Ronald (Al) Rauckhorst’s journey to spiritual freedom

COOKSTOWN, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES, February 6, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Does faith hold a universal truth? Is belief the hallmark of faith? What does faith mean to you? For laicized, married Catholic priest Ronald (Al) Rauckhorst, faith is our relationship with God, and, often misconstrued, faith does not equal belief, for belief can and should change as our understanding of God and reality deepens.

Growing up in a steadfast Catholic family, Rauckhorst became a Maryknoll missionary after a nine-year priesthood preparation, during which he earned a bachelor of arts and a master's degree in religious education. He dedicated 10 years to active missionary work in Korea. But though raised in a household and church with absolute adherence to doctrine, Rauckhorst began questioning church rules after his mind and heart were opened by the visions of a more positive and open church by the documents of Vatican Council II.

Rauckhorst eventually left the priesthood and pursued matrimony and family. He shared 50 wonderful years of marriage to a teacher, nurse, and ex-nun, his wife Louise, and together, they raised two beautiful Korean daughters. Interestingly in the dichotomy, Rauckhorst's conversion from sacerdotal to secular afforded him extensive opportunities for spiritual growth.

"Journey to Joy: From Spiritual Rigidity to Freedom" is Rauckhorst's spiritual autobiography, an honest look at his life, from being a rigid and rule-based person to becoming free enough to grow and become more fully human. By being more in touch with his feelings, Rauckhorst held himself accountable and questioned his beliefs founded in a deeply rooted system. And since, for him, faith is a relationship rather than an intellectual belief, questioning one's belief does not mean losing faith, that is, a relationship with God.

Rauckhorst has written "Journey to Joy: From Spiritual Rigidity to Freedom" to share his life experiences in hopes of encouraging readers to leverage their own life experiences to become more critical in their belief and firm in their faith. Take a walk with Ronald Rauckhorst on his spiritual path to freedom and joy with "Journey to Joy: From Spiritual Rigidity to Freedom." Available on major online bookstore resellers.

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