The Way of the Fathers

Thanks to Maureen Wittmann for alerting me to Mike Aquilina's new blog on the Church Fathers. I'm a Mike fan, because he is:

a. a terrific writer
b. a terrific editor
c. a terrific person

Thanks to God, Fr. Joe and Mike Aquilina, the first piece I ever sold was my conversion story.

God's part goes without saying ....

Fr. Joe is my spiritual director. He encouraged me to submit my story and even suggested a magazine: New Covenant ....

Mike Aquilina was the editor of said magazine. He bought the article, even though I, in my naivete, had submitted a piece that was twice as long as New Covenant's usual fare. He'd have had every right to shoot the article back at me with a sharp reprimand about paying attention to writers' guidelines. But instead, he accepted it and kindly edited it so deftly that initially even I didn't know what had been removed. And, he paid me for it. Payment ... for my writing? Well, there's a reason to like someone. And I've liked him ever since.

You will, too.