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Just as there are insects who are at home in mud and filth, content to make their way across mucky roads, so there are people who are happiest when involved in unpleasant chatter or malicious gossip. It suits their uncharitable nature; but unless they change, by the grace of Christ, they will not be able to enter Heaven - and perhaps not even Purgatory.

Although God allowed sinful men, whom He justified, to guide and lead His People, He wants to teach all the peoples of the world through the truth spoken by His own Son, on earth, hence the Incarnation and Birth of Jesus Christ. He was inevitably persecuted and killed, yet knowing and accepting this in advance. But death, a punishment for sin, could not hold the sinless one, or His sinless Virgin Mother. They are in Heaven now, encouraging us to persevere is truth and holiness.

We should pray for people in spiritual danger; however, people who insist on walking at the top of a steep cliff can fall, because of their own pride in ignoring warnings, onto the rocks below. A miracle could stop their fall, just as a miracle could stop the headlong fall towards Hell of a person who is insisting on committing mortal sin, despite all warnings. But miracles are rarely granted in such circumstances, being more usually given to the lowly.

Just as people who deliberately choose to ignore all warnings, and walk around the rim of the crater of a volcano, are in danger of falling into the fire, through their own foolishness and pride, so, those people who deliberately defy God by acting against His moral law are in danger of falling into Hell, through their own fault, unless they repent before they die.

We cannot look away when people starve; nor should we look away when the souls of fellow creatures are in danger. People who deliberately defy God's law, and commit mortal sin, and who even show pride in what they do, or boast about it, are as if climbers dancing only inches away from the mouth of a live volcano. They will end in Hell, unless they repent; and so they are in desperate need of our fervent intercessions.

Those who are constantly within the Church but fighting in the Church, protesting against her doctrines and disciplines, will not make much spiritual progress. Discontented, acting against Christ Who has given us the Pope to guide us, and the other Catholic Bishops, the dissenters should do what Saint Peter did before Christ. He surrendered to Christ and to His Will, just as the Saints have, through the ages, in love and obedience. Surrender is the 'key' to joy in Christ.

Just as a school child can learn nothing and make no progress if he opposes his mother's request, and has to be carried screaming into school, so a Catholic can make little progress in prayer or the spiritual life if he or she is constantly 'fighting' - by words, actions and campaigns - against the constant teaching of the Church, and her discipline.

The key to happiness within the Catholic Church, and joy in Eternity, consists of obedience to the Commandments and to legitimate discipline, and humble agreement with every matter of faith and morals - rather than doing what so many Catholics do, as they spend their lives complaining and arguing, and do not allow God to make them joyful.

It is a tragedy, greater than most Catholics realise, that in Europe, including England, it is almost seen as normal Catholic practice to be opposing the constant teaching of the Church, founded by Christ to teach us, and complaining about the disciplines imposed by those in the Church, especially the Pope, who have authority from Christ to impose them.

A hard-hearted person has a heart as strong and unyielding as the thick ice in the garden in winder, on the bird table. He has little humility or compassion, and is only too happy to declare: "Why should I do what the Pope tells me to do?" or, "Why should I forgive that friend?", or, "Why doesn't that Doctor do what I want?" These proud, unforgiving people are simply un-Christlike.

If a child could look back five centuries, then another five, then another - to when Christ lived on earth, she would see: the very same Catholic Faith is taught today, as in the first century after Christ. God the Father looks upon the earth, glad to see people who believe in the whole Deposit of Faith, handed down from the time of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Yet very few believe the Faith in its entirety; so, in our age, as in the first century, and the fifth, tenth and fifteenth, there is a great need for witness, evangelisation, and intercession.

Since Christ ascended to Heaven, having asked His disciples to hand on His message, the Clergy have taught the truth all over the world, instructing people, handing on the Deposit of faith; so it is a disastrous aberration, when an individual priest choses to hand on a distorted Faith, or waters it down, or omits what is important to make it more palatable to sinners who want to continue in their sins. Language changes, but not truth. There is no room for 'creativity' in dogma, or in Liturgy.

What we believe affects how we behave, in life; so it is tragic that there is a current mind-set within certain groups of priests, Bishops and Catechists, which makes a thoroughly orthodox Catholic priest into an object of dislike and suspicion. It's as if a person who believes all that the Church teaches, and encourages others to teach it and practice it must necessarily be 'rigid, lacking in compassion', whereas those who criticise him usually offer a distorted, truncated, or watered down version of the Faith.

As we pray for the Holy Souls we help them to move forward, closer to Heaven's light. It is as if they are in a queue, waiting their turn to meet Christ and His Mother Mary. We cannot see the Holy Souls, but if we could peep into Purgatory as if into a cellar beneath our world, we would see that they are safe, content to be in God's care, grateful for the prospect of Heaven.

Those Holy Souls whose time of Purification has nearly ended are like people who slowly ascend a great stairway, clad in their best garments, aware that they will have the privilege, very soon, of being announced to Royalty. The Holy Souls make no complaints, aware that at the top of the stairs they will be greeted by the King of Heaven, with joy, and by His Virgin Mother.

There are Holy Souls in Purgatory who never receive any relief from their sufferings through prayers that could have been offered by friends or relations. This is the case when their loved ones don't believe in any prayer, or else live as Christians of other groups but don't believe in prayer for the dead. In anguish, these Holy Souls await help from any of us who will recognise their plight, and will turn to the Father, in Christ's name, to pray

People who devise new laws, and promote evil actions by their evil laws, should examine their hearts and minds. They will be held responsible for the wrongs perpetrated because of their votes in Government on such grave matters as abortion law, which is evil in God's sight, since it permits the killing of defenceless, innocent, human beings.

If people in Government pass laws which promote evil, they are acting against God. Whoever supports evil acts such as abortion and promotes its greater availability, through committee work and voting, should think about Eternity. Each person of earth will end in Heaven, even if though Purgatory, or in Hell, through his or her own fault. All should strive to lead good lives, and not risk Eternal Life through helping others to kill the innocent.

In Mediaeval times, people were taught the truth about the Mass, the central act of our religion, and the greatest means of praising God - through His Son, and His Son's Holy Sacrifice, re-presented in the presence of the Saints, the Holy Souls and the Angels. What is important are prayer, adoration, and the knowledge that we join in the worship of Heaven. (It is because most children are taught only that the Mass is a community meal, that there are so many images given, through Radiant Light, of every aspect of the Holy Sacrifice. The Lord wants every effort made to teach the truth about these Holy Mysteries.)

Those Who encourage children to take a busy part doing 'jobs' during the Sacred Liturgy might make the children feel important but often lead them to become distracted from what is said, and certainly not prayerful. There should be encouragement, rather, for children to know what happens in the Holy Sacrifice, to believe it, to be grateful for God's love and action, and to adore and praise Him.