Mark Wahlberg, the tough Boston-born actor, has defied Hollywood to make his faith-based film, Father Stu. During an appearance on the Today show, he spoke about the importance of his faith and how Hollywood shuns religion.
“It’s not popular in my industry, but, you know, I cannot deny my faith,” he said. “It’s important for me to share that with people.”
Wahlberg said he wouldn’t force his Catholic religion on his four children but would let them gravitate toward it naturally.
“I want them to understand that Dad has to start his day by getting on his hands and his knees. And no matter where I am, the priority on Sunday is to go to church.”
Mark Wahlberg as the boxer turned priest in Father Stu
The actor credited his Catholic faith for providing him with the discipline he needed to succeed in Hollywood.
“Once I started getting into movies and transitioned from music, I realized I needed a lot of discipline in my life,” he said. “And that discipline has afforded me so many other things. I want to share that with people.”
Mark Wahlberg and his wife Rhea attend their kid’s flag football game
Wahlberg discussed his fasting routine for the Lenten season and how it helps him develop good habits.
“We all know those things that make us feel guilty, don’t make us feel as good as we should,” he said. “So [it’s about] being able to detach from those things and focus on good habits as opposed to bad habits. There are challenges for fasting, like today, I won’t have any meat. I’ll have one meal today, and I’ll do that every Friday throughout Lent and Good Friday.”
Wahlberg was on the Today show to promote the Catholic prayer app called Hallow, for which the actor narrates an audio session for Lent titled “Fasting Motivation and Challenge with Mark Wahlberg.”
The devout Catholic emphasized the importance of community and how the pandemic prevented him from going to church for a long time.
“Being part of a community is huge,” he said. “It’s a balance – I don’t want to jam it down anybody’s throat, but I do not deny my faith. That’s an even bigger sin.”
Wahlberg also spoke about the message of his film, Father Stu, which is based on the life of Father Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-priest.
“It’s a movie about a man’s life and his journey,” he said. “It’s about somebody who found God and found his purpose in life, and how he inspired others to do the same.”
Mark Wahlberg remains true to his Christian faith, even though it’s not popular in the entertainment world. He has defied Hollywood by making his faith-based film, Father Stu, and he hopes to inspire others to follow in his footsteps by sharing his story and promoting his Catholic prayer app, Hallow.
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