March 26, 2026

152| Fr. John Riccardo on Mobilizing for Mission

53 minutes

What happens when prayer stops being something we “fit in,” and becomes the place we start? In this conversation, Fr. John Riccardo (Acts XXIX) joins Melissa Wilkinson and Tom Corcoran to talk about the renewal God wants to do in parishes, leaders, and teams, beginning with surrender and a restored dependence on the Holy Spirit.

Fr. John shares his unexpected call to priesthood, the “call within a call” that led to Acts XXIX, and why so many parish teams stay stuck in maintenance: fear of failure, fear of risk, and a functional way of doing ministry that forgets we’re meant to live as family. Along the way, you’ll hear practical, concrete ways to bring prayer into the center of parish leadership, build true communion among teams, and reclaim the mindset of the early Church- because Acts didn’t end at chapter 28.

Resources Mentioned

Acts XXIX: https://www.actsxxix.org/

The Rescue Project: https://watch.actsxxix.org/therescueproject

How is your parish intentionally reaching those beyond your walls, and what might God be inviting you to do next? Download our Grow Wider Self-Evaluation to find out and take your next faithful step forward.

Grow Wider Self Evaluation: https://download.rebuiltparish.com/widerevaluation

Key Takeaways

Surrender is daily, not one-time. Fr. John shares a tangible morning practice: “crawling back on the altar” each day.

The only real failure is quitting. Trying something that doesn’t work is often discernment, not defeat.

Parish renewal requires a shift from maintenance to mission. Comfort can keep the “machine” running, but it won’t bring new life.

Teams need to look like family. If we’re inviting people into the family of God, parish leadership must embody real communion.

Prayer isn’t “before the work.” Prayer is how you know what the work is. Restore the initiative to God.

Hospitality and beauty open hearts. They communicate “you matter,” and prepare people to receive what God wants to do.

Loneliness is real among clergy—and relational ministry matters. Priests need communion, not isolation.

“Acts 29” is a mindset. The Holy Spirit is still writing the Church’s story through you and your parish today.

Chapters & Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome + why this conversation matters

00:18 — Fr. John’s origin story: an unexpected call to priesthood

03:10 — Prayer, wandering, and the struggle to surrender

06:16 — A daily surrender practice: “crawl back on the altar”

07:12 — The “call within a call” that led to Acts XXIX

10:21 — Choosing the right people for mission and ministry

16:29 — Risk, fear, and redefining failure for parish leaders

19:34 — St. Joan of Arc and magnanimity: “I was born for this”

22:01 — Why “Acts 29”: reclaiming the fruitfulness of the early Church

27:12 — How Acts XXIX serves parishes (free charism, clear principles)

31:39 — The four core efforts: Rescue Project, immersives, clergy retreats, media

35:23 — How priests and lay leaders can truly work together

38:09 — Stories of transformation: what changes when teams pray to discern

42:25 — Permission to “waste time”: meals, prayer, presence, and culture shift

49:10 — How to connect with Acts XXIX + key links

52:04 — Closing encouragement

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Catholic parish renewal, Acts XXIX Catholic, Fr John Riccardo, Tom Corcoran Rebuilt Parish, parish leadership development, Catholic evangelization strategy, parish mission and vision, moving from maintenance to mission, Catholic church revitalization, Rescue Project Catholic, leadership immersion Catholic, Catholic clergy renewal, priest burnout and renewal, Catholic team leadership, prayer in parish leadership, restoring the initiative to God, biblical worldview Catholic, Catholic discipleship formation, Holy Spirit and discernment, parish culture transformation, Catholic ministry teamwork, lay and clergy collaboration, parish staff prayer, church leadership podcast, Catholic evangelization podcast

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