Excerpts From the Manual of the
Eucharistic Crusade of the Apostleship of Prayer

Educating the Youth to Live the Mass

(slightly edited by Fr. Boulet)

B. HOLY COMMUNION

            The Eucharistic Crusade is not content to instruct children only to take a proper part in the Sacrifice of the Mass. It especially insists that they derive from the Eucharistic Bread the strength they need to live a good and holy life. "It is with all earnestness then that the Eucharistic Crusade insists that children should receive the Heavenly Bread as early, frequently, and with as great a fervour as possible... Consequently unless there be serious difficulties preventing them, let the children approach the Holy Table every week - indeed oftener if possible - and learn to receive Holy Communion with ever increasing worthiness" (Norms, Art. II, 2).

            Although the correct and faithful reception of Holy Communion in itself concerns the full participation in the Mass, we should not forget that young children can receive Holy Communion even though they are not yet instructed on the Euchar­istic Sacrifice. The reception of Holy Communion is a matter that demands the special attention and work of educators.

The Importance of Holy Communion:

            It is impossible to overestimate the importance of Holy Com­munion in the education of children and adolescents. Personal contact with Christ, Our Saviour, true God and true Man, can and in itself ought to lead them to a truly perfect form of Christian living.

Education in how to receive Communion fruitfully:

            However it is a difficult question to know how children can be led to receive Holy Communion not only well, but more and more perfectly and with growing profit.

Next month, we will give you certain suggestions that have proved useful in practice…