Encountering God: As a Traveling Papal Missionary of Mercy

The author of Among Friends returns with a witty, heartfelt account of his adventures as a full-time traveling storyteller for God. In third grade, we talked about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I raised my hand and said, I want to be the pope! Everyone laughed. But, hey, if you think about it, Im still in the running. Encountering God is a collection of Father Jim Sichkos tales about what happened after he left his home parish in the Lexington, Kentucky, diocese to embark on a new role as a papal missionary of mercy. As his former congregation well knew, his warmth, humor, and genuine passion for spreading the message of Gods unconditional love made him an ideal choice for the job, and Pope Francis seemed to agree. Here he reveals what its like to live out of a suitcase (and love it) as he engages in the Ministry of Encounteringmeeting people face to face, connecting through the shared experiences of daily life, and revealing how Gods presence is accessible to us all if we simply open our hearts. Father Jim knows how challenging that can be, but his purpose is to make it easier. He passes along the Holy Fathers message that its not just about what we give up, but what we givebecause we all have something to offer, and it costs nothing to be kind. Insightful, inspiring, and frequently funny, Encountering God offers a glimpse into an unusual lifeand a call to move from me to we thinking in a world that sometimes seems determined to drive us apart. This book features forewords by Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., and Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Airlines; and an afterword by Olivia Newton-John.