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| Sessio Vigesimaprima, | Twenty-first Session, |
| celebrata die XVI. Iulii 1562. | held July 16, 1562. |
| DOCTRINA DE COMMUNIONE SUB UTRAQUE SPECIE, ET PARVULORUM. | DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE COMMUNION UNDER BOTH SPECIES, AND OF LITTLE CHILDREN. |
| Caput I. | Chapter I. |
| Laicos et clericos non conficientes non adstringi jure divino ad communionem sub utraque specie. | That laymen and clerics, when not sacrificing, are not bound, of divine right, to communion under both species. |
| Itaque sancta ipsa synodus, a Spiritu Sancto, qui spiritus est sapientiæ et intellectus, spiritus consilii et pietatis, edocta, atque ipsius Ecclesiæ judicium | Wherefore, this holy Synod,—instructed by the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of godliness,237237 Isa. xi. 2. and following the |
| et consuetudinem secuta, declarat, ac docet, nullo divino præcepto laicos et clericos non conficientes, obligari ad Eucharistiæ sacramentum sub utraque specie sumendum; neque ullo pacto, salva fide, dubitari posse, quin illis alterius speciei communio ad salutem sufficiat: nam, etsi Christus Dominus in ultima cæna venerabile hoc sacramentum in panis, et vini speciebus instituit et apostolis tradidit; non tamen illa institutio et traditio eo tendunt, ut omnes Christi fideles statuto Domini ad utramque speciem accipiendam adstringantur. Sed neque ex sermone illo, apud Ioannem VI., recte colligitur, utriusqme speciei communionem a Domino præceptam esse: utcumque juxta varias sanctorum patrum et doctorum interpretationes intelligatur: namque, qui dixit: Nisi manducaveritis carnem filii hominis et biberitis ejus sanguinem, non habebitis vitam in vobis: dixit quoque: Si quis manducaverit ex hoc pane, vivet in æternum. Et qui dixit: Qui manducat meam carnem, et bibit meum sanguinem, habet vitam æternam: dixit etiam: Panis, quem ego dabo, caro mea est pro mundi | judgment and usage of the Church itself,—declares and teaches, that laymen, and clerics when not consecrating, are not obliged, by any divine precept, to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist under both species; and that neither can it by any means be doubted, without injury to faith, that communion under either species is sufficient for them unto salvation. For, although Christ, the Lord, in the Last Supper, instituted and delivered to the apostles, this venerable sacrament in the species of bread and wine; not therefore do that institution and delivery tend thereunto, that all the faithful of the Church be bound, by the institution of the Lord, to receive both species. But neither is it rightly gathered, from that discourse which is in the sixth of John,—however according to the various interpretations of holy Fathers and Doctors it be understood,—that the communion of both species was enjoined by the Lord; for he who said, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you (v. 54), also said: He that eateth this bread shall live forever (v. 59); and he who said, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life (v. 55), also said: The bread that I will |
| vita. Et denique qui dixit: Qui manducat meam carnem et bibit meum sanguinem, in me manet et ego in illo: dixit nihilominus: Qui manducat hunc panem, vivet in æternum. | give is my flesh for the life of the world (v. 52); and, in fine, he who said, He that eateth my flesh and drinkeih my blood, abideth in me and I in him (v. 57), said, nevertheless, He that eateth this bread shall live forever (v. 59). |
| Caput II. | Chapter II. |
| Ecclesiæ potestas circa dispensationem sacramenti Eucharistiæ. | The power of the Church as regards the dispensation of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. |
| Præterea declarat, hanc potestatem perpetuo in Ecclesia fuisse, ut in sacramentorum dispensatione, salva illorum substantia, ea statueret vel mutaret, quæ suscipientium utilitati seu ipsorum sacramentorum venerationi, pro rerum, temporum et locorum veritate, magis expedire judicaret. Id autem apostolus non obscure visus est innuisse, cum ait: Sic nos existimet homo, ut ministros Christi et dispensatores mysteriorum Dei; atque ipsum quidem hac potestate usum esse satis constat cum in multis aliis, tum in hoc ipso sacramento, cum, ordinatis nonnullis circa ejus usum, Cetera, inquit, cum venero, disponam. Quare agnoscens sancta mater Ecclesia hanc suam in administratione sacramentorum auctoritatem, licet ab | It furthermore declares, that this power has ever been in the Church, that, in the dispensation of the sacraments, their substance being untouched, it may ordain, or change, what things soever it may judge most expedient, for the profit of those who receive, or for the veneration of the said sacraments, according to the difference of circumstances, times, and places. And this the Apostle seems not obscurely to have intimated, when he says: Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of the mysteries of God.238238 1 Cor. iv. i. And, indeed, it is sufficiently manifest that he himself exercised this power, as in many other things, so in regard of this very sacrament; when, after having ordained certain things touching the use thereof, he says: The rest I will set in order when I come.239239 1 Cor. xi. 34. Wherefore, holy |
| initio Christianæ religionis non infrequens utriusque speciei usus fuisset, tamen progressu temporis, latissime jam mutata illa consuetudine, gravibus et justis causis adducta hanc consuetudinem sub altera specie communicandi approbabit, et pro lege habendam decrevit, quam reprobare aut sine ipsius Ecclesiæ auctoritate pro libito mutare non licet. | Mother Church, knowing this her authority in the administration of the sacraments, although the use or both species has, from the beginning of the Christian religion, not been unfrequent, yet, in progress of time, that custom having been already very widely changed, she, induced by weighty and just reasons, has approved of this custom of communicating under one species, and decreed that it was to be held as a law; which it is not lawful to reprobate, or to change at pleasure, without the authority of the Church itself. |
| Caput III. | Chapter III. |
| Totum et integrum Christum ac verum sacramentum sub qualibet specie sumi. | That Christ whole and entire and a true Sacrament are received under either species. |
| Insuper declarat, quamvis Redemptor noster, ut antea dictum est, in suprema illa cæna hoc sacramentum in duabus speciebus instituerit et apostolis tradiderit, tamen fatendum esse, etiam sub altera tantum specie totum atque integrum Christum verumque sacramentum sumi; ac propterea, quod ad fructum attinet nulla gratia necessaria ad salutem eos defraudari, qui unam speciam solam accipiunt. | It moreover declares, that although, as hath been already said, our Redeemer, in that last supper, instituted, and delivered to the apostles, this sacrament in two species, yet is to be acknowledged, that Christ whole and entire and a true sacrament are received under either species alone; and that therefore, as regards the fruit thereof, they, who receive one species alone are not defrauded of any grace necessary to salvation. |
| Caput IV. | Chapter IV. |
| Parvulos non obligari ad communionem sacramentalem. | That little Children are not bound to sacramental Communion. |
| Denique eadem sancta synodus docet, parvulos usu rationis carentes nulla obligari necessitate ad sacramentalem Eucharistiæ communionem, siquidem, per baptismi lavacrum regenerati et Christo incorporati, adeptam jam filiorum Dei gratiam in illa ætate amittere non possunt. Neque ideo tamen damnanda est antiquitas, si eum morem in quibusdam locis aliquando servavit. Ut enim sanctissimi illi patres sui facti probabilem causam pro illius temporis ratione habuerunt, ita certe eos nulla salutis necessitate id fecisse sine controversia credendum est. | Finally, this same holy Synod teaches, that little children, who have not attained to the use of reason, are not by any necessity obliged to the sacramental communion of the Eucharist: forasmuch as, having been regenerated by the laver of baptism, and being incorporated with Christ, they can not, at that age, lose the grace which they have already acquired of being the sons of God. Not therefore, however, is antiquity to be condemned, if, in some places, it, at one time, observed that custom; for as those most holy Fathers had a probable cause for what they did in respect of their times, so, assuredly, is it to be believed without controversy, that they did this without any necessity thereof unto salvation. |
| DE COMMUNIONE SUB UTRAQUE SPECIE ET PARVULORUM. | ON COMMUNION UNDER BOTH SPECIES, AND ON THE COMMUNION OF INFANTS. |
| Canon I.—Si quis dixerit, ex Dei præcepto vel necessitate salutis omnes et singulos Christi fideles utramque speciem sanctissimi Eucharistiæ sacramenti sumere debere: anathema sit. | Canon I.—If any one saith, that, by the precept of God, or by necessity of salvation, all and each of the faithful of Christ ought to receive both species of the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist: let him be anathema. |
| Canon II.—Si quis dixerit, sanctum Ecclesiam Catholicam non justis | Canon II.—If any one saith, that the holy Catholic Church was not |
| causis et rationibus adductam fuisse, ut laicos atque etiam clericos non conficientes sub panis tantummodo specie communicaret, aut in eo errasse: anathema sit. | induced, by just causes and reasons, to communicate, under the species of bread only, laymen, and also clerics when not consecrating: let him be anathema. |
| Canon III.—Si quis negaverit, totum et integrum Christum, omnium gratiarum fontem et auctorem, sub una panis specie sumi, quia, ut quidam falso asserunt, non secundum ipsius Christi institutionem sub utraque specie sumatur: anathema sit. | Canon III.—If any one denieth, that Christ whole and entire,—the fountain and author of all graces,—is received under the one species of bread; because that, as some falsely assert, he is not received, according to the institution of Christ himself, under both species: let him be anathema. |
| Canon IV.—Si quis dixerit, parvulis, antequam ad annos discretionis pervenerint, necessariam esse Eucharistiæ communionem: anathema sit. | Canon IV.—If any one saith, that the communion of the Eucharist is necessary for little children, before they have arrived at years of discretion: let him be anathema. |
| Duos vero articulos alias propositos nondum tamen excussos, videlicet: an rationes, quibus sancta Catholica Ecclesia adducta fuit, ut communicaret laicos atque etiam non celebrantes sacerdotes, sub una tantum panis specie, ita sint retinendæ, ut nulla ratione calicis usus cuiquam sit permittendus; et: an, si honestis et Christianæ caritati consentaneis rationibus concedendus alicui vel nationi vel regno calicis usus videatur, sub aliquibus conditionibus concedendus sit, et quænam sint illæ, eadem | As regards, however, those two articles, proposed on another occasion, but which have not as yet been discussed: to wit, whether the reasons by which the holy Catholic Church was led to communicate, under the one species of bread only, laymen, and also priests when not celebrating, are in such wise to be adhered to, as that on no account is the use of the chalice to be allowed to any one soever; and whether, in case that, for reasons beseeming and consonant with Christian charity, it appears that the use of the chalice is to be granted to any nation or kingdom, it is to be conceded |
| sancta synodus in aliud tempus, oblata sibi quamprimum occasione, examinandos atque definiendos reservat. | under certain conditions; and what are those conditions: this same holy Synod reserves the same to another time,—for the earliest opportunity that shall present itself,—to be examined and defined. |
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