Abrahamic / Middle Eastern Christianity The 5 Precepts of the Church The Duties of All Catholics Print Christianity Catholicism Tips Beliefs and Teachings Prayers Worship Saints Holy Days and Holidays Christianity Origins The Bible The New Testament The Old Testament Practical Tools for Christians Christian Life For Teens Christian Prayers Weddings Inspirational Bible Devotions Denominations of Christianity Christian Holidays Christian Entertainment Key Terms in Christianity Latter Day Saints View More By Scott P. Richert Scott P. Richert Catholicism Expert M.A., Political Theory, Catholic University of America B.A., Political Theory, Michigan State University Scott P. Richert is senior content network manager of Our Sunday Visitor. He has written about Catholicism for outlets including Humanitas and Catholic Answers Magazine. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on February 02, 2019 The precepts of the Church are duties that the Catholic Church requires of all the faithful. Also called the commandments of the Church, they are binding under pain of mortal sin, but the point is not to punish. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, the binding nature "is meant to guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth of love of God and neighbor." If we follow these commands, we'll know that we're headed in the right direction spiritually. This is the current list of the precepts of the Church found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Traditionally, there were seven precepts of the Church; the other two may be found at the end of this list. The Sunday Duty Scott P. Richert The first precept of the Church is "You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor." Often called the Sunday Duty or the Sunday Obligation, this is the way in which Christians fulfill the Third Commandment: "Remember, keep holy the Sabbath day." We participate in the Mass, and we refrain from any work that distracts us from a proper celebration of Christ's Resurrection. Confession Scott P. Richert The second precept of the Church is "You shall confess your sins at least once a year." Strictly speaking, we only need to take part in the Sacrament of Confession if we have committed a mortal sin, but the Church urges us to make frequent use of the sacrament and, at a minimum, to receive it once each year in preparation for fulfilling our Easter Duty. The Easter Duty Carsten Koall/Getty Images The third precept of the Church is "You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season." Today, most Catholics receive the Eucharist at every Mass they attend, but it wasn't always so. Since the Sacrament of Holy Communion binds us to Christ and to our fellow Christians, the Church requires us to receive it at least once each year, sometime between Palm Sunday and Trinity Sunday (the Sunday after Pentecost Sunday). Fasting and Abstinence Sean Gardner/Getty Images The fourth precept of the Church is "You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church." Fasting and abstinence, along with prayer and alms-giving, are powerful tools in developing our spiritual life. Today, the Church requires Catholics to fast only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and to abstain from meat on the Fridays during Lent. On all other Fridays of the year, we may perform some other penance in place of abstinence. Supporting the Church iStock / Getty Images The fifth precept of the Church is "You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church." The Catechism notes that this "means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability." In other words, we don't necessarily have to tithe (give ten percent of our income), if we can't afford it; but we should also be willing to give more if we can. Our support of the Church can also be through donations of our time, and the point of both is not simply to maintain the Church but to spread the Gospel and bring others into the Church, the Body of Christ. And Two More... Traditionally, the precepts of the Church numbered seven instead of five. The other two precepts were: To obey the laws of the Church concerning Matrimony.To participate in the Church's mission of Evangelization of Souls. Both are still required of Catholics, but they are no longer included in the Catechism's official listing of the precepts of the Church. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Richert, Scott P. "The 5 Precepts of the Church." Learn Religions, Aug. 28, 2020, learnreligions.com/the-precepts-of-the-church-542232. Richert, Scott P. (2020, August 28). The 5 Precepts of the Church. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/the-precepts-of-the-church-542232 Richert, Scott P. "The 5 Precepts of the Church." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/the-precepts-of-the-church-542232 (accessed April 23, 2024). copy citation