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.
Father John Riccardo has hosted 324 Episodes.
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Episode 325: Good But Not Safe
March 24th, 2025 | 19 mins 59 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
“Our God is a consuming fire,” Hebrews tells us, and so it is not safe to draw near Him. And yet God is Goodness itself and invites us into His presence. In this episode, as Fr. John and Mary continue to reflect on Psalm 51 they focus their attention on David’s cry, “Create in me, O God, a clean heart!”
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Episode 324: No Excuses
March 17th, 2025 | 34 mins 38 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
In this episode, Fr. John and Mary continue their reflection on Psalm 51, reflecting this week especially on David’s tearful, no-excuse act of repentance and how he serves as a model for us.
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Episode 323: Of All the Masters I Have Known, You Are the Kindest
March 10th, 2025 | 28 mins 18 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
In this episode, Fr. John and Mary continue their reflection for Lent on Psalm 51 and go deep with the unexpected and shocking love of God.
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Episode 322: Can Sparks Set Fire to the Ocean of God’s Mercy?
March 3rd, 2025 | 32 mins 46 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
In this episode, Fr. John and Mary discuss how and why for Lent they’re going to be doing a series on Psalm 51. Today’s episode breaks open the background of this most hopeful Psalm of David.
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Episode 321: Sticks, Stones, and Names
February 24th, 2025 | 37 mins 10 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
In this episode, Fr. John and Mary continue the conversation from last week’s episode on speech and consider how we as disciples of Jesus can be agents of recreation in our culture by how we speak, text and post.
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Episode 320: Do Not Harm the Lord’s Anointed
February 17th, 2025 | 29 mins 44 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
In this episode, Fr. John and Mary reflect on how convicted they are by David’s extreme reticence to harm King Saul, a man who is actively trying to kill David, and offer an examination of conscience to consider focused on how we think and speak of others.
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Episode 319: Putting Down Roots
February 10th, 2025 | 34 mins 18 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
In this episode, Fr. John and Mary discuss the parable that Jeremiah puts before us this Sunday and how we can move from being a barren shrub in the desert to a lush tree planted beside a river with deep roots.
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Episode 318: Why Do Saints See Themselves as Sinners (and vice versa)?
February 3rd, 2025 | 27 mins 7 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
In this episode, Fr. John and Mary discuss the call of Isaiah and an unexpected reality all of the saints experience as they encounter the majestic and glorious God.
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Episode 317: Take a Field Trip During Christian Unity Week
January 20th, 2025 | 24 mins
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
In this episode, Fr. John and Mary reflect on the passage from Nehemiah in light of a transformative experience the ACTS XXIX family had last week on retreat with some Maronite bishops and priests and encourage us to visit an Eastern Rite liturgy sometime this week.
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Episode 316: God’s Scandalous Desire
January 13th, 2025 | 23 mins 20 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
In this episode, Fr. John and Mary reflect on the staggering truth that God’s love for us is more intimate than we can imagine.
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Episode 315: What’s Your Comfort Zone?
January 6th, 2025 | 26 mins 55 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
As we begin this new year, Fr. John and Mary dig into the word “Comfort” spoken by the prophet Isaiah and share some helpful places they turn to for comfort.
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Episode 314: Regime Change
December 30th, 2024 | 22 mins 56 secs
christianity, detroit, evangelization, fr. john riccardo, gospel, parish renewal, priest
As we turn the page on the calendar, Fr. John and Mary reflect on the manifestation of Jesus as the true King of all the world and offer a practical thought to consider for our new year’s resolutions.