Bless Me, Father

Bless Me, Father is the story of Frank Battaglia and his youngest boy, Nicky. He is sixteen years old and entirely unlike his old man. Nicky Battaglia is grieving over the death of his brother. He is not a tough guy; Nicky wants to play basketball, lose his virginity, and listen to his brother's collection of sweet soul music. The problem is, Frank wants Nicky to make amends for his own failures. Frank wants the kid to be a fighter. Nicky never becomes much of a fighter. Instead, he is cut loose from everything that he knows: his father, his family, his neighborhood, even his confessor, the local priest. Alone, Nicky struggles to come of age. He discovers sex. He discovers the terrible truth of his father and his brother. Nicky Battaglia discovers his own courage and cowardice, until there is enough of his character to defeat the past.