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.

• 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

• (00:00:00) - Friar Rick’s background and Franciscan ministry
• (00:07:45) - Social justice, service, and faith: finding the bridge
• (00:14:00) - Pope Francis, accompaniment, and pastoral humility
• (00:22:30) - Belonging before perfection
• (00:31:00) - Leadership, empowerment, and pastoral mistakes
• (00:38:00) - Parents, grief, and passing on the faith
• (00:44:00) - Funerals as moments of evangelization
• (00:52:00) - Sacred space, community, and the future of parish life

What does authentic prayer look like in the digital age? Monica Martinez, Parish Lead at Hallow, shares her powerful journey from a teenager who stopped going to Mass to becoming a passionate advocate for healing through faith. In this deeply personal conversation, Monica discusses how prayer evolved from a childhood habit into a transformative relationship, why apps like Hallow are helping people discover faith safely, and how the modern Church can create genuine spaces for encounter. Whether you're exploring prayer for the first time or seeking to deepen your spiritual life, this episode offers practical wisdom on listening, silence, and meeting God in the everyday moments.

Monica's Journey to Healing

• How family struggles with divorce and alcoholism sparked a lifelong search for healing (2:00)
• The pivotal 21st birthday moment that changed everything (4:00)
• Why healing isn't a one-time event but a continuous journey

Prayer Apps and Digital Spirituality

• Why 43% of Hallow users aren't Catholic—and what that reveals about modern faith seeking (6:00)
• The "safety factor" of digital prayer: exploring faith without vulnerability (7:00)
• Balancing prayer apps with authentic relationship: avoiding the "streak" mentality (10:00)

The Evolution of Prayer

• From rote prayers to relationship: Monica's transformation (22:00)
• The freedom that comes from trusting the Holy Spirit (21:00)
• Why "Come Holy Spirit" is about perception, not summoning (31:00)

Listening in Prayer

• What makes someone a good listener in prayer—and in life (26:00)
• The challenge and importance of silence (28:00)
• Practical advice for entering contemplative prayer (30:00)

Prayer Styles and Traditions

• Why different forms of prayer reflect God's creativity (35:00)
• The unity found in memorized prayers across cultures (36:00)
• When to use rote prayers vs. spontaneous meditation (37:00)

Modern Evangelization

• Creating welcoming parish environments post-COVID (39:00)
• Why the Eucharist might not be the best first entry point (42:00)
• The importance of accompanying seekers with gentleness (47:00)
• Learning to meet people where they are, not where we think they should be (50:00)

Monica Martinez serves as Parish Lead at Hallow, the #1 Catholic prayer app, where she partners with parishes across the country to deepen prayer lives. Previously, she worked as Associate Director for Alpha in the Catholic context and served in diocesan ministry. Monica's work is driven by her personal experience of healing through faith, particularly her journey through family struggles with divorce and alcoholism. She travels nationally leading missions focused on prayer, evangelization, and creating spaces for authentic conversation about faith.

On Prayer and Relationship:

"Prayer is not so much something I'm doing, it's something I'm allowing to be done to me. When I'm tired, it's not that I'm too tired to pray—I need you, Lord, to help me rest." — Monica Martinez (23:00)

On Digital Tools:

"You don't need an app to pray, but you also don't need a trainer to get fit. But it really does help to learn the right form and not hurt yourself." —Monica Martinez (7:00)

On Healing:

"When you encounter that relationship, when you encounter healing, there's nothing left for you to do but help other...

• (00:02:00) - Monica's journey through healing
• (00:06:00) - Why prayer apps resonate today
• (00:26:00) - How to become a better listener in prayer
• (00:35:00) - Traditional vs. contemplative prayer: both have value
• (00:38:00) - Evangelization in the modern parish
• (00:50:00) - Meeting people with compassion, like Jesus on the Road to Emmaus

In this bonus episode of Religion to Reality, hosts Dave Plisky and Father John Gribowich sit down with Catholic educator and mindfulness teacher, Kathy Lorentz, to explore how prayer is far more than just words. It's about cultivating awareness of God's presence throughout every moment of our lives.

Kathy shares her journey from playing the Blessed Mother in a touring play at age 16 to becoming a theology teacher who works with students from preschool through adulthood. Her approach to prayer challenges traditional notions, revealing how attention, gratitude, and presence can transform mundane moments into sacred encounters.

Listen now to discover how you can develop a deeper prayer life without adding more to your to-do list.

The Nature of Prayer and Attention (03:00-09:00)

• Why prayer isn't just an activity but an awareness of God's presence
• The profound connection between attention and prayer: "Attention taken to its highest degree is the same thing as prayer" (Simone Weil)
• How attention works like a spotlight—you can only focus on one thing at a time
• Understanding that "attention is a muscle" that strengthens with practice

Navigating the Digital Age Mindfully (09:00-12:00)

• Practical strategies for teaching high school students to manage digital distractions
• The importance of turning off notifications and using "do not disturb" mode intentionally
• Helping students recognize the preciousness of time through journaling their digital habits
• How to be fully present whether in prayer or conversation

Prayer Practices for Everyday Life (12:00-19:00)

• Using gratitude as a form of prayer—finding three or four meaningful moments each day
• The comfort and power of repetitive prayers like the Hail Mary (Kathy prays it up to 50 times daily)
• Creating "mindfulness bells" throughout your day—doorways, meals, car rides as prayer opportunities
• Prayer while driving past struggling communities: holding people in compassionate love

The Importance of Intentional Prayer Time (20:00-23:00)

• Why setting aside dedicated time for prayer matters, even when we know life itself is prayer
• The transformative power of beginning your day with five minutes of prayer
• How communal and structured prayer (like in monasteries) can form us
• The blessing of working in theology education, where prayer is built into the day

Praying for Others (23:00-26:00)

• What it means to hold people in prayer without imposing our will
• Why Kathy rarely prays for specific outcomes: "I don't have the wisdom to know what a suffering someone needs."
• The sacredness of simply blessing others: "God bless you. May God bless you."
• Understanding your presence itself as prayer when you carry the Holy Spirit with you

Misconceptions About Prayer (26:00-29:00)

• How gratitude, acts of service, and caring attention are all forms of prayer
• Meister Eckhart's wisdom: "If all you said was thank you, that would be prayer enough."
• Why telling young people “You don't get to choose" whether you're spiritual—it's part of being human
• Moving beyond seeing prayer as separate from the rest of life toward integration

Cultivating Awe and Wonder (29:00-34:00)

• How science and spirit aren't opposites—the experience of awe bridges both
• Dacher Keltner's research: we need 50 experiences of awe per day, not just 2-3
• Using "awe workshops" to help students recognize sacred moments
• Einstein's wisdom: "Never lose a holy cu...

• (00:03:00) - The Nature of Prayer and Attention
• (00:09:00) - Navigating the Digital Age Mindfully
• (00:12:00) - Prayer Practices for Everyday Life
• (00:20:00) - The Importance of Intentional Prayer Time
• (00:23:00) - Praying for Others
• (00:26:00) - Misconceptions About Prayer
• (00:29:00) - Cultivating Awe and Wonder
• (00:35:00) - The Power of the Rosary
• (00:37:00) - Generational Changes and COVID's Impact
• (00:41:00) - The Practice of Listening