FR. JOHN RICCARDO, missionary and ACTS XXIX Executive Director. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1996. In 2019, after 23 years in parish ministry, he founded Acts XXIX to proclaim the gospel in an attractive and compelling way and to equip clergy and lay leaders for the age in which God has chosen us to live. Fr. John is a graduate of the University of Michigan, the Gregorian University, and the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family.
Fr. John Riccardo has hosted 92 Episodes.
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Episode 35: Fill In The Blank
September 20th, 2023 | 6 mins 26 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
Imagine for a moment sitting in prison, or awaiting a life threatening surgery, or heading into yet another round of chemotherapy. We decide to sit down and write a letter to our wife, husband, children, or dear friend.
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Episode 34: The Measure With Which You Measure
September 13th, 2023 | 6 mins 10 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
Timely, then, are the readings for Mass this week, for they are all related to the topics of mercy, forgiveness and judgment.
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Episode 33: I AM
September 6th, 2023 | 6 mins 57 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
“Dear Sirs: I am.
Sincerely yours, G.K. Chesterton.” -
Episode 32: Minds and Bodies and What to Do About Them
August 30th, 2023 | 5 mins 38 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
Paul urges us to present our bodies as “a living sacrifice.”
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Episode 31: Of Course
August 23rd, 2023 | 5 mins 24 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
The simple reality, Paul writes, is that God’s ways are not our ways. Our puny, finite minds simply cannot understand what He is about, the plan He has, and how it is all going to be fulfilled. He is God and we are dust and ashes
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Episode 30: Great (Un)Expectations
August 16th, 2023 | 6 mins 50 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
The problem was that since the Jewish people were part of the original human project it turns out they were in “the ditch” too, hopelessly bound by Sin and Death. The “tow truck” also needed to be rescued. In such a hopeless predicament, how could humanity ever be rescued?
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Episode 29: God of Abraham, Forgive
August 9th, 2023 | 5 mins 56 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
Over and over in these chapters Paul reminds the Church in Rome that God has not and will not ever reject His promise to the Israelites.
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Episode 28: The One We Can Trust
August 2nd, 2023 | 5 mins 53 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
In the political landscape, well, does anyone really trust our leaders – no matter their party affiliation?
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Episode 27: Who's In Charge Around Here?
July 26th, 2023 | 9 mins
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
For those who believe in God, however, and not just a god, but the God who has revealed Himself to be Love, then suffering, pain, injustice and the rest can become very problematic indeed. Nobody asks more questions of God about suffering than Scripture.
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Episode 26: The Gift of Weakness
July 19th, 2023 | 4 mins 55 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
Personally, I hate the feeling of being weak, in any way. Yet, the Holy Spirit seems to be telling us through Paul that we need weakness.
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Episode 25: As Nothing?
July 12th, 2023 | 6 mins 42 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
Paul reminds us of a most important truth. There, he teaches us that while suffering is never a good, it can be used for good things.
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Episode 24: Shedding What is a Hindrance
July 5th, 2023 | 4 mins 37 secs
acts xxix, actsxxix, encouragement, faith, fr. john riccardo, hope, inspiration, mission, prayer, reflections, weekly
As I prayed with this, I was immediately struck by how relevant that little detail is for so many of us. How tempted I am to think that many of the things that other people, or other ministries, need I must also need.