MEXICO-RELIGION: Grappling Priest Champions the Orphans

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Diego Cevallos

SAN JUAN TEOTIHUACAN, Mexico, Aug 3 1997 (IPS) - “Fray Tormenta” – or “Friar Storm ” – is not your typical priest. For 23 years he regularly has removed his cassock to don the shining yellow and red garb, and mask, of a professional wrestler to grapple on behalf of a group of orphans.

Now 52, and grey-haired, Sergio Gutierrez – although few people know his real name – acknowledges that his ring appearances are just about over. His earnings over the years, however, have supported his “Home for Fray Tormenta’s Cubs” in San Juan de Teotihuacan, 25 kms from Mexico City, that he founded in 1971.

“I had to become a wrestler to earn money to support the orphans. I thought one year would be enough, but I was wrong – I’m still doing it today,” Gutierrez told IPS. He plans to retire in October – “we have to make way for the young” – when he has promised to remove his mask in the ring for the first time.

“Fray Tormenta” concedes that, probably, he is the only Roman Catholic priest in the world who one one day, may celebrate mass, hear confessions and then climb into the world of “grunt and groan.”

Gutierrez carries the marks of his matches with “The Satanic One”, “The Demon Arrieta”, “The Son of the Devil” and “Judas”. The fingers on his hands are shrivelled and he bears the scars of broken ribs and a broken nose.

Before he quits, he is sheduled to appear in Japan next month on the same card as ‘Junior Storm”, ‘Devilish Face’ and ‘Boy Langer’ – young wrestlers who arrived at the orphanage more than 13 years ago and have been coached by “Fray Tormenta”.

Surrounded by some of his wards in the dining room of the home, the priest discusses his plans for the future, while in a ring outside other youngsters practice wrestling moves.

Gutierrez says that after he retires from the ring, he will dedicate himself to managing the young wrestlers he has trained. “The idea is to continue bringing money in to run our home.

“You don’t earn much anymore in the fights, but thanks to the help of certain people, invitations I receive to fight and the friends we have made all over the world help us to get by.”

There are some 100 youngsters in the orphange who follow a strict discipline that includes cooking, cleaning, exercising and – if they are so inclined – learning wrestling techniques.

“This is my home. I have only words of gratitude for the Father, because he encouraged me to study, learn how to wrestle and be a better person,” says Ricardo Gamboa, who has lived at the orphanage for 20 years, and who just graduated as a lawyer.

Two of the boys living with Gutierrez are studying to become priests while they also train as wrestlers.

Gonzalo Cruz, aged 10, lost his mother in an accident and was later abandoned by his father. “I came here eight months ago and I’m happy, because now I have another family.”

Wrestling, however, has gotten “Fray Tormenta” into trouble more than once with the Church hierarchy. “One time they called me and asked me to quit. But since they couldn’t get money to run the home, they had to let me continue,” says Gutierrez. “I don’t think professional wrestling is violent…it has more of the elements of the circus, acrobatics and theatre, beside sport.”

“Fray Tormenta” is known and loved by almost everyone in town, says Elena Cisneros, the owner of a small cafe in San Juan Teotihuacan, located near the famous pyramids of that name, which were built by Mexico’s ancient indigenous inhabitants.

The priest says he has been able to fulfill his mission of running the orphanage thanks to Mexicans’ love of wrestling and the path forged by famous wrestlers like “The Saint”, “Blue Demon” and “Hurricane Ramirez”.