ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on June 21, 2004

Dear James: The passage I think you are referring to is in the Second Part, no. 20. If we look at the endnote #3 of that paragraph we read that this belief of being free from all attachment to even venial sin was commonly held before the 17th century. It also mentions that the source of this opinion was probably not St. Augustine as commonly thought. In any event, this passage cannot possibly mean that one must be without all attachment of even venial sin to receive communion because of what the Saint teaches us in the next section (section 21). The Saint writes: ...two classes of people of people should communicate frequently: the perfect, because being well disposed they would be very much to blame if they did not approach the source and fountain of perfection; and the imperfect, so that they rightly strive for perfection; the strong lest they become weak; and the weak that they may become strong; the sick that they may be restored to health, and the healthy lest they fall sick." I do not know about you, but I do not fall into the perfect and strong and healthy category. I would be hard pressed to be free of ALL attachment to venial sins. I am weak and fall into sin easily. I say with St. Paul, "I keep doing the things I do not want to do." Yet, the Church says that I may receive the Eucharist as long as I am free of mortal sin. St. de Sales cannot be saying what it appears in the passage you refer to. It is BECAUSE of the Eucharist that us imperfect and weak people can gain perfection and strength to someday be without a scintilla of attachment. Without the Eucharist we would never find perfection and strength. In any event, the official teaching of the Church does not require one to be free of all attachment to sin, it requires that one be free of mortal sin in order to receive our Lord. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary