Part 3 Chapter 3
"Holy Communion"
This chapter is full of historical references that might warrant further explanation. Monsignor's teaching, however, is timeless--for the soul in a state of grace, frequent reception of Holy Communion is an unfailing aid to growth in perfection.
At the turn of the twentieth century, the prevailing attitude among the lay faithful was that Holy Communion could only be daily received by the holiest members of the Church, usually priests and nuns. This is not to suggest that such an attitude had existed consistently up to that time or that there weren't voices in the Church advocating for more frequent reception of Holy Communion. Monsignor's writing clearly expresses hope and joy in response to Pope Pius X's declaration that frequent reception of Holy Communion was beneficial for souls in a state of grace.
Pope Pius X wrote often on the Eucharist. He lowered the age for reception of Holy Communion from 12 to 7 years in 1910. He was also a champion of orthodoxy against the dangers of modernism. Monsignor wrote in the early years of the twentieth century with words of hope inspired, undoubtedly, by the Holy Father's vision. It was somewhat sad for me to read his words knowing that the First World War was only a few years away, Facism and Communism would soon follow along with a second World War, Holocaust and nuclear weapons before that century came to a close. Monsignor, of course, wouldn't have known what was coming. I cannot help but wonder if the orthodoxy and return to frequent reception of Holy Communion wasn't Providential preparation, designed to strengthen the faithful for the decades to come.
Do I take for granted the privilege of living in a time when I am able to receive Our Eucharistic Lord daily? Will a time come in my lifetime when I will not have access to that daily Eucharistic grace?
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Additional notes:
"On Frequent Reception of Holy Communion" Pope Pius X
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