Fr. John Riccardo was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1996. He is the Founder and Executive Director of ACTS XXIX, a non-profit apostolate that exists to help get God’s world back by equipping clergy and lay leaders for the apostolic age in which we live. Fr. John served as a parish pastor for 15 years, most recently at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth, Michigan where he was witness to the power of the Holy Spirit in a way that caught the attention of pastors around the country. Having ministered to nearly 600 priests across the nation, leading clergy convocations, priestly retreats and workshops in the first year, Fr. John and his team are passionate about the gospel and its power to transform lives and parishes. Most recently, Fr. John and his team wrote a white paper entitled, “Re-Imagining What a Catholic Parish Can Be: A Destination for the 21st Century.” He is the host of the podcast, “You Were Born for This with Fr. John Riccardo” and the radio program “Christ is the Answer.” Fr. John is a graduate of the University of Michigan, the Gregorian University in Rome, and the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family.