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Plain churches, without images, encourage ordinary behaviour. Some of the Saints, to whom our churches are dedicated, would weep, if they could hear that noisiness, and see the disrespect shown by many Catholics in church. A wise priest in such circumstances puts out a notice, as a reminder.

When people are poorly-instructed about reverence, and when a church has few signs and images that indicate it is a sacred place, the faithful sometimes act, for a Mass, as if at a rally or a pop-concert. Even if a few pictures of the Saints are then put up around the walls, this is as effective as sticking a small plaster in a big wound. Change comes from clear instruction; and from effective signs of decoration at the entrance.

When a person is torn between serving God as any Catholic ought, and succumbing to wrong-doing, he will be fortunate if he hears a friend say to him: "God will give you real joy, and real peace-of-soul, when you stop trying to seize the pleasures of human life, and decide to aim for the joys of heaven."

The Church is like an ocean-liner, launched by Christ. He sees that many people on board argue about the purpose of the ship, minimise the danger of travelling independently, and pour scorn on the dangers of the water. By such dissent, those passengers lead people astray. It is as if they were throwing other people into the water, so powerful is their influence Yet they will have to account for their irresponsible words.

The Catholic Church is like a great ship that was designed, built and launched by Jesus Christ, for everyone to find. Those fortunate people on board ought to live in peace with one another. It grieves Christ that some disturb others by loudly questioning the origin of the ship, its design, its purpose and goal, and the rules which all passengers must obey. They will be held to account for their behaviour.

Low-cut necklines are so common-place that Christian women are sometimes slow to realise the importance of modesty. This requires a careful and sensible attitude to clothing, so that no immodest garments make life more difficult for men to be chaste. All immodest clothing should be altered or thrown away - and certainly not given away, for other people to wear it.

The attraction of sin often masks the danger further ahead. It's as if Satan prepares a trap for us: like a bright entrance to a tunnel, promising great pleasures - though a careless person will find himself on a sloping path with no handholds. It leads straight to Hell.

Satan is a liar. Satan clearly disguises temptations, so that sinful behaviour is made to seem attractive and safe, when in reality it is like following a pathway which leads to doom: a path through an attractive entrance, but which soon slopes downwards, to Hell.

If we could see into a tunnel where a train has crashed we would see helpless people, in darkness, in desperate need of outside help; and so it is with people trapped in mortal sin. They are in desperate need of the Divine grace that can bring them to repentance, with new life, hope and joy and forgiveness. They desperately need the prayers of the faithful, to help them.

In different parts of the world are Christians claiming to have Heavenly visions. All might seen sincere; some of these people might be trapped by their own lies, or some by the deceptions of Satan, or some be truly in touch with Christ. Obedience is the key in this; obedience to those in authority in the Church is a sign of love for God, and trust in Him and His Will.

Everyone who has visions in prayer should be very cautious, and seek the advice of those in authority in the Church. They can prove their love for God by their obedience. People who insist on what their 'visions' ask of them, even against the request of Church authorities, are in danger of being led astray. Some visions come from Satan, who loves to give pleasure if he can thereby draw people down to Hell.

A man can be living in the light, on his way to Heaven, yet the circumstances of a person's childhood can bring about patterns of behaviour which can be hard to eradicate, even after a sincere conversion, and membership of the Church. Even people of goodwill often continue to speak with sarcasm, or brutal honesty, or self-pitying or attention-seeking phrases learned as children.

Christ looks on with deepest sympathy and concern when He sees even Catholics failing sometimes to make arrangements so that disabled persons can be included in their outings. It is not possible to make every place accessible, but it is possible to keep people company, and not ignore them.

To be near the tabernacle, where Jesus Christ is substantially Present, hidden under the appearance of bread, is to be close to Christ's Divine Life and power. It is as if a fire burns, at the tabernacle, just as in the heart of the bush, as Moses looked on, long ago, when the Lord told him that where he stood was 'holy ground'.

There is not one person in a whole town or country who will escape judgement. God is kind and merciful; but everyone, at death, will have to account for his or her behaviour during earthly life, and proceed towards Heaven or, by their own choices - towards Hell. Everyone will be judged: Housewives, doctors, engineers, cleaners, politicians, models, schoolboys... no-one can opt out.

Wherever Catholics live out their faith with goodness and conviction, they have an effect upon their culture, as Catholics have since the earliest times. The Bishops hand on the truth from Jesus Christ, people are forgiven and transformed, freed from superstition, men and women are equal in marriage, the sick are cherished and not rejected, prisoners receive justice, little girls are educated, children are valued, even the unborn, the arts flourish - art, architecture, music and scholarship - and the Saints set an unparalleled example of goodness, in all sorts of ways.

The Catholic Faith is simple. Through Christ, our Saviour, we can change. Every person on earth has decisions to make about his or her behaviour. Every decision forms part of a life in the service of God, or life in the pursuit of selfish endeavours, to the exclusion of God. Everyone will be judged, at death, on earthly behaviour - whether a housewife or doctor, cleaning lady, victim of crime, or criminal. Each finally reaches Heaven or Hell.

We are wise to pray: "O Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us". Christ holds in His heart and love and affections the entire world, and every person on it. No-one can escape from His concern, even though some people insist on ignoring, rejecting or opposing Christ - and, from love, He respects their freedom to walk away.

God invites us to kneel in adoration. The Pope is right to encourage us to offer reverent praise to God the Father, Who is Creator of the whole Universe, greater than the Universe, and awesome in His attributes, and in the beauty of His loving nature. We owe the same praise to Christ His Son, Who is Present in every Catholic Church, and yet often receives praise that is banal, vain, irreverent, frivolous or mundane.

The Lord sees irreverent Catholics, and He asks, Who are those people who refuse to bend the knee, and kneel before Him in prayer? Who are they, who fail to adore Christ, Really Present in the Holy Eucharist? Who are they, who offer praise which is banal, or careless, or frivolous or vain, to their God and Creator?