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There is no religion quite like the Christian religion. Though good people everywhere have sought to know about God, and to praise Him, Christians have learned about God from those who have heard Him speaking to them in person: those who heard Jesus Christ, God-made-man, offer forgiveness and Eternal Life.

The image of Jacob's Ladder, seen in a vision, is helpful when we want to explain the importance of being in a Catholic church, where Jesus our God is Really, substantially Present in the tabernacle. Through Jesus, we have access to our Father in Heaven. Jesus is like a 'ladder' by which we can ascend, in prayer.

The Lord spoke to me about a wedding, saying: "Spend whatever you like. It is a celebration!" He said that the Church endorses the good human instinct to have special clothing, and beautiful surroundings, for special occasions, for anniversaries too, and feast days. The Lord Himself asked for beauty to surround the Ark in the Tabernacle, in the ddesert, and in the Temple.

We meet Christ in the prayer and love of the Christian community, in the Holy Scriptures, and in our priests; and supremely in His Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament

Christ sees it as tragic that the loudest voices in the Church today are often those of dissenters, who sometimes mock Christ's 'little ones' as 'fundamentalist' or old-fashioned, and are shameless about disturbing their prayers.

Christ revealed Himself to me as Really Present in Westminster Cathedral, in all His glory, just as in my parish church at home.

Priests who chat loudly in church and disturb the prayers of others show a lack of reverence that can reflect a deeper lack of respect for the Lord

Some priests want to follow their vocation on their own terms. There are warning signs to be seen, when a priest is in danger of preaching his own version of the Faith, and not the Faith in its fullness as handed on since the time of Christ. These signs are a lack of respect for the Pope, contempt for the Catechism, combined with an unhealthy acceptance of serious sin in the lives of his flock.

Christ brought to my mind the image of St. Peter, in my local church, saying: St. Peter did not let the memory of his own failures stop him from preaching repentance to other people. Christ asked me not to let the memory of my own sins hold me back from prayer and brave words by which I can help others to repent of their bad behaviour and find peace in and with Christ.

There are public talks for enquirers at which speakers tell of their personal friendship with Jesus, which is strengthened by what they read in the Bible. The best talks are those given by faithful Catholics who present the whole Gospel message, including the life of the Church: that God became man, to save us; He founded a Church on those who were witnesses to His Death and Resurrection; the Church can tell us how to live, and help us to know Christ and achieve salvation; we can belong to her.

A good priest feels privileged to be ordained, is awestruck by Christ's love, believes all that the Church teaches, never grumbles about his work, is keen to hand on the truth, is fearless in preaching, tells the whole truth about faith and morals, and requests reverent behaviour in church, where Christ is Really Present in the Blessed Sacrament.

For a life that is truly worthwhile we need faith in God, trust in His goodness and power, and in the merits of Jesus' Passion and death. Even a person stranded on a desert island, with no-one in sight, is connected to God the Father, through Jesus, and to the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and to the Catholic Church throughout the world, as long as he has faith. We must do all we can to make that faith grow.

It is the desire of Pope Benedict that everyone come to what Holy Scripture calls 'the obedience of faith'. He enjoys a little leisure time; but his whole desire is to bring people away from dissent and disobedience. The really new, radical way of 'being Church' today is to believe everything the Church teaches, as he does, and to put it into practice.

Through prayer, especially through the cycle of the Church's Liturgical prayer, we can enter the Mysteries of Christ's earthly life. At each of the feasts of His life we can address Him in that event, and benefit from the graces He won for us, in it. Simple people who pray to the 'infant Jesus' have an instinctive knowledge of this truth.

Through prayer, especially through the cycle of the Church's Liturgical prayer, we can enter the Mysteries of Christ's earthly life. At each of the feasts of His life we can address Him in that event, and benefit from the graces He won for us, in it. Simple people who pray to the 'infant Jesus' have an instinctive knowledge of this truth.

Christ wants us to respect priests who are 'other Christs' amongst us. But when a priest publicly speaks against the teaching of the Church on faith or morals we are not wrong to warn others about the danger of listening to his advice - though we must not speak with scorn or malice. And we should pray for him.

As we gather in church for Mass, we can be sure that Christ Himself will be with us, offering worthy praise to the Father from our sanctuary, in the presence of all the Saints and Angels. And we unite our prayers with His.

No other body, amongst Christian groups, is One and Holy and Catholic and Apostolic, as is the Catholic Church, and with Christ Himself Present within her in the sacraments, particularly the Blessed Sacrament. Some Christians have sacraments but not complete unity. Others seem united but have few sacraments and are not Catholic.

A person who adopts a new country, and loves it, finds out all he can, studies its history, travels to beautiful places, and defends it to others - and a person who gives his allegiance to Christ should likewise find out all he can about Him, study the history of His People and His Church, and learn what the Scriptures tell about Him.

Christ asked me to say to other people: "If you could see Jesus in the sanctuary, watching you, as you come in, would you make better genuflections?" Christ is Present in every Catholic church, surrounded by His holy Angels, as people who say they love Him ignore His Presence and even chatter at length.