Quam singulari
Encyclopedia
Quam singulari was a decree released by Pope Pius X
in 1910, concerning the admittance of Communion
to children.
There was a concern in the church about the practice of operating with different ages for admitting first Communion
and first Confession
. Some argued that, while reaching the age of reason
was enough to receive first Confession, "a full knowledge of matters of faith" was needed to receive the first Communion. This, according to the Quam singulari, was in error. In evidence of this, the decree referred to historical authorities such as the Lateran Council of 1215
, the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas
and St. Antoninus, the practices of the early church and Christ
's own sayings on children. It was therefore stressed that this decree did not institute a new doctrine, but simply clarified ancient ones. The adverse opinion it discredited as Jansenist
. The main concern of the Vatican
was that the first, childlike innocence of the children should be lost, and that they should be allowed to fall into a state of sin before the first Communion was admitted. To avoid this, it was decreed that:
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
in 1910, concerning the admittance of Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
to children.
There was a concern in the church about the practice of operating with different ages for admitting first Communion
First Communion
The First Communion, or First Holy Communion, is a Catholic Church ceremony. It is the colloquial name for a person's first reception of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Catholics believe this event to be very important, as the Eucharist is one of the central focuses of the Catholic Church...
and first Confession
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
. Some argued that, while reaching the age of reason
Age of reason (canon law)
In the Roman Catholic Church, the age of reason, also called the age of discretion, is the age at which children become capable of moral responsibility. On completion of the seventh year a minor is presumed to have the use of reason, but mental retardation or insanity could prevent some...
was enough to receive first Confession, "a full knowledge of matters of faith" was needed to receive the first Communion. This, according to the Quam singulari, was in error. In evidence of this, the decree referred to historical authorities such as the Lateran Council of 1215
Fourth Council of the Lateran
The Fourth Council of the Lateran was convoked by Pope Innocent III with the papal bull of April 19, 1213, and the Council gathered at Rome's Lateran Palace beginning November 11, 1215. Due to the great length of time between the Council's convocation and meeting, many bishops had the opportunity...
, the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
and St. Antoninus, the practices of the early church and Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
's own sayings on children. It was therefore stressed that this decree did not institute a new doctrine, but simply clarified ancient ones. The adverse opinion it discredited as Jansenist
Jansenism
Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
. The main concern of the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
was that the first, childlike innocence of the children should be lost, and that they should be allowed to fall into a state of sin before the first Communion was admitted. To avoid this, it was decreed that:
- "The age of discretion, both for Confession and for Holy Communion, is the time when a child begins to reason, that is about the seventh year, more or less."
- "A full and perfect knowledge of Christian doctrine is not necessary either for First Confession or for First Communion."
- It was also stressed that those who had charge of the children, both parents and pastors, should see to it both that the children received their first Communion, and that they continued to do this at least once a year afterwards.