Before we get into how a martial arts practitioner combines faith and love with the art, we should talk a bit about what martial arts really are. First, there is a misconception that true martial arts are Asian; however, the truth is that the term “martial arts” is a European term that refers to the …
Getting Started
I have been attending men’s conferences and local parishes recently in order to talk to men about the Order of Lepanto. There is, invariably, a lot of excitement when we show sparring (either live or in videos) and as interest builds the question of equipment and cost comes up. I have prepared this short article …
Sparring Systems of The Order of Lepanto
For many who are involved in Western Martial Arts (WMA), the only goal of practicing historical swordsmanship is to come as close as possible to developing real martial skill in the use of period weapons. Members of The Order of Lepanto also share this goal, but not as a means unto itself: it is a …
The Rosary, Western Martial Arts, and “The Lord of the Rings”
I was reading an article from Br. Joseph Bernard Marie Graziano that was published on Bishop Barron’s excellent Word on Fire blog, titled “Where the Rosary appears in ‘The Lord of the Rings’” which got me to thinking about the how those things relate to what we at the Order of Lepanto are doing. In …
Martial Arts helps physically, mentally, AND SPIRITUALLY?
The most obvious short-term benefit of engaging in a martial art is an increased ability to defend oneself if needed. Beyond that benefit, it is fairly common knowledge that a martial arts program can help people in their physical fitness. Some of these benefits are: Strengthen muscles – As a person ages muscles begin to …
Bishop issues a call to arms!
As many of us are painfully aware, there has been a lack of evangelization directed towards men. Men are not hearing what they need from the pulpit and there have been few resources to help in our faith journey. The good news is that this has been changing in recent times, The Order of Lepanto …
Deepening your faith through martial arts
Just as the gifts that God bestows on each person are unique, every member of the Church is called to bring those unique gifts and their varied backgrounds to the community for the betterment of all. There are gifted speakers who are engaged in apologetics, writers who excel in bringing distinctive viewpoints to age-old teachings …
Historic Fencing Definitions
Historic European Martial Arts How to Define Historical Fencing There are multiple terms in the modern parlance for referring to the practice of the various forms of “historical fencing” or Western sword play. While we certainly cannot control how different groups refer to themselves, members of the Order of Lepanto are encouraged to use the …
Sword Terminology
What do all these terms mean? Learning the vocabulary of Replica and Reproduction Swords In past 10 years or so, sword purchasers have become more knowledgeable. However, they remain vulnerable to misinformation or (hopefully less common) disinformation during the pre-purchase evaluation process for a modern sword. Even sword makers can have false ideas or a …