Recently, a tragic event caught my attention and touched me deeply.

Now, I feel called to focus on a crucial — but often neglected — aspect of Catholic teaching.

Eschatology is the branch of systematic theology which deals with the doctrines of the last things.

The “last things” are often referred to as the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Hell, and Heaven.

We rarely hear about these anymore, especially from the pulpit.

It’s absolutely essential that we’re aware of the Four Last Things so that we spend this life preparing for eternity.

As the First Lesson of the Baltimore Catechism No. 1 states:

God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him for ever in heaven.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.

I care about you and the state of your soul. I want to help us get to heaven!

This is why I’m presenting a short series on the Four Last Things.

Each post will focus on one of the last things. I’ll include an introduction to Catholic teaching along with a video.

Each video is from a conference given by Father Chad Ripperger.

Fr. Ripperger is a Roman Catholic priest, author, psychologist, theologian, and Thomistic philosopher. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy and a master’s degree in theology from Holy Apostles Seminary in Connecticut.

He’s a staunch defender of the Catholic Faith and known for his straightforward approach.

The sequence of the series will be:

• Death
• Judgment
• Hell
• Heaven

After heaven, I’ll present a post on purgatory.

Purgatory isn’t considered one of the “last things” because it isn’t a final state. However, it is connected and necessary for everyone to be aware of.

I’ll continue next week. Stay tuned…

“The world is thy ship and not thy home.” ~ St. Thérèse of Lisieux