Bonus: Accompaniment, Belonging, and the Work of Evangelization with Friar Rick Riccioli
Religion To Reality
QUICK SUMMARY In this bonus episode of Religion to Reality, hosts Dave Plisky and Father John Gribowich sit down with Friar Rick Riccioli, a Franciscan Friar Conventual and parish pastor in Brooklyn, for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation about what evangelization looks like in the real world today. With over four decades of religious life and pastoral ministry across Canada and the United States, Friar Rick reflects on the tension between radical welcome and Gospel truth, the difference between accompanying people and trying to control their faith journey, and how parishes can become places of genuine belonging without losing their Catholic identity. From Alpha and Divine Renovation to funerals, young adults, parish leadership, and the quiet heartbreak of parents whose children have left the Church, this episode offers practical wisdom, lived experience, and Franciscan humility for anyone who cares about the future of parish life. In This Bonus Episode, We Explore: What authentic accompaniment really means—and what it is not Why evangelization begins with relationship, listening, and trust The difference between belonging, believing, and behaving Lessons learned from Francis Corps and forming young adults in faith and service How Alpha helps build a culture of hospitality, not just a program Why funerals may be the Church’s most powerful evangelization moments The quiet pain of parents whose children have drifted from the faith Challenges of leading parishes with aging infrastructure and changing demographics Why empowering the laity is essential to the Church’s missionary future What young adults are actually looking for in the Church today [00:00] Introduction & Friar Rick's Background Meet Friar Rick Riccioli: 42 years as a Franciscan, serving across Canada and the U.S. Current ministry at Most Holy Trinity-St. Mary's Parish in Williamsburg, Brooklyn Journey from Montreal to Toronto to Syracuse, now leading urban parish renewal [03:00] Francis Corps: Faith Formation Through Service Year-long volunteer program combining service and intentional faith formation How the program transforms both social justice warriors and traditional Catholics The power of living in community: "What did you do to my daughter?" Learning to balance individual convictions with communal responsibility [06:00] Bridging the Gap: Social Justice vs. Church Connection Meeting people where they are: from soup kitchen volunteers to devoted parishioners The importance of being "truly Catholic and truly human" Creating space for questions and doubts without judgment Why building relationships matters more than having all the answers [11:00] Creative Outreach: The 11:11 Service Creating a non-Mass Sunday service for those not ready for traditional liturgy "Come for coffee, stay for supper": Building pathways to the Eucharist Navigating the challenges of radical welcome in practice When soup kitchen patrons become part of your worshiping community [13:00] The Art of Accompaniment How much should we try to change people vs. meet them where they are? Avoiding the trap of "I'm going to hold your hand and pull you where I want you to go" Case studies: Walking with LGBTQ+ parishioners, families with trans children Everyone's path to holiness requires listening to God, not just conforming to prescriptions