A new memoir by former Catholic chaplain Laura Riccardi explores how a life spent ministering to the sick and dying prepared her for the most painful trial of her life. A Thousand Hands But One: How GOD Prepared a CATHOLIC Chaplain For the Surrender She Never Expected, published by A.J. Neal Publishing, was released on September 8, 2026.
For years, Riccardi held the hands of patients at their bedsides, offering prayer and comfort. But when her husband, Len, was hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic, rigid hospital protocols kept them apart. He became gravely ill and died alone. His was the one hand she could not hold.
The book draws on Riccardi’s seven years as a hospital chaplain, sharing stories that, she says, quietly prepared her for what was to come. Together, those experiences led her to the central spiritual lesson of surrender to God’s will. “This is a story of spousal love both on earth and as the Bride of Christ—a story for every soul seeking understanding of God’s eternal plan, with lessons for us as a people and as a nation,” said Cynthia Zack, composer and host of Mary, Mother and Queen of the Divine Will on Radio Maria.
A Benedictine monk and priest of more than 50 years who has known Riccardi for many years and asked to remain anonymous described the memoir as more than a personal account. “A Thousand Hands But One is more than a memoir. It is a testimony to the grace of surrender—to trusting God when the path ahead is uncertain,” he said.
The book’s message, according to the publisher, is that where human hands fall away, God’s grace remains. It is being positioned as a resource for those grappling with loss, especially losses compounded by the isolation imposed during the pandemic. Riccardi’s story speaks to a broader question of how faith communities address grief when traditional rituals of presence and touch are stripped away.
Riccardi’s background includes eighteen years of formation with the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, fifteen years as an RCIA catechist, and five years cohosting Radio Maria’s Mary, Mother and Queen of the Divine Will. She is also an award-winning former teacher, mother of four, and longtime homeschooling mom.
A Thousand Hands But One is available in paperback and ebook editions through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers. The publisher’s website is www.ajnealpublishing.com, and more information about the book can be found at www.athousandhandsbutone.com.
A.J. Neal Publishing, based in Jackson, New Jersey, is an independent publisher founded by author Christopher Holl. Its titles span fiction, satire, memoir, faith, culture, and family.
