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People on a pilgrimage are a mixed group: sick and able-bodied, luke-warm or fervent souls, people of every ability and background; yet by being on pilgrimage with sincere hearts, as on a journey, all are brought closer to Heaven.

God is so great and good that He sometimes gives extraordinary gifts to people, in earthly life, so that they can do His Work in times of special difficulty, or undertake more swiftly a tremendous task. Just as an artist sees colours that others do not see, a person gifted by God can discern graces in souls, or evil forces, that others do not see.

Just as an orchestra member steps forward to make music at a concert without any further practice, after years of training, so those souls whose sins have all been forgiven, and who have done penance, or have gained a Plenary indulgence, have no need for 'training' in Purgatory, before they join the great chorus of praise of God in Heaven, with all the Saints.

When we pray for the living, and for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, we cast our minds over our families and towns, to pray for everyone; and when we do so by accepting our sufferings in patience, as penance for ourselves and for others, we do the powerful work that Christ did on the Cross, as He offered Himself, and prayed to the Father for sinners.

When we expand our prayers for people on Earth, and pray for people now in Purgatory, we can look upon the Holy Souls as blessed souls; for despite the sufferings of their purification they are glad to have avoided Hell - which has engulfed so many careless sinners.

We are right to pray for people in need: our neighbours, and the Holy Souls in Purgatory who have avoided Hell - and people all over the world, who live in the darkness of superstition, unbelief and atheism, and who are at risk of ending in Hell, unless they repent and change.

When we speak up bravely, when appropriate, about sin, and when we offer up our pains and tribulations in union with Jesus, to help others in their trials, and to save souls, we do indeed help them, by the grace of God. It's as if, as we have helped people to avoid sin, we have helped them to avoid a great pit at the centre of their ordinary life, which represents the alienation from God that sinners risk, by their own actions.

When members of the Clergy, or theologians, or other people in the Church urge people to believe that behaviour once everywhere known as sinful is nowadays to be seen as reasonable or even good - such as contraceptive use, or sexual activity outside marriage - they endanger souls. To encourage people to sin is to help them on the way to Hell. The demons lie in wait for careless souls just as wild animals lie in wait for safari tourists who are foolish enough to leave the safety of the path.

When we are fervent in love for Christ, and have had all our sins forgiven, and have done sufficient penance, it is as though our souls are so bright that we are worthy to wear the white robe of the newly-baptised, and even to be worthy to enter Heaven straight away, should we die at that moment!

If we are tempted to give in to sadness or anger, but instead, take out the Rosary, and pray for people in great need, we grow in grace, and even save souls by our intercessions - through the grace of Christ and the prayers of His Holy Mother

God created good people. But those first human beings rebelled against God, and so turned a corner in the great 'road' of our salvation history. They left behind the joys of Eden; but God would choose a people to follow Him, and would promise a Saviour Who would help people to regain their lost innocence. He would restore the life of Divine grace to their souls.

God wants us to be at peace in our souls and minds. When our lists of things to do become so large that we seem to have a dark cloud over us, crushing our joy, it is time to shorten the list: to work out what is essential, and to do some of the rest when it is possible later on.

It is a shock to some kind souls, to realise, after death, that, for Heaven, it is not enough to have been kind to one's neighbour. Love of neighbour is essential for Heaven, but cannot make unnecessary the need of love for God, too, in people who are also chaste, humble and obedient.

It is as if the Holy Souls are suspended in God's love, as they move closer to the light, little by little, helped by our prayers, until the moment when each can enter joyfully into Heaven, and share in the blissful life of the Saints, at the heart of the Most Blessed Trinity.

Truly, it is Christ Himself, our Risen Lord, Who is Present with us on All Souls Day, Who raises His hands in prayer, praying to the Father for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, as the priest offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

People wonder if Christ and the Saints can be joyful, if they know that some souls are in Hell. The answer is that anyone in Hell has got what he wanted. If he freely chose to reject Christ, until death, he now has no contact with Christ: just as he chose; nor has he the joy, peace and beauty which are found in Christ, alas. So the Saints pity the lost souls, but realise that the damned choose their destination.

Some people say: How can the Saints be happy, if they know that some souls are in Hell? Just as an adventurous person, centuries ago, risked death in the Wild West, because he longed for excitement, and took no notice of friends' advice, so some souls risk damnation for the excitement of sinful pleasures; they listen to no-one and will arrive in Hell unless they repent before they die; and the arrival will be their own choice.

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.

Mother Teresa, and Pope John Paul II, each suffered greatly in earthly life, but did so without grumbling; rather, they accepted and offered up their pains in union with Christ, to save souls and to help the Church; and, through their faith in Christ, and His grace, they are now being embraced by Him in Heaven. They are immensely joyful.

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.