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We must not become turned in on ourselves. There are some jobs in which it is difficult to avoid becoming 'me-centered', focused upon either more money or more praise or greater fame, for example, as bankers look for greater profit, athletes work for more medals, and actors yearn to be the greatest star. It is dangerous to forget about God or about people close to oneself, in self-idolatry.

A member of the Clergy - or anyone else - who shares his doubts about articles of faith, or invites others to disregard the Church's moral teachings, is like a man who invites someone to bathe in a shark-infested sea. To lead someone into sin is like delivering a person to the demons.

Just as a flower in summer is wide open to receive the honeybee, so the Godhead is as if 'wide-open', always, to receive the thoughts and words of human beings. God is so loving that He is inviting us to bring all our problems, hopes and secret causes for shame, to Him in prayer. There is nothing He is not willing to hear about, and to help us through.

God our Father wants us to know that although He is holy, He is compassionate and understanding. If there are intensely shameful or embarrassing things in a person's life, that person should believe that nothing is too shameful to bring to God in prayer, in a search for help. Each of us should have faith in God's infinite love for us, which goes hand-in-hand with His desire to make us happy and holy.

God our Father wants us to know that although He is holy, He is compassionate and understanding. If there are intensely shameful or embarrassing things in a person's life, that person should believe that nothing is too shameful to bring to God in prayer, in a search for help. Each of us should have faith in God's infinite love for us, which goes hand-in-hand with His desire to make us happy and holy.

Although God holds everyone in existence, a person in earthly life who refuses to believe in God, or refuses to give up his sins, is by his own free will cut off from the influence and joy of God's love. It is as if he or she sits in darkness in a large box, whilst the graces of God pour around, outside it. People in a state of grace are bathed in that grace.

Christ our God teaches us, and helps us, through His Church; yet there are countless Catholics held back from holiness or lasting joy because of their fears: fears that, if they choose to believe and practice the Faith in its fullness, they won't be able to bear the loneliness, or persecution or ridicule, or lack of luxuries, or chastity, or the rejection of sinful pleasure; some fear God's future plans, unknown. Some fear having more children.

When someone speaks about the entrance into full communion with the Church of Cardinal Newman, he should not describe this merely as a stage in his spiritual journey but as Newman's doing the Will of God, Who invites everyone to enter the Catholic Church. Catholic Clergy must not be held back, by ecumenical friendships, from rejoicing in the Truth.

At the Consecration of the bread and the wine, these change into the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of Christ Who is therefore Present in our sanctuary. From our midst, He prays for sinners today, just as He once prayed from the Cross. That is why it is so important that we attend Sunday Mass, as the Church requests.

When we are fervent in love for Christ, and have had all our sins forgiven, and have done sufficient penance, it is as though our souls are so bright that we are worthy to wear the white robe of the newly-baptised, and even to be worthy to enter Heaven straight away, should we die at that moment!

When we turn to Christ in prayer, in gratitude for His gifts and graces, all the Saints are close to us, glad to hear our thanks and praise for the One Who has brought them to Heaven. They long for us to find everlasting joy with Him, and help us by their prayers.

To receive the gift of Divine Light in Baptism, and to live in a state of grace, is to be in touch with Heaven, through Jesus Christ who is God and man, and has given us His Holy Spirit to live in us. Those who are in touch with Heaven go to Heaven: that is to say, people who have put their trust in Christ and have remained faithful, not those who have walked away from Christ, or have refused to believe in Him, or those who deny that we have a Divine Creator.

It is an immeasurable blessing, to be a baptised person who is forgiven, and who believes the Faith, lives in a state of grace, and prays in the name of Jesus Christ to the Heavenly Father. It is as if that person, when praying, is whispering into the Father's ear, in a loving intimacy, in combined reverence and trust, unlike others who shout to God as if from far away, not sure of being heard.

Whenever we pray in the name of Christ, as His children, it is as if Christ holds us on His outstretched hand, so that we stand before the Father at the very edge of Heaven, confident of being heard, and confident of being answered. Everyone can pray, if he or she wishes; but the certainty of being heard comes through union with Christ, established at our Baptism.

Someone who is not in perfect health, and who is undecided about going to Sunday Mass, or reluctant, should ask: "If my favourite person invited me out for a meal today, would I agree to go?" A person who is well enough to go out for a meal is well enough to go to church, to meet Christ, our best friend, and to offer the Holy Sacrifice.

In our struggle for perfect charity, it can help us if we picture Jesus Christ as being the invisible witness of our every thought, word and deed; or, if that fails, we can imagine the Pope here, in our own kitchen, and learn how to weigh our words, in his presence!

We are right to yearn to know the truth about God, and life; yet reality is different from, and greater than our first imaginings. A person who builds a picture of Paris, from a few stories, and films and melodies, finds that the reality is even more marvellous. So it is, with our thoughts about God. People all over the world have different pictures in their minds, but when Jesus arrived on earth, revealing the truth about God's nature, it was astonishing for people to learn that He is Love and Truth. It was thrilling.

In the play called 'Pygmalion', a rich man gave lessons to a poor working girl, and transformed her speech and outlook, and clothing. Christ works an even more marvellous transformation, by His grace acting within a willing soul. He transforms the whole person, leading each to Him, to find security, joy, peace-of-soul and fulfilment in sharing His life, and also to grow in wisdom, purity, courage, hope and charity.

People who are deliberately and directly involved in passing laws which permit the neglect or abuse of children or the killing of tiny infants by abortion - or who practice those evils - by their own actions build a wall between themselves and God. Unless they repent, they cannot join Him when they die, but must be damned.

People are co-operating with the evil one when they frame laws which permit a greater number of abortions or which permit the neglect or abuse of children - or when they carry out such acts. Unless these people repent, they cannot break down the wall they have built between themselves and God, and must go down, when they die, to join the evil one forever.