Easter Reflections: April 23, 2018 Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

by Mr. Gerardo V. Laguartilla, CPPS Seminarian
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.
In the Gospel, Jesus plainly says that He is the Good Shepherd and the sheep gate. There are many doors or gate available to us to enter, to touch and to communicate to the sheep. Please choose Jesus, for only in Jesus, we will not be astray. Only in Jesus we will have life and it is an abundant life.  Whoever ever enter into the door of a relationship with Jesus, he or she will not be endangered and will not be left outside or locked out. He or she will find a real home to belong. He or she will be safe according to Jesus. If Jesus is the door, the sheep can also get out of that door and face life. What is that life according to Jesus? I am the way, the truth and the life and he also adds no one goes to the Father except through me. This is the abundant life that our Shepherd and door leads us to.
I had the chance to interview a former prisoner.  He said, “one lesson that I learned in jail was the door the path that I must take is that of Jesus.” With Jesus you may not get rich right away, you may not become successful all the time but you know you’re on the right path and he said this after discovering who Jesus is and following him. I discovered peace and life that Jesus the shepherd and the door has promised. Blessed Easter to all!  May the Precious Blood of Jesus give us life in abundance. Amen.

St. James Parish Breaks Ground for New Church

by Judy Keisling, Liberty, Missouri Companion
On Sunday afternoon, April 15, the long awaited groundbreaking for the new St. James Church in Liberty was realized. More than 400 parishioners and others gathered as Bishop Johnston, Fr. Mike Roach, Fr. Timothy Armbruster, and Deacon Chuck Koesterer “turned the dirt” at the site of the new church on the knoll south of the school.
The celebration, which began in the church due to the inclement weather, included recognition of former St. James C.PP.S. pastors Fr. Joe Miller, Fr. Ron Will, and Fr. Tom Albers, a short biography of the life of St. James, and a brief history of the parish from 1847 to the present. This was followed by a procession to the new church site for Bishop Johnston’s blessing and the actual groundbreaking, complete with gold shovels. A reception in the parish hall followed.