Jesus in the Eucharist, Chapter XIV - The Communion of Children

When children have attained the age of discretion, that is, when they have come to the use of reason, they are responsible for their actions, be cause they can then distinguish between right and wrong. They are then obliged to keep the commandments of God and the precepts of the Church. Children come to the use of reason generally about the age of seven years, some somewhat sooner, others somewhat later. They are then capable of doing good and of doing evil, or committing sin. From this it follows that children who are about seven years old, more or less, are bound, under pain of grievous sin to hear Mass on Sundays and Holy-days of obligation, to keep the abstinence on the days prescribed, to go to confession at least once a year and to receive Holy Communion during the Easter time. The Holy Council of Trent condemns those who deny the latter obligation: "If any one shall deny that all and each of Christ's faithful of both sexes are bound, when they have attained the years of discretion, to communicate every year at least at Easter, in accordance with the precept of Holy Mother Church, let him be anathema."

To receive Holy Communion children need not be perfectly instructed in all the doctrines of the Church, for Saint Thomas says expressly: "When children begin to have some use of reason, so that they can conceive some devotion towards the Holy Eucharist, they may then be given Holy Communion." Let us bear in mind that the precept of receiving Holy Communion is not merely a Church law, but also a divine law, for Jesus expressly declared: "Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink of His blood, you shall not have life in you" (John 6:54). Therefore the theologian Vasquez is correct in saying: "As soon as a child attains the use of reason, he is obliged by the divine law, so that not even the Church can dispense him from obeying it." "When a child is capable of wrong-doing, that is, of committing mortal sin, he is then subject to the precepts of confession and, consequently, of Holy Communion," concludes Saint Antoninus.

The Sacred Congregation "of the Council" on 25 March 1910, decided that "Boys and girls are to be admitted to Holy Communion, when they come to the age of discretion, or attain the use of reason."

A few months later, 15 July 1910, the Sacred Congregation of the "Discipline of the Sacraments," in order that children of tender years may become attached to Jesus Christ, live His life and obtain protection against the dangers of corruption, prescribed the following Rule to be everywhere observed in admitting children to first Holy Communion:

"I. The age of discretion required both for Confession and Communion is the time when the child begins to reason, that is about the seventh year, sometimes after, sometimes even before. From this time on the obligation of satisfying the precept of both Confession and Communion begins.

"II. Both for first Confession and first Communion a complete and perfect knowledge of Christian Doctrine is not necessary. The child will, however, be obliged gradually to learn the whole Catechism according to its intellectual ability.

"III. The knowledge of Christian Doctrine required in children for first Holy Communion is that they understand, according to their capacity, the mysteries of Faith which are necessary as a means of salvation, that they be able to distinguish the Eucharist from common and material bread, and also approach the Sacred Table with the devotion becoming their age.

"IV. The obligation of the precept of Confession and Communion which rests upon the child, falls back principally upon those in whose care they are, that is, parents, confessors, teachers and their pastor. According to the Roman Catechism, it belongs to the father, however, or to the person taking his place, as also to the confessor, to admit the child to first Holy Communion.

"VI. Those who have the care of children should use all diligence, so that after first Communion the children shall often approach the Holy Table, even daily if possible, as Jesus Christ and our Mother the Church desire, and that they do this with a devotion becoming their age. They should bear in mind their most important duty, by which they are obliged to have the children attend the public instructions in Catechism; otherwise they are bound to supply this religious instruction in some other way."

"All these resolutions (regulations) of the Eminent Fathers, the Cardinals of this Sacred Congregation have been approved by our Most Holy Father Pope Pius X in an audience given on the seventh day of August, 1910, and he has commanded the present Decree to be published and promulgated. He has commanded all the Ordinaries (Bishops of dioceses) to make known this present Decree not only to the pastors and the clergy, but also to the faithful, to whom it shall be read yearly at Easter time in the vernacular language.

"The Ordinaries themselves shall have, at the end of every five years (together with the other affairs of their diocese) to give an account of the observance of this Decree to the Holy See."

The main points of this Decree have been included in the New Code of the Canon Law of the Church, which will take effect on Pentecost Sunday, 19 May 1918. In Canon 854 we find the following regulations concerning the Communion of children:

"1. The Holy Eucharist shall not be administered to children of tender age who have no knowledge of it, nor any relish for it.

"2. As to children in danger of death, who are able to discern the Body of Christ from ordinary food, and to adore it reverently, the Holy Eucharist may and should be administered to them.

"3. Those children who have attained the age of reason and are not in danger of death, in order to receive Holy Communion, are required to know at least those mysteries of faith, of which the knowledge is necessary for salvation, and to make a careful preparation according to their capacity.

"4 and 5. The parish priest is in duty bound to watch (in order to prevent abuses), and if he deems it prudent, to institute an examination, in order that the children be not admitted to receive the Holy Eucharist, unless they have attained the age of reason and are sufficiently disposed, and he should also take care, that those children who have the use of reason and are sufficiently disposed, should, as soon as possible, be nourished with this divine food."

