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Just as no driver is allowed to risk lives on the road, without having been prepared and instructed, so, no-one making vows in the Church, for marriage or Religious Life, which can affect other lives for a life-time and even for Eternity, should do so without first receiving preparation and instruction by the clergy or by loyal, practicing Catholics, authorised by the clergy.

A person who neglects his own soul by neglecting prayer and the sacraments, becoming lukewarm towards his Saviour and lukewarm or cold towards his neighbour, has a soul like a neglected road. Without care or repair, a road soon decays, to become riddled with potholes, covered in weeds, stones, dead branches and puddles.

Those members of the Clergy or Religious Life who mislead the faithful by direct dissent from Church teaching or by subtle suggestions that she is wrong on matters of faith or morals, are offending God, endangering souls, and indeed propelling themselves towards Hell by their behaviour. Unlike some heretics who have the virtue of honesty, even if mistaken, these dissenters corrupt the Church from within, whilst claiming to be orthodox.

There was a disaster, long ago, which affected the whole of nature. From the time of the Original Sin of our first parents, the natural world has been full of danger, with the savagery of beasts and birds, despite their beauty, and the menace of poisonous creatures, as well as tidal waves and electric storms.

People in mortal sin are in great need of help, the help which can be brought to them through the prayers of other people. Divine grace can be brought to souls through intercession, just as dramatically as if a life-line were to be suddenly thrown to a person about to be swept over a huge waterfall, to her doom.

Those politicians who repeatedly seek to encourage further abortions are as if moving their desks further and further away from their proper place, so that those people are sitting within an inch of Hell - into which they will fall unless they repent before they die.

Christ teaches us, through His Church; so Catholics who refuse to believe in the teachings of the Church and even lead others astray by promoting their opposing views will arrive, at death, at the same place as the unbelievers, which is to say, at the edge of the Abyss, at some distance from the only crossing, which is Christ Himself, our bridge to Heaven. Unless they repent, and run to Him, they are doomed, because of their own freely-made choices and decisions.

Some people decide to ride on a ghost-train at a fun-fair, and to find excitement in being shocked and terrified for a short time. Their shrieking is short-lived. The Lord wants everyone to know what people risk by deliberate grave sin: it is to be terrified, in the power of the demons, in Hell, not for a short time but forever. Christ was willing to come to earth, and die a horrible death, to speak the truth about sin and forgiveness, and to save us from the plight of the damned.

When some Catholic children receive more teaching on self-esteem than humility, this endangers their souls. There is so much outward show, in acts of charity, and little self-effacement. The sin of pride was Satan's great fault. To become proud is to place oneself under his banner, in the war between good and evil.

Christ spoke of Hell to some people only because of His love for them, when He saw that they were in great spiritual danger, and might die unrepentant. It was just as when a loving father today gives a stern warning about unruly behaviour, and says: "You could find yourself in great danger". The truth about Hell should be preached today, as well as the truth about Heaven.

Some bishops are in danger of elevating their obligation to live out their Collegiality above the duty of each Bishop to shepherd his own flock in his own diocese. They often dash to one event after another, to be together and to make joint statements, and risk losing opportunities to raise their individual and authoritive voices.

Christ our God, Who gives us life, was Himself once a child, when He was made man in the womb of Mary. He wants to protect all children from two particular dangers: first, the danger of being killed in the womb, and then the danger of having their childhood innocence destroyed by unnecessary and too-early information, often amoral too, about sexual relationships.

Some people are so determined to enjoy independence from God - not realising the danger - that by deliberate sin it's as if they nail shut the 'door' of their souls, and so prevent the light or wisdom of God from entering. This self-imposed darkness will be theirs forever, unless they repent before they die.

People who develop a fascination with what is evil, or with representations of what is evil, can endanger their souls. When they avidly seek out portrayals of monsters, or of sadism, or love to watch horror movies, or delve into Satanism or magic in any of their forms, or associated activities like fortune-telling, it can be as if they are facing a great pit in which there is neither light nor beauty - like a black hole in space: in reality, Hell.

It is a terrible thing, to be unprepared for death and Heaven. A man can decide to become a great actor, a successful business man, or a brilliant guitarist - or might have some other ambition. But if all his energies are poured into the success of his ambition he will risk his soul. He will arrive at middle-age or old age having made no spiritual progress, and if indeed he has not lost all hope of salvation he will have a mountain to climb in Purgatory.

The evil one is always trying to lead astray people who love Christ. If he cannot tempt them to sin, he tries to imitate Christ, to tempt them to believe in false teachings in prayer, or false visions, or to persuade them to develop a longing for special spiritual experiences. By trust in Christ and His Spirit, we can learn to discern what is evil and what is good.

A Catholic who ignores the Church's moral teachings, and the sacraments, is as much in danger as a person in the sanctuary at Lourdes, in winter, who decides to leave the town and stroll outwards, to go into the mountains, whilst not wearing sensible clothing. Just as the pilgrim might die of exposure, the unfaithful soul might die in mortal sin, and enter Hell.

It is an offense against God and His law of love, to ill-treat a fellow human being; yet it is an even greater offense to spread heresy, and to mock the faith of fellow-Catholics; for if we endanger their spiritual lives and their immortal souls we risk bearing some blame for causing them to move towards Hell, not Heaven.

Although brave or ambitious people might travel to the moon, or explore the whole world, in dangerous conditions, or record the world's flora or fauna, it is the work of the Saints that endures. They have received unparalleled Power: the power of God, in the Sacred Host in Holy Communion. Through prayer and the sacraments they are transformed, and empowered to do the Work of God, which affects the Church and the world.

St. Michael the Archangel swoops down in a great fire of charity to help or rescue those endangered friends and followers of Christ who have called upon him for protection against the evil one's assaults, or for help in overcoming temptations. He prays for us, and offers reminders of God's goodness, and of the hope of Heaven.