IT is with regret that I read the Pope's declaration of seven new mortal sins to add to the other deadly sins. Sometimes I think the Catholic Church is all about the laying on of guilt.
The 10 Commandments are the foundation of our faith.
All we need to do is, as Christ said: "Love me with all of your heart, mind and soul and your neighbour as yourself."
Very difficult to do. However, if we do our utmost to follow them we can't go wrong.
The Vatican's files must be bulging recording all the encyclicals of all the Popes.
All that Jesus asks us is that we reach out to the broken-hearted and not lay further guilt on them.
The Catholic Church says it is the one true Church and this has caused great pain and hardship in times gone by with other denominations.
So the wonderful Protestant, Methodist, Evangelical and other Christian churches are all doomed and their members will not enter heaven?
It causes me great grief that my friends in Christ are lost.
Surely the Pope, whom I respect greatly, should preach more about the love, mercy and forgiveness of Christ.
We have the parable of the prodigal son who squandered everything of his father's goods and came back .
When he returned the father welcomed him back, forgave him and threw a party for him.
To the son who was at home and had everything the father said, "You are always with me but your brother who was lost has returned and so there is great rejoicing."
There is a way back for everyone by saying 'sorry' for our sins and bathing in Christ's love for us.
As St Augustine has said, "my heart is restless until it rest in you".
There is hope as he was a great sinner!
People are so burdened today with materialism, sexual exploitation and financial worries, drug dealing and alcoholism and by the sins of the Church.
They need to know that they can reach out to a loving God.
So, rather than adding on more mortal sins, let the Pope speak of hope, love, forgiveness and of the great love Christ has for each and everyone of us.
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