It likely started with off-handed anecdotes at deanery meetings: "We have a lot of people for OCIA this year." "Us too!" A parish here, a parish there - until everyone started talking and realized that it wasn't just their parish. Across the United States, and the world, 2025 and 2026 brought a boom in OCIA interest. It was big enough that even the New York Times covered it. First, praise God!! The Holy Spirit is clearly moving. Second - are you ready for Him? Because when you hear all of...
10 days ago • 2 min read
I was browsing a homeschool curriculum website the other day when I saw my new favorite freebie offer: Up came a pop-up as I browsed, and I almost clicked out of it until I saw what it said... "Sign up for our emails and get free shipping on your first order." When I tell you I SMASHED the email sign-up button so hard. I've talked about it before, but shipping can be a huge factor in why people choose not to buy something. They are finally convinced enough to buy, but then they go to checkout...
10 days ago • 1 min read
In June, I read 279 church bulletins to prep for a Bulletin Bootcamp I'm running this summer. That number wasn't random. I specifically picked that number ahead of time as my goal. You see, I had already planned a YouTube video in my mind: "I read 279 Catholic church bulletins." Not 280. Not 300. 279. Why? Because using weirdly specific, extravagant, and odd numbers is one of my "oddest" but favorite marketing tricks. Weirdly specific At this point, we're kind of hard wired to be skeptical of...
17 days ago • 2 min read
It's been 128 days since the Easter Vigil. Your 2026 OCIA alumni have been Catholic for just over 4 months. That sweet chrism smell has long since dissipated (and with it, likely some of their "new Catholic" excitement). The security of the routine and community OCIA brought are gone, and they're kind of feeling "on their own" now. And more than likely, the real world has come crashing into their Catholic bubble, making them question everything from big moral doctrines to how to fit prayer...
17 days ago • 4 min read
Marketing is kind of a paradox: You need time or money (ideally both) to do it well. If you don't have money, you need to spend lots of time learning it and then marketing on free channels. If you don't have time, then you need money so you can pay for results or for someone to market for you. But what about when you don't have time or money? Yesterday's Gospel gives us a clue. In the famous Feeding of the 5,000, Jesus tells the disciples to feed the crowds that have gathered to hear Him...
24 days ago • 6 min read
Opinion: I think trying to find catechists is more stressful for Faith Formation staff than sacrament season. Sacrament season certainly has its challenges, but there's also a joy and Holy Spirit electricity that keeps you going. Trying to avoid playing Tetris with your most popular class session that you still don't have a catechist for? Not as inspiring. If you're like most Faith Formation/PSR programs I've encountered, you struggle to find catechists to teach your classes. You put out...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
"Wow, look at you on Instagram!" I got a message from a friend a few weeks ago. My reply? "To be honest - don't get used to it!" I'm basically exactly the kind of small business on Instagram that I used to tell people not to be. (Do what I say, not what I do.) At this point in my work, I pretty much only post on my Gloriam Instagram account when I'm leading up to or in the middle of a launch. Otherwise? Crickets. (Don't get me wrong - I still spend way too much time scrolling on Instagram....
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
It's August 23, 2026. The 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time. It's a normal Sunday...but something seems different. As they're leaving Mass, a few people do a double take by the bulletin rack...and then look closer at the cover, grab one, and bring it home. A group of young adults are huddled together in the parking lot, pointing at something in the middle spread of the bulletin and saying, "Hey, that's you!" Two eager elementary school children are dragging their parents by the hand,...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
You spend hours on the bulletin every week, trying to cram everything in. No one takes it. Then they complain they don't know what's going on. Repeat weekly. You know the bulletin design (and the process of how you create it) needs an overhaul — you're just not sure where to start. Here's how I'd fix it in 5 weeks For His greater glory, Emily Emily Ricci, CEO & Founder Connect on LinkedIn
about 1 month ago • 1 min read