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If we pray in the name of Christ, with faith in Him and in the power of His Spirit, we can be sure of holding 'outside' our souls those thoughts, temptations, demons and fears which sometimes attack us. With Christ, we are safe from them, as if behind castle walls - no matter how terrible the 'noise' of the warfare being waged by our spiritual enemies.

We know that sin is like a chain round the ankle that prevents us from serving God. But a little weakness such as fear of public opinion - or our own family - can be like a 'thread' holding us back from valiant work for God, unless with His help we break it.

It is a fearsome thing, to take a person's life. But some who loudly criticise the 'God of the Bible' for his punishments think nothing of the fact that thousands of innocent babies are slaughtered in the womb, every year, in one country, and many more elsewhere.

If we follow Christ, and trust in His guidance, we shall have a safe journey. There is no better guide than our Saviour, who loves each of us dearly, and knows all our weaknesses and fears.

Christ is the Saviour Who appeared on earth, to deliver us from our sins and from the fear of death. His arrival has been greeted by many who recognise their plight, just as a man in a small boat would be welcomed by people on a doomed ship such as the Titanic.

Catholics who believe what the Church teaches and who pray with faith, invoke the Blessed Trinity, use Holy water, and ask the help of the Angels and Saints, are given powerful help to resist evil; and they help others, too, not to be swept away - as if by a waterfall - by the spiritual enemies who would drag us into fear, resentment and gloom.

Christ pointed out two groups of people who are unlikely to go to Heaven: those who commit serious sin, yet have no fear of death, no desire to change, and are blithely determined to stay the same; and those who would like to go to Heaven but make no effort to co-operate with Christ, or to pray or do works of charity.

Whether he is speaking to fellow-Catholics, or with atheistic government men, a Bishop is meant to speak as a mouthpiece for the Will of God. He should know God's will for human beings, and not be afraid to speak frankly about it, and to be fearless when challenged.

The journey to union with God is only a slow journey, if a person is half-hearted in serving Him and fearful of His demands. The one who surrenders completely to God by obedience to Him in everyday life makes swift progress in prayer, as if travelling in a fast vehicle, not on foot.

The sin of rape is repulsive in God's sight, and rightly punished as a criminal act. Yet the victim can choose to hate or to love. She can hate the rapist, and, out of fear and panic, destroy a child conceived; or she can look with love upon the innocent child, and be merciful, and in sparing his life, support new life and not more violence and death.

The Godhead is like a pure, holy Fire of love; and all who have been purified can enter that love, after death, without pain or fear. They have been so transformed by Christ, and through prayer and penance, that they resemble God; and in their union with God they experience the bliss and peace of heaven.

St Peter, like Pope Paul VI, was fearless in teaching the truth. Christ chose Saint Peter to be the first leader of the Apostles: the first Pope. Christ intended the Church always to have a leader; and all through the ages, the teaching of the Popes had been of paramount importance - including the 1968 Encyclical entitled 'Humanae Vitae', about the wrongness of contraceptive use.

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.

We cannot avoid difficult topics in discussing the faith; yet it is important to be aware, when speaking of subjects such as death, that we do not know the dreams, fears and past experiences of each listener. Some might have had dreadful experiences of the illnesses and deaths of friends or relations; and this colours their attitudes and even alters their belief. Sensitivity is essential.

Some people refuse to open their hearts to God about their fears, sins and weaknesses, even though they go through the motions of leading ordinary lives as faithful Catholics. It's as if their soul is like a garden, hidden behind locked gates - the will - as they keep God out, but also keep out His wisdom and His consolations.

In this earthy life, those who follow Christ must invite all people who feel helpless in their sins and fears to reach out to God, through Christ. Faith is like a rope. If we grasp it, we can count on the Lord's help to be drawn up towards sanctity and salvation. People who say, "I don't need God", or, "I want to be independent", are like people trapped in a pit who insist on their own strength but fail to climb out.

If the evil one wishes to cause distress, he will attempt any number of ploys, whether spiritual assaults to cause fear, or false visions, or a flurry of images to annoy the soul during prayer, or new and vigorous temptations to sin, or other trials. Trust in God is essential, and holy water is very helpful, as is the Name of Jesus - and Our Lady's prayers.

Christ asks us to be bolder and braver, in direct proclamation of the Gospel message, that God loves us so much that He came from Heaven to live here as man, to save us from sin, and the fear of death. If we repent and trust in Him, we can be transformed, by the graces received in prayer, and through the Church. At present there is too much 'pre-evangelisation', which is not converting people, but causing some to think conversion is not important.

The Holy Spirit carries all faithful souls across the Abyss which separates earth from Heaven - though He does not carry all straight into Heaven, but to a place of purification, if they are not yet worthy. This place, called Purgatory, is represented here by the little ledge on the side of the cliff. The Holy Souls can see the fearsome depths below, and know that by God's grace they have been saved from falling into them.

It is normal for grieving parents to want special memorials for their departed child; but they must not fear that the child will be forgotten if they do not arrange a new trust or a charity to perpetuate the child's name. God never forgets his children - whatever age they were, however they died, and whether or not people on earth find that memories fade, to their surprise or embarrassment.