A.J. Neal Publishing has released A Thousand Hands But One: How GOD Prepared a CATHOLIC Chaplain For the Surrender She Never Expected, a memoir by former Catholic chaplain Laura Riccardi. The book details how Riccardi's years of ministering to the sick and dying prepared her for the greatest trial of her life—and her surrender to God's will. For years, Riccardi held the hands of patients at their bedsides, offering prayer, comfort, and Christ's presence. Yet when her own husband, Len, was hospitalized during Covid-19, his was the one hand she could not hold. Rigid hospital protocols kept them apart as he became gravely ill and died alone.
In A Thousand Hands But One, Riccardi shares stories drawn from her years in hospital chaplaincy. As she ministered to others, those encounters were quietly preparing her for what was to come in her own life. Together, these experiences brought her face-to-face with the book's central spiritual lesson: surrender to God's will. The memoir is more than a personal account; it is a testimony to the grace of surrender—to trusting God when the path ahead is uncertain. As one Benedictine monk and priest of more than 50 years who has known Riccardi for many years and asked to remain anonymous said, A Thousand Hands But One is a testimony to that grace.
Cynthia Zack, composer and host of Mary, Mother and Queen of the Divine Will on Radio Maria, described the book as "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." The book's message resonates beyond individual grief, offering a broader reflection on faith and trust in divine providence.
Heartbreaking yet hope-filled, Riccardi's memoir is a story of love, loss, and trust in God's will—bearing witness to the message at the heart of the book: Where human hands fall away, God's grace remains. This message is particularly poignant given the isolation many experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, making the book a timely and timeless resource for those grappling with grief and spiritual uncertainty.
A Thousand Hands But One is published by A.J. Neal Publishing of Jackson, New Jersey, and is available in paperback and ebook editions through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers. For more information, visit www.athousandhandsbutone.com.
