of
fact, begins only in the schoolroom or
the Catechism-class, to which they are
seldom consigned before their seventh
year. On this account it becomes
clear that the age of discretion is to be
decided, in each particular case, in
view of it's circumstances and on its
own merits.
Conditions Of Admission to First Holy
Communion.
The age of discretion attained, the
child is entitled to admission to First
Holy Communion on the following con-
ditions: /. That it be sufficiently in
structed in Christian doctrine. 2.
That in other ways it give adequate
evidence of that devotional and rev.
erential spirit of which all must be
possessed who draw near to the Bless
ed Lord in the august Sacrament of
the Eucharist. 8. That together with
it's parents it subscribe to a written
promise to attend the religious instruc-
tions, as hereinafter explained, to
which children in general of the parish
are invited in preparation for solemn
First Communion.
1. AS stated in the decree of the
Sacred Congregation, no comprehen-
sive knowledge of Christian doctrine
is required from the child about to
make it's First Communion. This much
suffices-but this much is necessary
that there be on it's part somewhat
intelligent grasp of the chief mys-
teries of religion-God, Creator and
Sovereign Master; the Trinity; the
Incarnation: the Redemption; the evil
of sin as an offense against God; the
punishment of sin and the reward OF
virtue. There should also be found in
the child, in sufficient degree to in
sure worthy reception, knowledge OF
the nature and effects of the Sacra-
ment of Penance and of the Sacrament
of the Eucharist-that in the Sacra
ment of Penance there is pardon of sin
to those who with deep sorrow fol
past transgressions receive priestly
absolution; that in the Sacrament OF
the Eucharist what appears to be
bread is in reality the living body Of
the Saviour of the world. Short cate
chisms have been published contain
ing the minimum of religious instruc
tions required for First Communion