About the Author

Salvatore Sapienza is a former monk in the Catholic Church and the author of Seventy Times Seven, which was nominated for two Lambda Literary Awards, including Best Spirituality. During his years in religious life, Sapienza worked alongside Father Mychal Judge in helping to establish St. Francis AIDS Ministry, one of the first Catholic AIDS organizations in the country. Sapienza writes about his friendship with Father Judge, "The Saint of 9/11," in the anthology entitled Queer and Catholic. As a writer, Sapienza's work has appeared in The Gay and Lesbian Times, Ashe Journal, and The Holland Sentinel newspaper, among others. He has done speaking engagements at numerous schools, retreat centers and bookstores around the country and has appeared on Public Television and National Public Radio. He and his partner own and operate a bed and breakfast in Saugatuck, a gay-friendly resort town on Lake Michigan. For more, please visit www.gayisagift.com