“For the Beauty of the Earth” is a Christian hymn by Folliott S. Pierpoint (1835-1917), performed in one take by artist Pat D’Angelo. Pierpoint was 29 at the time he wrote this hymn; he was mesmerized by the beauty of the countryside that surrounded him. It first appeared in 1864 in a book of Eucharistic Hymns and Poems entitled Lyra Eucharistica, Hymns and Verses on The Holy Communion, Ancient and Modern, with other Poems.

Recorded live at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan, a group of incredibly talented seminarians performed their rendition of the traditional classical Christian hymn associated with Easter, “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today”. The hymn eventually became well known for its repetitive “Alleluias” sung after each line, which were added by an unknown author to fit the commonly used hymn tune of “Easter Day”. It remains a traditional processional hymn on Easter Sunday.

Friar Gabriel skated for seven years as a teenager, with his focus gravitating towards one of a religious vocation as he matured. His passion for skateboarding waned with his surety to live a life of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience as a Friar of the Immaculate. After securing the title of Friar, with much time passing since he last interacted with a skateboard, he was given obedience to visit a local skate park once a week, with the intent to “preach the gospel at all times,” as Saint Francis once stated. In Salve Regina, Friar Gabriel explains that God utilizes peoples’ talents to give Him glory, and how skateboarding has given a platform to the idea of exercising the body as well as the soul.