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Reuters
Mark Walhberg.JPG
Reuters
USA News

US actor Mark Wahlberg says starring in faith movie ‘Father Stu’ was his ‘calling and mission’

by Premier Journalist

US actor Mark Wahlberg has opened up about his Christian faith and the way it has impacted his career.

"God has continued to bless me and put me in this situation," he told EWTN during a recent interview.

"Not to continue to grow and work on Mark Wahlberg the person, but to do His work and finally giving me the skills and tools to go out there and articulate the message that He wants me to articulate," he continued.

The 50-year-old had previously acknowledged some of his earlier movies did not honour God and he is now working to change that.

Wahlberg and Mel Gibson have teamed up to produce, Father Stu, a biographical movie based on the life story of Father Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-priest.

The devout Catholic said he believed making this movie was God’s calling.

"I didn't know we'd be releasing this movie in a pandemic; I just knew that I needed to make this movie, that this was my calling," the actor explained.

"This was my mission, and now it's needed more than ever. Hopefully, it will help a lot of people."

In the early 2000s Father Stu found success as a boxer but his career was cut short due to health issues. That led him to a brief career as a filmmaker as well as working as a bouncer a night clubs.

He described himself as an atheist before he had a near death experience which led him to Catholicism and later be ordained as Catholic priest. He passed away in 2014.

Wahlberg concluded by saying he hopes the movie inspires people to redeem themselves regardless of their past.

"People need to have faith and hope. Young men need to know what it's like to be a real man. And you could list a million reasons – just turn on the news, anywhere you look there are reasons for encouraging people to have faith and to have hope.”

The film will be released in cinemas on Good Friday this April.

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