Skateboarding Friar Bridges Countercultural Worlds

A Franciscan habit and Mary Medals are standard parts of this skater's gear.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI (Catholic Online) - His videos are an internet sensation: a skateboarder in Franciscan habit performing jumps, flips, grinds and other tricks at graffiti-covered skate parks and streets in Perth, Western Australia. If the habit doesn't give it away, the soundtrack and graphics confirm these are not typical skateboarding videos: the Ave Maria or classical music provide the backdrop, while Scripture verses and words of Marian devotion are intermittently displayed.

The videos identify the skater simply as Friar Gabriel of the Franciscans Immaculate--and say nothing else about him. Catholic Online contacted his friary in Toodyay, Western Australia, whose friars shared some background information so we could learn a little bit about this skateboarding wonder.

Friar Gabriel M. Cortes was born in Concord, New Hampshire to an American mother and a Costa Rican father. Though they were Catholic, the entire family's faith was almost snuffed out by an inordinate attachment to worldliness. By the grace of God, the family experienced a reversion to the faith through Eucharistic adoration and Marian devotion. So strong was this reversion that four brothers entered the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.

The Franciscans of the Immaculate are a pontifical institute of religious life who strive to be perfectly conformed to the poor, humble, crucified Jesus through a life of charity, supernatural charity and poverty. They are totally consecrated to the Immaculate Virgin, after the example of St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe.

The two older brothers stayed for just over a year, but benefited greatly from the experience. Both are now married in the Church and are raising eight children each. An only sister is also married with eight children.

The two younger brothers stayed in the Friary--Friar Gabriel and Friar Didacus (the cameraman in one of the videos). Friar Gabriel entered at age 17. He has been in Australia since 2001.

His missionary work involves ministry to both young and old. He loves to visit nursing homes where he believes "the old are forgotten." Having been a skateboarder since age ten, Friar Gabriel loves to visit skate parks each week. There he meets, according to the Toodyay Friars, "the most unlikely people," making friends and, when the opportunity presents itself, handing out Mary medals.

In addition to his missionary work, Friar Gabriel is involved in community efforts with the local government, the Shire of Toodyay. He serves on the Crime Prevention Committee as well as a committee to design and build local skate parks.

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At first glance the worlds of skateboarders and Franciscan Friars may seem to have little, if anything, to do with each other. Yet they share something profound in common: they both see themselves as counter-cultural. In their mutual rejection of worldly values they are both open to truth. As The Friars have found it in Jesus Christ and his Church, the presence of a friar in a skate park is a shining ray of hope for young people seeking the truth. God bless Friar Gabriel and his ministry, and all in the Church who make an outreach to youth where they are.

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James Penrice is the author of numerous books, a correspondent for Catholic Athletes for Christ, and contributor to Catholic Online.

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