TRUE SPIRIT: CATHOLIC MARTIAL ARTS

True Spirit is a Catholic approach to the martial arts, named in honor of the Holy Spirit and based on Judeo/Christian philosophy.

Heeding St. Paul’s admonition that “we put on the armor of God, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against Principalities and Powers, world rulers of darkness, spiritual forces of wickedness on high. Therefore put on the armor of God and resist evil with the Helmet of Salvation, the Shield of Faith to block the poison darts of the evil one, the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, the Breastplate of Justice, the Belt of Truth, and Shoes of Readiness to  proclaim the Gospel of Peace.” (Ephesians 6: 11-17)

 And even though we fight a brilliant enemy, the evil one, we are fortified with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Awe of the Lord. We are also aided by St. Michael the Archangel, victorious warrior of Heaven, and Mary, our Queen, the Blessed Mother of God, from whom we have received the Holy Rosary, which in St. Padre Pio’s words,” is our greatest weapon.”

 We stand behind the words of St. David: “‘blessed be the Lord my strength who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight.” (Psalm 144:1) In all these ways, we strengthen the Church Militant, Christians still living on earth and struggling against the evil one, and all his manifestations.

GEORGE PERENY: KARATE, KUNG FU, SELF-DEFENSE, TAI-CHI CHUAN

TRAINING 

1973-83: Koei-kan Karate; Black Belt under Senseis Ed Kaloudis, Brian Frost.
1981-83: American Goju Karate, private student of Peter Urban.
1982-present: student of Shaolin Kung Fu, Hunga Tiger Crane Style; 1985-1986, under Sifu Frank Yee; 1987-Okinawan Goju under Grand Master John Porta.
1982-2022: Military Hand-to-Hand Combat, Kung Fu, and European sword via San Michele under Vito Quattrocchi.
1994-2022: Tai-Chi Chuan; since 2003 under Wm. C. C. Chen, Grand Master of the Yang Tai-Chi Chuan Style.             

         
TEACHING

1975-83: Instructor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Montclair College, and The Koei-kan Karate Academies.
1977-79: Karate Instructor at Passaic County College.
1980-82: Karate Instructor at The Jersey City Boys’ Club.
1981-83: Karate/Kung Fu Instructor at Jersey City State College and creator of Karate/Kung Fu/ Self-Defense, a 3-credit course in the academic, philosophical, and practical aspects of Karate, Kung Fu, Self-Defense, and Meditation, accepted by The New School for Social Research, Manhattan. 
1983-84: Founder and Instructor of the JHS #127 Karate/Kung Fu Club in the Bronx.
1985-2013: Founder and Instructor of The DeWitt Clinton High School Kung Fu Club.
1987: Designed and taught a Health Education elective called Self-Defense at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx.
1992-1999: Instructor of the Karate/Kung Fu/Self-Defense course at Ramapo College.     

PUBLICATIONS

Articles published in the following martial arts magazines: Inside Karate, Kick; Official Karate, Black Belt, Masters Magazine (in depth interview slated for February, 2014); Article selected as lead chapter in book: Western Eagle Claw, by Vito Quattrocchi.

SPECIAL HONORS

1975: 6th place, Brown Belt div. Forms: AAU Karate Competition, New Jersey; 1978: 4th place, Black Belt div. (random weight) Full Contact Sparring, Koei-kan Karate. 
1988: Karate Exhibition, Lincoln Center, Manhattan(broadcast on WPIX (Channel 11), NYC.
1992-1996, 2006-20012: Security Dean, DeWitt Clinton High School, Bronx, NY; worked in conjunction with NYC Police Dept.
2013: Silver Medal, Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands, Limited Step div.,25th Annual Kuo Shu Champion Tournament, Baltimore, Maryland.