A.J. Neal Publishing has announced the release of A Thousand Hands But One: How GOD Prepared a CATHOLIC Chaplain For the Surrender She Never Expected, a new memoir by former Catholic chaplain Laura Riccardi. The book, published on September 8, 2026, recounts how Riccardi's years of ministering to the sick and dying prepared her for the greatest trial of her life—and her ultimate 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. That experience forms the heart of the memoir, which explores the central spiritual lesson of surrender to God's will.
In A Thousand Hands But One, Riccardi shares stories drawn from her time in hospital chaplaincy, showing how those encounters quietly prepared her for what was to come in her own life. The book has drawn praise from figures such as Cynthia Zack, composer and host of Mary, Mother and Queen of the Divine Will on Radio Maria, who said, "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." A Benedictine monk and priest of more than 50 years, who asked to remain anonymous, called it "more than a memoir. It is a testimony to the grace of surrender—to trusting God when the path ahead is uncertain."
The book's significance extends beyond personal grief. It addresses universal themes of love, loss, and trust in divine providence, offering comfort to those facing their own trials. The title itself reflects the tension: while Riccardi held countless hands in her ministry, she could not hold her husband's in his final moments. Yet the message remains that where human hands fall away, God's grace remains.
A Thousand Hands But One is available in paperback and ebook editions through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers. For more information, visit www.athousandhandsbutone.com.
Laura Riccardi's Catholic life and ministry have included eighteen years of formation with the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, fifteen years as an RCIA catechist, seven years as a hospital chaplain, 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.J. Neal Publishing is an independent publishing company founded by author Christopher Holl. Based in Jackson, New Jersey, the company is dedicated to bringing distinctive stories and ideas to readers across fiction, satire, memoir, faith, culture, and family. More information is available at www.ajnealpublishing.com.
