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Through the Sacraments we receive Divine Life; and so the Lord wants everyone - especially every Catholic - to remember that a Catholic church is God's House: a place of holiness. It should therefore also be a place of reverence and dignity, worthy worship of God, and beauty, as well as having artworks that tell out the truth about the Gospel message or symbols, and God's plan of salvation. It is not a place for frivolity and silliness.

Jesus Christ is Divine. He is God-made-man, whereas His mother is only human - though very pure and holy. Christ did not simply use the Virgin Mary as a conduit for His arrival on earth. Her life is inextricably entwined with His, and will be so forever, as she intercedes for the Church, at His side in Heaven. It was by Divine grace that she was conceived Immaculate, worthy to be the mother of the Infant Jesus. She taught Him in His boyhood, then saw Him teach others, in His adult life. She suffered with Him, as He endured the Cross; and after His Resurrection and Ascension she guided the disciples. She was with them at Pentecost. But when her work on earth was done she was assumed, body and soul, to Heaven, to be with her beloved son forever, interceding for us who need their prayers.

Our Blessed Lady assists her son, the unique Saviour, Jesus Christ, in making known the Father's plan. It is His desire for each of us to accept His invitation to repent of sin, to be transformed by the Divine life given in Baptism, and to follow the Way of His Son: a Way that, for all who persevere, leads to a sharing in Divine Glory in Heaven, at the heart of the Blessed Trinity.

The Book of Revelation describes God's grace as flowing like a river of life-giving water, flowing from His throne and from the Lamb. Do all the thoughts and actions that pour out of our hearts and lives engender charity, make people holy, and do so in every circumstance? Are we God-like, in the fruitfulness of our lives?

Life is sometimes like a building-site, or derelict area: one where the ground has been cleared from sin by confession and penance. Any priest who has been out of active ministry and is about to return has some preparation to do just as any priest who has had severe spiritual problems has work of another sort to do: perhaps a work of reparation: hence the stony ground pictured here, and the willingness of this priest to set to work.

I saw a woman hurled into Heaven at top speed, as if from a cannon; so great was her charity at death. She had thrown away her own life to save people in danger. That fire of charity in her heart - she was not baptised - carried her swiftly to the heart of God.

He who had carried out the wishes of the Beast in his own life was seized immediately after death by that same Beast, and carried away to his lair, which is Hell.

Stages of the spiritual life - used for a retreat at Ampleforth College

Christ loves to be welcomed when He comes amongst us at the Consecration. He is overjoyed when we welcome the children to whom He has given the gift of life, and to whom we should give not just nourishment but also loving care.

Some people, through their obscene conversations and sinful desires, proceed in a way of life which leads towards Hell - unless they are fortunate enough to realise it, and to change.

There are many people who look upon the Church's teaching on celibacy as being something medieval that belongs to a time of fairy stories and superstition. They have no realisation that it is an heroic way of life on a par with the costly ventures undertaken by military forces. The military go out in order to save a nation, but the priests to save souls, by a radical way of life, like that of Jesus.