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God is Truth, and when we speak truth to Him in prayer, it pleases Him, and we draw closer to Him, even as we say, perhaps, "I can't cope", or "Nobody loves me", or "I'm addicted", or "I hate those people", or "I'm afraid", or "I'm ashamed to look at you".

God recommends that we pray truthful prayers, such as: I'm afraid, or I can't cope, or I feel unloved, or I am a slave to this habit, or I need your help.

As a drug-user suffers when his supply of drugs is withdrawn, and his whole body cries out for its former source of pleasure and well-being, so a soul in Hell suffers - because of his own free choices - when, in Hell, he is suddenly without all those things that make it pleasurable and joyful to be a human being. He is without light, love, joy, peace, beauty, comfort or tenderness - all through his own fault, by his sinful choices.

In a time when Governments are not afraid to issue grim warnings about the results of certain sorts of behaviour - sexual promiscuity, drug misuse, and smoking - the Clergy fail in their duty to warn of the real and terrible consequences of deliberate disobedience to the Laws of God.

People who live in the depths of sin, through drink, drugs, immoral relationships or pornography or other habits that alienate them from God, are like people lost in a smoke filled mine: unable to see how dangerous is their state or to find their way back to God's light. They desperately need the help of others' prayers and sufferings.

Christ is like the mother of a delinquent boy. She waits and prays, wishing he would give up his shop-lifting - or drink or drugs or other bad habit; but she knows that a short sharp shock might be needed to bring him to look at his life and be able to make changes; yet she does not enjoy seeing him suffer.

Just as members of a loyal family always recognise their relatedness, even if one is a drug addict or has any sort of problem, so every Catholic should stay loyal to the Church of which he has been made a member, and should not be discouraged when other members express outrageous opinions on personal matters, or cause scandal by the behaviour. Our membership is a real communion with Jesus Christ, and one another, through Him: not like an overcoat that we can put off and on.