THE HOLY EUCHARIST 133 



Since the promulgation of the decree " Sancta Triden- 

 tina Synodus," Dec. 20, 1905, it is forbidden to engage in 

 " contentious controversies " concerning the dispositions 

 required for frequent and daily Communion. 29 



IV. Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. 

 — The duty of adoring Christ in the Blessed Sac- 

 rament is fulfilled, broadly speaking, by partici- 

 pating in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, 

 which is the acme and centre of our religion. 

 The custom of offering the Holy Sacrifice of the 

 Mass in common on Sundays is as old as Christi- 

 anity itself. 30 The duty of attending Mass on 

 Sundays and holydays was enforced by ecclesias- 

 tical synods since the sixth century. 31 Under the 

 present discipline this duty can be complied with 

 in any church or in any public or semi-public 

 oratory. 32 Pastors are bound to offer the Holy 

 Sacrifice on every Sunday and holyday of obli- 

 gation for the people under their charge. 



Though the second commandment of the 



Dec. 7, 1690, prop. 22: "Sacrilegi 29 Decree "Sancta Tridentina 



sunt iudicandi, qui ius ad co'mmu- Synodus," art. 9; Ferreres, The De- 



nionem percipiendum praetendunt, cree on Daily Communion, p. 33. 



antequam condignam de delictis suis 30 Cfr. Justin Martyr, Apolog., I, 



Poenitentiam egerint." — Prop. 23: 65 sq.; Pliny, Epist., X, 97; Ter> 



"Similiter arcendi sunt a sacra com- tullian, De Fuga, c. 14. 



munione, quibus nondum inest amor Si Cone. Agath., A. D. 506, can. 



Dei purissimus et omnis mixtionis 47; cfr. the Decretum Gratiani, dist. 



expers." (Denzinger-Bannwart, n. I, can. 64, De Consecratione (Fried- 



1313). — Prop. Damnat. sub Innoc. berg's ed., Leipsic 1879, col. 1312). 



XL, prop. 56: "Frequens confes- 32 Cfr. Noldin, Summa Theol. 



sio et communio etiam in his, qui Mor., Vol. II, nth ed., pp. 280 sqq. 



gentiliter vivunt, est nota praede- — Cone. Trident., Sess. XXII, 



stinationis." (Denzinger-Bannwart, Deer, de Observandis ; Sess. XXIII, 



n- iao6). c. r, De Ref.— Codex Iuris Cano- 



