Author Archives: Fr. Andrew Ricci

About Fr. Andrew Ricci

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A Catholic priest since 1997, Fr. Andrew Ricci is currently the rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI. His website "Three Great Things" can be found at studyprayserve.com and his podcasts can be found under "Catholic Inspiration" in the iTunes store.

Daily Mass: Take up your Cross. Catholic Inspiration

Station - Jesus takes his Cross

Mass Readings – Friday of the 6th Week of the Year

Jesus invites us to “take up our Cross” and follow him.  While God does not will suffering, the Lord permits it for the sake of a far greater commandment: Love one another.  As we carry our crosses today, we do so out of love for one another, as the Lord – who shows his love on the Cross – loves us.

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


Daily Mass: Thinking as God does and not as humans do. Catholic Inspiration

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Mass Readings – Thursday of the 6th Week of the Year

When Jesus asks the disciples “Who do you say that I am?” Peter gets it right…and then he gets it wrong.  The Lord reminds us that we are called to think as God does…and not as human beings do!

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


Daily Mass: Healing the blindness in our lives. Catholic Inspiration

healing-the-blind

Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 6th Week of the Year

As Jesus heals the blind man in the Gospel today, he shows how healing is often an intimate process that leads back to our relationships at home.  May we set before the Lord whatever is wounded in our lives, trust in his process of healing, and renew the relationships within our families and friendships.

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


Daily Mass: The leaven of God’s grace. Catholic Inspiration

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Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 6th Week of the Year (Sts. Cyril & Methodius)

Jesus recalls how a little yeast can transform dough – making it grow larger into something new.  In our spiritual lives this process can work for both good or evil, and we are invited today to embrace God’s grace into our hearts, changing us into daughters and sons of God.

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


7th Sunday of the Year – A love that knows no boundaries.

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Study: Reflect on a moment when you felt completely and entirely loved.  How did that experience shape your life?

Pray: Is there a person in your life right now who is difficult to love?  Ask the Lord for an infusion of grace!

Serve: How can you say “I love you” with an action?  How can you show others the love in your heart?

Mass Readings – 7th Sunday of the Year

A couple of major themes surface in our readings this week:

  • 1st Reading – Be holy, and love your neighbor as yourself
  • Psalm – “The Lord is kind and merciful.”
  • 2nd Reading – You are the temple of God, which is holy
  • Gospel – Love your neighbor…and your enemy!

In the first reading and Psalm we see the Lord’s command to love one another.  This might catch some people by surprise; after all, the Old Testament is filled with examples where the people of God are anything but loving to those they encounter!  Point: love of neighbor is a clear commandment of God.

The Gospel of Matthew sets the bar higher as Jesus builds on this command and calls us to conversion.  We are not only called to love our neighbors and family, but we are also called to love our enemies and persecutors!  Like last week, Jesus takes the commandments of the Old Testament and moves far beyond them.  We are called to love with our whole heart…loving one another the way God loves us.

The second reading goes in a different direction.  We hear from St. Paul that our bodies are temples of the living God, and as such we encounter the Spirit of God in the person of everyone we meet.

A consideration for today: put the love of God into practice!  We are cherished, treasured, forgiven and esteemed by the Lord – who loves us even on our worst days.  Following this example we can act accordingly…loving those around us with the love of Jesus Christ.


Monday Conversation: What are you giving up for Lent?

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Monday Conversation – 19 Minutes

“What are you giving up for Lent?” is a question that all too often finds us without an adequate answer.  Take time now in these next few days to reflect  on how we want to make a sacrifice – Body, Mind or Heart – that speaks to our Soul!

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


6th Sunday of the Year – Choose Christ as the center of your life. Catholic Inspiration

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Mass Readings – 6th Sunday of the Year

The Book of Sirach, the Psalm response, and the Gospel of Matthew all highlight the crucial power we have to choose the course of our lives.  May we put Christ at the center of our hearts, so that everything we say and do will be touched by his grace.

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


Daily Mass: Consequences and Compassion. Catholic Inspiration

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Mass Readings – Saturday of the 5th Week of the Year

Adam and Eve experience the natural consequences of sin as they face new challenges in their lives and leave the Garden of Eden; Jesus looks on the crowd with pity and responds to the natural consequences of their needs with compassion – inspiring us to face the consequences of our own sins with the compassion of Christ.

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


Daily Mass: The temptation of Adam & Eve. Catholic Inspiration

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Mass Readings – Friday of the 5th Week of the Year (St. Scholastica)

The temptation of Adam & Eve illustrates for us how sin can erode our relationships with God and one another.  As we come to understand their temptation, we seek the Lord in our moments of trial, asking for the grace (and when necessary, forgiveness) of Jesus Christ.

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts


Daily Mass: A mother’s faith. Catholic Inspiration

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Mass Readings – Thursday of the 5th Week of the Year

A Greek woman who is Syrophoenician by birth expresses a mother’s love through her simple and direct faith in the healing power of Christ.  Her one line response to Jesus inspires us to embrace our faith with conviction and power as we face the challenges in our lives.

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts