Priest fought in the ring to ensure the children in his orphanage never went hungry

Most religions preach for peace and against violence. Similarly, priests, rabbis, ministers or imams are considered the promoters of peace and goodwill. This priest did something just that. A professional wrestler and Roman Catholic Priest known in the ring as Fray Tormenta (Brother Tempest) fought in the ring to earn money for his orphanage, per Los Angeles Times. In the 80s, he fed an entire orphanage because of his remarkable kicks and punches.

"If I don't put on a good show, the promoters won't contract me to fight. The fans expect me to be aggressive," Tormenta told the outlet in 1987. At that time, his orphanage was a home for 86 children in an old 16th-century church in Xomelta, a village in the northeast of Mexico City, as per the outlet. He became a priest in 1973 and a wrestler in 1975. Along with his dual professions, Tormenta also got help from the local diocese and donations. Due to his contradictory professions, the priest, Father Sergio Gutierrez in real life, garnered loads of attention and fans. "Wrestling fans come to see if I'm for real, to see if I'll fight. Or they come to help, to press money in my hand as I enter the ring," the priest revealed.

His fans support him from the sidelines, screaming at his opponents to not "hurt a man of God." Tormenta pointed out, "I have never hurt anyone, but I have suffered various wounds . . . to the collarbone, fingers, arms, back. It's not that my opponents try to hurt me on purpose, but it's a tough sport. I fight for my orphanage and they for their children and families." Although the priest had started taking orphans as soon as he became one, his inspiration to wrestle came from a movie in which the hero "Senor Tormenta" wrestled to help homeless children. "I decided to make the fantasy come true." However, his ride to becoming a wrestler was not an easy one.

"No one would teach me. They either wouldn't take me seriously or didn't want the competition," Tormenta disclosed. Eventually, a wrestler called "The Leader" took him under his wing and trained him for a year. His first professional match was against the man himself. He lost that match. He moved to several cities during that time and finally settled in Xomelta with the kids in his orphanage. Tormenta balanced his priestly duties and fought on the side until he eventually retired. He popularly wore a red and yellow lucha libre mask, according to Vice. "The yellow is for the liveliness that Fray Tormenta must display in the ring. The red is for the blood that Fray Tormenta must spill on behalf of his orphanage," the priest explained.

"He's very compassionate. He helps everybody so much. The truth is, he's reached out his hand to us, and for that reason, everybody loves him," a woman, Sofia, attending a mass by the priest, told the outlet. The priest's life story also inspired a movie starring Jack Black called "Nacho Libre" as per BeLatina. The priest's journey was a difficult one as it began with drug addiction, came up to ordination and brought help for several orphans through his wrestling career. Even after retiring in 2000, the priest continues to support people by selling memorabilia and staying active in his community, as per the outlet.

You can follow Sergio Gutierrez Benitez (@fray_tormenta._) on Instagram for content on his life.