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...
3 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...
10 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...
17 days 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....
17 days 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,...
23 days 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
24 days ago • 1 min read
I plopped my head down on the keyboard with an exasperated thunk. I had sneezed or blinked or made some involuntary movement, and now one of the bulletin's text boxes was irrevocably misaligned. I'd tried putting back where it had been for what felt like hours: Arrow right. Arrow left. Undo. Backspace. Copy and paste. No matter what I did, it just wouldn't "pop" back into place. That's because when I first started as a bulletin editor 11 years ago, I was creating the bulletin in Microsoft...
27 days ago • 3 min read
This past weekend, we visited my grandmother and went to Mass at her church. And what was the first thing she did (after I genuflected) as we walked in? Asked me if I wanted a bulletin. Now imagine if I hadn't been visiting, but was actually from the area and decided to go to church for the first time in a while. Or showed up as a guest for a baptism or a wedding. Which do you think has the greater likelihood of happening: Taking a bulletin that's right in front of me, or pulling out my phone...
29 days ago • 3 min read
Last week, my oldest went to VBS at our church for the first time. And when I say I was BLOWN AWAY - I was blown away. It was so, so good. It was all on the liturgical year, and each day they "celebrated" and learned about a different season. Some VBS camps can feel "fluffy" - this was anything but. They really learned so much, but it was also so much fun - Themed camp song, daily saint and Bible verse, tons of crafts and little gifts to take home, Adoration every day...not to mention...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read