20120409 Precepts of the Church guide us to heaven 「聖教四規」導向永生
Both the Church and the state are perfect societies. The purpose of the state is temporal prosperity, and the purpose of the Church is eternal salvation.
One of the important elements of a perfect society is the authority to make laws for its subjects. The state has civil and criminal laws, whereas as the Church has ecclesiastical laws. Canon law is promulgated by the Pope for the whole Church, and diocesan law is promulgated by the local bishop for a particular church.
Civil law is enforced by court and police, but canon law is mainly enforced by our conscience, though in serious matters, the Church’s authority might impose penalties.
There is rarely a dispensation from civil law, but in canon law there are occasions for dispensation or relaxation of the law. For example, a parish priest can, for good reason, dispense parishioners from the Sunday Mass obligation, the Communion fast, and fasting on a day of penance.
Govern and enforce
In his book My Catholic Faith Bishop Louis LaRavoire Morrow writes, “No society can exist without the power to govern its members. No government is possible without laws. Unless the Church had the power and right to make laws, it could not lead its members to heaven.”
“The authority to make laws includes power to enforce them. Hence the Church has the right to punish disobedient members by refusing them the sacraments, denying them Catholic burial, and other penalties.”
The six precepts of the Church are:
1. To assist at Mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation.
2. To fast and to abstain on days appointed.
3. To confess our sins at least once a year.
4. To receive Holy Communion during Easter time.
5. To contribute to the support of the Church.
6. To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The Church obliges the faithful to take part in the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days and, prepared by the sacrament of reconciliation, to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, if possible during the Easter season. But the Church strongly encourages the faithful to receive the holy Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, or more often still, even daily.”
In Canada there are two holy days of obligation: Christmas day (Dec. 25), and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Jan. 1). Catholics in Canada have the seriously obligation to attend Mass on these holy days.
Fast and abstinence
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are fast days; the Fridays of the year are days of abstinence.
Catholics who are 14 and older are obliged to observe days of abstinence, on which one is not allowed to eat meat. However fish, amphibians, reptiles, and shellfish are permitted, as are animal-derived products such as gelatin, butter, cheese, and eggs, which do not have any meat taste.
Catholics who are 18 to 59 are required to observe fast days. On a fast day only one full meal is allowed, and there can be two other meals. No food is allowed between meals, but drinks are allowed any time.
In Canada, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops obtained the permission of the Holy See for Catholics in Canada to substitute for Friday abstinence a penitential, or even a charitable, practice of their own choosing.
According to the Baltimore Catechism, “The Church commands us to fast and to abstain in order that we may control the desires of the flesh, raise our minds more freely to God, and make satisfaction for sin.”
聖教會和一個獨立國家都是一個完整的體制社群；不過，國家是為暫世的繁榮，而聖教會是為得救的永恆福祉。
完整的體制包括以立法權去行使法治。國家有民事法和刑事法，聖教會則有教會法（教律）—— 教宗為整個教會頒佈聖教法典，教區主教為其牧區頒佈律例，但仍要臣服於聖教法典。
國家一般以法庭和警察執行法治，但聖教法典主要是從每個人的良心去遵從，當然，在嚴重的事情上，聖教會仍有權力，釐定必要的刑責。國家很少情況下，會豁免民事法的規管，聖教法典的執行則不然。譬如，本堂神父可按合理情況下，免除教友守瞻禮日或齋戒。
管治及執行
類斯.莫魯主教在他的「我的天主教信仰」一書內寫道：「若缺乏管治權，任何團體都不能自存；沒有法律，管治權是不可能的；除非聖教會有立法權，否則她不能引導信眾進入天堂。」
「立法權也包括執法權；因此，聖教會也有權力去判懲不服從的成員，包括禁止他們領受聖事、拒絕為他們舉行天主教殯葬，或定立刑責等。」
莫魯主教綜合聖教法典成六項主要規條：
1. 在當守瞻禮日和主日，要參與全彌撒。
2. 遵守大小齋期。
3. 至少每年妥辦告解一次。
4. 在復活期善領聖體。
5. 按能力捐助教會。
6. 謹守教會有關婚姻的規定。
天主教教理明示：「教會規定信友『在主日和慶節參與神聖禮儀(彌撒) 』，並以和好聖事做準備，每年至少領受感恩(聖體)聖事一次。如果可能的話，就在復活期內履行。但教會積極鼓勵信友在主日和慶節，或更經常地，甚至是每日都領受感恩(聖體)聖事。」
在加拿大，聖誕日（十二月二十五日）和天主之母瞻禮日（一月一日）為每年的當守瞻禮日，本地教友絕對有嚴重責任，在這兩天聖日參與全彌撒。
守大齋和小齋
每年聖灰瞻禮和苦難日，適齡教友需嚴守大小齋；平時每星期五要守小齋。患病的教友可酌情免去齋戒。
年屆十四歲的教友，要守小齋。十八歲和五十九歲以下的教友，要守大齋。
守小齋的教友，禁吃紅肉（熱血動物的肉類），但可吃奶類產品和雞蛋，因為沒有紅肉質，也可以吃海產。
守大齋的教友，當天只能吃三餐，其中只一餐飽吃；餐與餐之間不可吃食物，但可飲用飲品。
教廷依加拿大主教團申請，准許加拿大信眾可以悔罪或愛德善工代替平時週五的小齋。
「博迪模天主教要理」指引說：聖教會命我們守大小齋，為的是要我們克制私慾，做補贖，和把自己的思想提昇，以期更接近天主。