ABOUT FR. JPZ
CITY YOU GREW UP IN: New Freedom, PA
CURRENTLY LIVE: Birmingham, AL
DATE OF BIRTH: May, 7th 1976
SPONSORS: Motherboards
CURRENT PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF SKATING: EWTN Global Catholic Network Employee Chaplain, Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word Assistant Vocation Director
HOBBIES: Working out
FAVORITE TRICK(S) SKATING: I can barely do any tricks. I've landed a few kick flips and i love doing shove-its. but compared to what I did in my teens, I can barely do anything!
CURRENTLY RIDES: Agnus Dei and Virgo Potens
FAVORITE SKATE SPOT: Basketball court in backyard.
BEST PRIEST STORY EVER: I took my Angus Dei board with me when I traveled to Budapest, Hungary for the International Eucharistic Congress. It was strapped to my book bag the entire time. I was astounded how many people engaged in conversation on the plane, in airports and on the streets of Budapest. Wearing a Fransican religious habit combined with the skateboard on my back of in my hand, made it interesting. Most people simply said- " Doyou really skateboard?!"
BEST SKATE STORY: When I was 14-15-16 years old, I skated in the Dundalk/Baltimore area. There are a miniramp/spine-ramp and then a bowl in a park area where a friend of mine grew up. I oftenBoast that i skated on the same ramp with a Professional Skateboarder, Bucky Lasek. Bucky would often show up at the ramp that my friends and I went to. He would pull up in his fixed up lowered Honda Civic with a stereo system that shook the ramp. I think it's seeing Bucky driving that Honda that eventually got me into sport compact cars. I had a 1991 Red Honda CRX that I took ot car shows for 6 years before I sold it when I was in College Seminary.
FAVORITE QUOTE: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)
FAVORITE MUSIC: 1980's music
ANYTHING ELSE: Instagram: Franciscan Missionaries Facebook: MFVA Friars Twitter: MFVA Friars TikTok: @franciscanmissionaries
Inside the Friary Videos:
Part 1:
Part 2:
View the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word YouTube channel here
Article in National Catholic Register mentioning Motherboards: EWTN's Skateboarding Priest - 'Skateboarding Can Be Another Method of Evangelization'
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