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It is a tragedy when people die suddenly, especially if they are unprepared or trapped in mortal sin. Each is catapulted into the presence of the Creator, and is carried towards Heaven, if in a state of grace, possessed by the Holy Spirit, or else falls into Hell. We should all give up our sins, and love God, and show love for Him and our neighbour.

When people who have never read a serious book about Catholicism complain about episodes of Catholic history and hate the Church, it is best not to argue about history but to say: 'Look at the Church, as she is': the unique unity in Faith, government and worship, unique in handing on the body of truths, in helping the sick and needy, defending lives, including the unborn, inspiring artists, architects, composers, promoting education, all with confidence in God. Outside the Catholic Church people do not have such clear teaching. It is the one Church founded by Jesus Christ, Who still guides her, in union with the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

Christ is One God with the Father and the Holy Spirit: always joyful. What can possibly give Him joy? He is joyful when we believe what He has said; and He said, of the Holy Eucharist: "This is My Body", and "This is My Blood". He wants everyone to believe in His Real Presence, and to celebrate Corpus Christi.

All that is good comes from the love of Christ for us: with the Father and the Holy Spirit. All good things of nature and of grace come from the Lord and give Him glory - and all beauty, worthwhile accomplishments, like music, art, drama, dance, sport, engineering, architecture, literature - if they are worthy of God Who is goodness, purity and truth.

Christ delighted in beautiful artistic works of ours, just as He delighted in the sight of the beautiful stars which He had scattered across the skies. He had created the whole universe, with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

The Lord asks Catholics who doubt His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament: Ff Christ could become man, through the Virgin Mary, and allow Himself to die and be buried, and yet visit Abraham and the Prophets in the underworld, then ascend to Heaven to live there in glory, can He not come down to earth again, by the same power, as the Holy Spirit makes Him Present on the altar, as the bread and wine are changed into Christ's Body and Blood, and His friends prepare to receive Him?

If we believe that God became man in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a tiny baby whose nature was both human and Divine, it is surely not difficult to believe that, by the same power of the Holy Spirit, Christ is once again made Present on earth, though in a different manner, in the Mass.

Just as some people on earth encircle a special religious site which is precious to them, so the Saints in Heaven encircle Christ, adoring Him and the Father and the Holy Spirit: the Blessed Trinity, by whose grace we receive forgiveness of sins on Earth, and are helped to grow in holiness, ready for Heaven.

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.

The Church prays for the soul of the deceased friend or relation at a Requiem Mass, and calls out, "Open the gates of Paradise" for that faithful servant. Let us remain hopeful of one day entering those gates, to live forever in the loving embrace of the Three Divine Persons, One God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

It makes a difference, being a baptised person! Christ wants everyone to know that He has descended to earth, to become man, to save us. He, our God, promises that through Baptism we can share His life, and the life of the Father and the Holy Spirit too, the life of the Blessed Trinity. United with God, we become sure of being with them for all eternity, if we do not fall away and persist in mortal sin until death.

Jesus Christ was God on earth: God-made-man, showing us His plan. He said that by Baptism in water we can be washed clean of sin, through His name, and given a share in His life, through the Holy Spirit, and made worthy of Heaven! Wise people believe what was said by Jesus, who proved His power and His Origin by His miracles, above all by His Resurrection from the dead.

Christ our God, Who created the whole Universe, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, is over-joyed by those who appreciate His Creation, which the Blessed Trinity made in order to delight us. We are right to see, in nature, evidence of the existence of God, and of God's Wisdom, and artistry and beauty.

The souls in Purgatory are faithful people, some of whom are still marred by attitudes unworthy of Heaven - hence the need for the purification wrought in each person by the Holy Spirit. No-one can enter Heaven unless full of gratitude, joy and humility. No-one can go in, still thinking, about his health in earthly life, or other matters: "Why should I be treated like this? I deserve better".

The souls in Purgatory are faithful people, some of whom are still marred by attitudes unworthy of Heaven - hence the need for the purification wrought in each person by the Holy Spirit. No-one can enter Heaven unless full of gratitude, joy and humility. No-one can go in, still thinking, about his health in earthly life, or other matters: "Why should I be treated like this? I deserve better".

The Scared Liturgy is prayer offered by Christ, in the power and light of the Holy Spirit to the Father Who reigns in Heaven. No other praise can surpass the praise which Christ offers from the heart of our Church - especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. To pray at Mass is to pray in Spirit and in truth. We pray in the power of Spirit, through Christ Who is the truth of God. God invites the whole world to prefer this sacrificial, sublime prayer to all of their own ideas, methods or idols.

It's as if God is like Three loving parents. Some people mock the simple requests of the faithful, and say that God is not a 'Sugar Daddy' or a Fairy Godmother. Christ wants us to know, however, that what He said in the Gospel is true. The nature of God is generosity and love. So when we ask God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - for something in prayer, believing that it will be ours, we shall receive it, if of course we have prayed properly, with trust and reverence, in the name of Jesus.

To pray sincere prayers in the name of Jesus is like being lifted to the top of a high tower, to be poised at the edge of a great abyss, yet confident that the Holy Spirit will carry our prayer to the unseen Father of Light. It is the same Holy Spirit Who carries a soul across the Abyss at death. Woe to those who do not possess the Spirit! We must never drive Him out, but repent like little children, confident of finding forgiveness, and new hope.

It is the Holy Spirit, Who lives in the hearts of faithful followers of Christ, Who carries departed souls across the Abyss which separates Heaven and earth, towards Heaven; hence the importance of our never driving out the Holy Spirit, by mortal sin.

It is the Holy Spirit Who carries the souls of faithful people, when they have died, across the Abyss which separates earth from Heaven. By our intercessions, in the power of Christ, we can help others to remain faithful until death and so to fly across the Abyss, far above Satan's kingdom, to fly swiftly into the glory of Heaven or to rest for a while, as if on a little ledge, hidden below the glory, which represents Purgatory - where souls are purified and made worthy of Heaven.