As a content creator for johnchen.net specializing in crafting engaging narratives, I present the compelling story of Father John Riccardo, a priest whose life was profoundly changed by an unexpected encounter with Eucharistic Adoration. This article delves into Father Riccardo’s journey, highlighting his initial unfamiliarity with this powerful form of prayer and its subsequent transformative impact on his ministry.
Growing up in the 1970s, Father John Riccardo, ordained for 27 years, had no exposure to Eucharistic Adoration and exposition. “I don’t recall ever seeing it in my life through grade school or high school,” he recounts. Despite attending Catholic schools, adoration remained outside his realm of experience and devotional practices. However, a consistent habit of daily prayer took root early in his life. By the time he entered seminary, he had cultivated a discipline of praying for an hour each morning, although not initially in the presence of the Eucharist.
This background is crucial to understanding the divine nature of what unfolded next in Father John Riccardo’s life. It wasn’t a nostalgic yearning for a forgotten practice, but a completely new spiritual awakening.
A year and a half into his priesthood at Divine Child in Dearborn, Father John Riccardo became involved in teaching RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). A weekend retreat with around 30 participants revealed a powerful dynamic. Two aspects deeply resonated with everyone: the unhurried, prayerful celebration of Mass and extended periods of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
“Each night, I would expose the Eucharist for hours and hours and God was acting incredibly powerfully in peoples’ lives,” Father John Riccardo recalls. As a newly ordained priest with limited experience in Eucharistic Adoration, he was profoundly moved by the spiritual impact he witnessed. Inspired by the retreat experience, participants inquired about continuing this practice back at the parish. Father John Riccardo approached the pastor with the idea of a weekly evening Mass that allowed for more time and prayer. The pastor readily agreed.
This led to the introduction of a weeknight Mass followed by prayer ministry. Father John Riccardo and a few others would spend up to three hours praying with individuals after Mass. While this ministry was fruitful, the extended wait times for those seeking prayer, and the length of the prayer sessions themselves, began to become challenging.
Father John Riccardo Praying in Grayscale
During this period of ministry, Father John Riccardo encountered a pivotal moment of divine inspiration. While preparing for Mass one morning, he was reading reflections by Sister Briege McKenna, an Irish nun. He was struck by a story she shared about preparing for a talk. Unable to sleep one night, Sister Briege went to the chapel to pray. Kneeling before the Lord, she heard Him say, “Briege, there’s too much breeze. They don’t need you. They need me.”
This message resonated deeply with Father John Riccardo. He immediately understood its implication for his ministry. The following week, during the evening liturgy, he announced a change. “We’re going to change things up a bit tonight. At the conclusion of Mass, we’re not going to pray with people afterwards. Instead, I’m going to expose the Blessed Sacrament out on the altar and rather than having prayer ministry, we can go right to the Divine Physician.” Following communion, he placed two kneelers in front of the altar, inviting people to approach the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament if they felt drawn to do so.
As soon as Father John Riccardo exposed the Eucharist and knelt, he witnessed an extraordinary scene. Thirty to forty people, seemingly drawn by an unseen force, rushed into the sanctuary to be near Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. He was overwhelmed by wonder and awe. Then, something even more profound occurred.
“I ‘saw’ something,” Father John Riccardo explains, acknowledging the difficulty in articulating the experience. As his gaze shifted between the people and the Blessed Sacrament, he had a vision. “I ‘saw’ Jesus standing on the altar, where the monstrance was, looking out towards the people.” He continued to gaze at this vision of Jesus, who then turned towards him and bowed elegantly with open hands. As He did so, Jesus spoke, “John, don’t you see how easy this is? You just have to put Me out and I’ll work.”
This encounter, which took place 26 years prior to his sharing this testimony, marked a turning point in Father John Riccardo’s priesthood. From that moment forward, Eucharistic Adoration became central to his ministry. “From that moment on, everywhere I’ve gone, we’ve built an adoration chapel,” he states. He initiated daily exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, inviting people to experience the transformative power of prayer in His presence.
The results have been undeniable. Father John Riccardo has witnessed countless encounters and transformations as a direct result of making Eucharistic Adoration available. His experience underscores a powerful truth: “God wants this more than we do.” Father John Riccardo’s journey serves as an inspiring testament to the power of Eucharistic Adoration and the profound ways in which God works when we simply make ourselves present to Him.
Father John Riccardo in Reflection in Grayscale
Through his personal narrative, Father John Riccardo invites readers to consider the possibility of encountering the Divine Physician in Eucharistic Adoration. His story is not just a recounting of events, but a compelling invitation to experience the transformative presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
Father John Riccardo’s testimony is a powerful reminder of the accessibility and transformative potential of Eucharistic Adoration. His journey from unfamiliarity to ardent advocate provides encouragement and inspiration for those seeking a deeper relationship with God.
Father John Riccardo Smiling in Grayscale
Ultimately, Father John Riccardo’s story is an invitation to explore the profound grace available through Eucharistic Adoration, and to witness firsthand the transformative power of God’s presence in our lives.
