ould confess frequently, if we wish to lead a good life.

Some seem to think that they need not go to confession if they have not
committed sin since their last confession. Two graces are given in
penance, as you already know: one, to take away the sins confessed, and
the other, to strengthen us against temptation and enable us to keep our
good resolutions. Now, as we are always tempted, we should go frequently
to confession to get the grace to resist. The saints used to go to
confession very frequently, sometimes every day. They used to go when
tempted, to obtain the grace to resist and to expose their temptations
to their confessor and ask his advice. Again the Holy Scripture tells us
that the just man falls seven times; and "just man" in Holy Scripture
means a very good man, that is, one doing for God, his neighbor, and
himself what he ought to do. St. Joseph is called in the Scripture a
"just man," and he was the foster-father of Our Lord. Now, if the good
man falls seven times, he must arise after each fall; for if he did not
get up after the first fall, he could not fall the second time. This
teaches us that we all commit some kind of sin, at least, and have
always something to confess if we only examine our conscience closely.
It teaches us also that when we have the misfortune to fall into sin, we
should rise as quickly as possible.

*399 Q. Should children go to confession?
A. Children should go to confession when they are old enough to commit
sin, which is commonly about the age of seven years.

"To commit sin"--that is, when they know the difference between good and
evil.

400 Q. What sin does he commit who neglects to receive Communion during
the Easter time?
A. He who neglects to receive Communion during the Easter time commits a
mortal sin.

401 Q. What is the Easter time?
A. The Easter time is, in this country, the time between the first
Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday, inclusive.

Trinity Sunday is the eighth Sunday after Easter. Therefore the whole
Easter-time is from the first Sunday of Lent--that is, seven weeks
before Easter--to Trinity Sunday, eight weeks after it, or fifteen weeks
in all; and anyone who does not go to Holy Communion sometime during
these fifteen weeks commits mortal sin.

402 Q. Are we obliged to contribute to the support of our pastors?
A. We are obliged to contribute to the support of our pastors, and to
bear our share in the expenses of the Church and school.

And a