To make the above No. 3 plain it will be well to recall which are the mysteries of faith, the knowledge of which is necessary to salvation.

The Truths, or Mysteries of Faith, Which Every Man Must Know To Be Saved

There is but one God; He created the world and all it contains out of nothing; in God there are three distinct divine Persons, equal in all things, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; God the Son became man on earth, suffered and died to redeem all men. After death the good will be rewarded in heaven forever, and the bad will be forever punished in hell. Moreover, those who go to confession or to Holy Communion, must know what is confession, and what is Holy Communion.

Let us now return to the Communion of children. Frequent worthy Communion is the most powerful means of keeping souls pure and chaste; it is the most efficient preventative from falling into or of remaining in evil habits. This is one of the chief reasons why the above Decree of Pope Pius X was issued, for its observance will enable Catholic children to preserve their innocence, and to persevere therein later on in life, amid the dangers of corruption that abound in the world. Let us now recall how our divine Savior, when He was on earth, loved little children because of their purity and innocence. Read the Gospel of Saint Mark (10:12-16): "They brought to Jesus young children, that He might touch them. And the disciples rebuked those that brought them. When Jesus saw this, He was much displeased, and saith to them: Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not. For such is the kingdom of God. Amen I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter into it. And embracing them and laying His hands upon them, He blessed them." Let us heed the express will of Jesus Christ, and beware of keeping the little children designated by the Vicar of Christ and His holy Church, from going to receive Jesus Christ in Holy Communion.

We have of late years especially many examples of the wonderful attraction of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist for little children. Who has not read the wonderful life of little Nellie Horgen, and thanked God for the admirable attraction and love of Jesus in the Eucharist in that child, who was not yet five years old, when Jesus in the Eucharist called her to Himself? For the edification of the reader we will conclude this article by another example of the love of the Eucharistic Savior for little children.

Gustave Maria Bruni

On 10 February 1911, there died in Turin in Italy a boy under eight years of age, whose ardent love of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist had won for him the beautiful name of "the little Seraph of Jesus in the Sacred Host." Gifted with a wonderful, precocious mind, he never forgot what had once been taught him. He learnt to read almost by himself during an illness, when he was only four years old. At school he was always at the head of his class, and was dearly loved and considered as a superior child both by his classmates and the older students.

His pious mother had consecrated him before his birth to Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament, and his whole life converged towards Jesus in the Eucharist, for the Real Presence was the ardent desire of his infancy, and the strength, the joy and the happiness of his young life, and his consolation in sickness.

Gustave Maria Bruni was born 6 May 1903 and baptized on the following day. The next time he was brought out of his home was also to the church, where he remained perfectly quiet during the hour his mother spent there to thank God forgiving her a son. From that time whenever he was brought to church, all who beheld him could not help remarking his joyful countenance constantly gazing towards the tabernacle, never turning his eyes away from it or manifesting either weariness or impatience. His first words were, "Jesus, good Jesus." He said the rosary already when scarcely two years old. His great pleasure was to accompany his mother to an early Mass, during which he showed constant recollection, for it was manifest that he already possessed a wonderful comprehension of the Sacrament of love; whenever any one asked him, "Where is Jesus?" he would reply: "Here in my heart and in the tabernacle in the church." When he was three years and four months old, he once followed his mother to the Communion table, and when the priest had passed him by, he said weeping: "I wish also to go to Communion." He felt very much grieved at not being permitted to do so. Every morning he would express his ardent longing for the day when he would be admitted to his first Holy Communion. Not content with daily assisting at Mass with his mother, he would return to the church again during the day to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and begin his visit by making a Spiritual Communion.

He had a profound veneration for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and for priests. He would salute every priest he met. Being at the age of four years already a pupil of the Divine Heart Institute, he would not attend the class of "Deportment"; when his mother asked him why, he replied: "It is useless for me to learn how to dance, for I wish to be a priest." Whenever he was ill, he would consider his sickness as a visit of our divine Savior. When four years old, he had a severe attack of pneumonia; he said to the physician: "I would be as glad to die as to live, for I could then go straight to heaven where I would enjoy to be with Jesus."

Being of a lively and ardent disposition, he had often to struggle much to overcome himself; but when he was told that a victory over his character, over his feelings was the best proof of love he could give to Jesus Christ in the Blessed Eucharist, he would make every effort to conquer himself. It was then a consoling sight to see that little boy hastening to tell his ghostly Father of his success in self-mastery, and of his resolve to conquer all the enemies of his soul, out of love for the most Holy Sacrament, which he so ardently longed to receive.

After he had reached the age of five years he was often heard to exclaim: "See how men seek every means to gratify themselves! How few think of eternity awaiting them! How few think of good Jesus! Poor men, how ungrateful they are!" He had Jesus constantly in his thoughts, and nothing could interrupt his interior recollection. He was fond of play; but after enjoying some games with his schoolmates, he could at once pass over to serious meditation. He studied assiduously and conscientiously. Before beginning a composition, he would address our divine Savior: "O Jesus, I recommend my work to Thee, and I wish to perform it for Thy glory." He considered the reading of papers and magazines "loss of time for children," and would devote his free time to reading the Lives of the Saints and other spiritual books. When thus engaged he felt in his proper element, and skillfully analyzed what he was reading.

At the age of five years he had a severe attack of varioloid (a form of smallpox). Though cognizant of his state, he strove to calm the fears of his parents, saying: "I have yet to make my first Holy Communion before dying, and oh, how happy I shall be to suffer after that, whenever I shall be sick, for I shall then be able to receive Jesus Christ in sickness! "

It was found out that Gustave knew the catechism very well even before he had actually studied it. His life was, indeed supernatural, for it seemed that there were no mysteries for him, for God Himself had been his teacher. He was always more and more consumed by the desire of receiving Jesus Christ. A priest brought him to be examined by the saintly Don Rua, the successor of Venerable Don Bosco as superior-general of the Salesians. Don Rua said to him: "My dear little boy, if I said to you, that the Host, after the Consecration, is only consecrated bread, would I be right!" "Oh, no, Father!" Gustave replied emphatically; "after the Consecration the Host is no longer bread; it is Jesus, and Jesus entirely." Don Rua admitted him to his first Communion on 23 May 1909. It was for him an ecstasy of love. He again received Holy Communion the following day, and from that time his only suffering was to be unable to unite himself every day to Jesus. He never failed to receive Holy Communion whenever he was permitted.

Twenty days after his first Communion he received the abundance of the gifts of the Holy Ghost in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Thence forth his life consisted chiefly in preparation for Holy Communion and in thanksgiving after it. Often he would say: "Jesus is so good and loves me so much."

His soul, consumed, as it were, by divine love, overflowed also with the love of his neighbor; he prayed with the utmost fervor for his parents, relatives and friends, and even for all strangers. Whenever he met " a poor gentleman," as he was wont to call beggars, and his little purse was empty, he would say a prayer, that the beggar might meet some charitably disposed person. When he saw small children playing in the street with no one to watch over them, he would pray that they should not meet with any accident or injury. His prayers were always heard, for Jesus would grant him all he prayed for, especially in the last months of his life.

After his first Communion it became always more and more clear to him that he should become a priest in the Salesian Congregation, and when some one would allude in his presence, to the sorrow he would then experience in leaving his parents and family, he would reply: "I will then have Jesus as much as I desire, and with Jesus I shall have all." But God was satisfied with his desire, for, as we shall see, He found Gustave already ripe for heaven.

Gustave had a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin and a great compassion for the souls in purgatory. Whenever he saw a funeral passing by, he would ask to be permitted to accompany it for some distance, for it was the custom to go on foot to the cemetery. On such occasions he failed not to pray fervently for the deceased. For him death had no terrors; he considered it as the soul's return to its country. Such was the view he took of death from the age of four years. He nevertheless, keenly felt the death of those that were dear to him. The death of Don Rua was a hard trial for him, but he bore it calmly as he did all his other trials.

Being very delicate physically, he was often confined to his room by sickness; he rejoiced over this, saying: "I feel Jesus nearer to me, and now I need to think only on heaven." It happened several times that he obtained a temporary suspension of his fever to enable him to go to Holy Communion, and after his return home, the fever would at once come back and resume its course.

On 18 January 1911, he called on the Father Rector of the "Social Institute," thanked him for all he had done for him, and hinted that he considered his mission on earth as now about to end. Two days later he fell ill of pneumonia, and at once requested that the priest be sent for to hear his confession and give him Holy Communion. In his delirium he exclaimed: " My Lady, my beautiful Lady, come!" After coming to himself, he said he had seen a beautiful Lady in white, who had come to take him on a long journey. The Salesian superior, after his long visit to the sick boy, said to his mother: "Gustave no longer belongs to us, for he has already attained the height of perfection." Gustave, in fact, no longer had any earthly desires. He would often repeat: "The only wish I have is to do the will of God." The word fiat (God's will be done) was his constant prayer during the long days and nights of extreme suffering. He would then press his crucifix over his heart, thinking only on his divine Savior, speaking of Him only and desiring Him only.

He had some one to read to him pious thoughts and the Life of Saint Alphonsus; and he would make long meditations on what had been read to him. For six whole days he remained paralyzed and immovable with his arms extended in the form of a cross, without uttering the least complaint. It was in this position that he received the Holy Viaticum, Extreme Unction and the Papal Blessing, took leave of all the members of his family, made his last recommendations to them, recited frequently ejaculatory prayers, and, after saying in a loud voice, "Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints," kissed the Crucifix and fell asleep in the Lord. This occurred on 10 February, the eve of the feast of the "Apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes." The "beautiful Lady in white" had come to take him to the " everlasting wedding feast of the Lord." He was then only seven years, nine months and four days old. His funeral was like a triumph, for over the grief of all there hovered a great joy. Since then many favors are claimed to have been obtained from God through "that child of benediction."

- text taken from Jesus in the Eucharist, by Father Ferreol Girardey, C.Ss.R.