Richard Rossi
Episode 330
26 MAY 2025
He excelled in three different sports. As a boxer he competed in the Catholic intramural boxing league’s lightweight division and won 80% of his fights by knockout, the rest by points. He was nearly undefeated, losing only one fight. In basketball, he was the only white player, starting guard, on an all-black basketball team in Pittsburgh intramural League. His team won the championship and had an undefeated season. And, in the men’s softball championship in Pittsburgh, he hit the winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth, resulting in his team taking the championship and carrying him on their shoulders in celebration. He is an Academy Award-considered filmmaker, best-selling novelist, and a guitarist who has composed over one thousand songs. His latest family faith-based film has won 15 awards at film festivals and can be seen for free on Amazon.
Notable guest quotes:
“My mother came up every night with my brothers and I. We were in an attic, and we had a little bed in each of those four corners for me and my three brothers. And she would say the rosary with us. We had prayer in the evening. In fact, to this day, I fall asleep every night holding a rosary in my hand and praying.”
“I was in a public school at 15 and I was kicked out for fighting even though I was defending the kids against the bullies. I got sent to a strict Catholic school because of the fights. And some priest said, ‘Man, you’re really good. Why don’t we do this in an organized way?’ And they put me in a boxing league.”
“I’ve had multiple sports screenplays I’ve written. One that I haven’t made yet is called The Immaculate Reception and it references in my hometown, Pittsburgh Steelers, the real turning point was when Franco Harris had this great play called the immaculate reception. And that turned the fortunes of the Steelers towards winning four Super Bowls in the 70s, but it also is going to get into the Catholic faith aspect of the immaculate conception.”
“I felt the Holy Spirit had put in my heart that God is the master artist, creator of all things and artists support other artists. So, I’d done some acting. I kind of stumbled into getting some acting roles and some major TV things. And it just seemed so shallow. You know, here I was, making some money at it, but I thought, ‘I want to make something more substantive.’ And I realized I’m going to probably have to write and do this myself and make my own films because I wanted to make films about faith and about hope.”
“I was close with a nun, as a boy, named Sister Antonita and (Roberto) Clemente was my favorite. I loved playing baseball as a boy, and he was my idol. And she was close with him, and she told me about some private conversations … where he discussed his faith with her, and she led him into a stronger commitment to his Catholic faith.”
“I felt the Holy Spirit made it real clear; this is the whole point of the film. The theme verse of the film is greater love hath no man than this that he laid down his life for his friends, John chapter 15 verse 13.”
“My dad had just died and it’s very emotional and when I went in the Duomo in Milan… I saw this old Italian priest and I had an experience with the Holy Spirit that was so powerful. I felt led of the spirit to go to confession.”
“I really felt called to Saint Francis. I love the peace prayer, and I love that he gave up a lot of his worldly goods to follow Christ … and I was just drawn to his life the way of the cross.”
Related link:
Watch “Lucy & the Lake Monster” for free on Amazon