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, I’m still in the running.

Encountering God is a collection of Father Jim Sichko’s 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 God’s unconditional love made him an ideal choice for the job, and Pope Francis seemed to agree. Here he reveals what it’s like to live out of a suitcase (and love it) as he engages in the “Ministry of Encountering” - meeting people face to face, connecting through the shared experiences of daily life, and revealing how God’s 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 Father’s message that it’s not just about what we give up, but what we give - because 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 life - and 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.