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Actor Shia LaBeouf confirmed to a Catholic news outlet that his process of joining the church will be completed by his rite of confirmation in a few months.
LaBeouf, made famous by for starring in entertainment such as the "Transformers" film series and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," said he converted to Christianity as a result of a recent project. LaBeouf recently portrayed Saint Padre Pio, a famous Catholic mystic and priest who lived during both World War I and II. Catholic News Agency summarized that the new film, "Padre Pio," released in theaters on Friday, portrays the friar in his 20’s, with "powerful scenes of Padre Pio ministering to the townspeople and enduring his own spiritual battles with the devil amid the chaos of a violent political clash."
ChurchPOP English editor Jacqueline Burkepile asked the actor where he considers himself in his current spiritual journey during a May 23 interview regarding his upcoming movie, "Padre Pio."
LaBeouf revealed his conversion in an interview released last August with Word on Fire Catholic Ministries' Bishop Robert Barron.
Mystic and Stigmatic, Capuchin friar Padre Pio (Francesco Forgione) (1887 - 1968) is seen celebrating mass around 1950. (Keystone/Getty Images)
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The actor first engaged with the church while living with a monastery of Franciscan Capuchin friars in order to better understand the late mystic St. Padre Pio. The actor has been the subject of multiple scandals, and said that part of his process to become the character was to meet other people seeking redemption through the Catholic faith.
"It was seeing other people who have sinned beyond anything I could ever conceptualize also being found in Christ that made me feel like, 'Oh, that gives me hope,'" LaBeouf told the bishop. "I started hearing experiences of other depraved people who had found their way in this, and it made me feel like I had permission."
Actor Shia LaBeouf portraying Catholic friar and Saint Padre Pio the film "Padre Pio" released on Friday.
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Since portraying the character, LaBeouf has continued on his journey to complete his induction to the Roman Catholic Church.
"I'm in [the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults]. I'm scheduled to be confirmed in seven months and I hope Bishop [Robert] Barron comes down to confirm me. But we'll see," he told ChurchPOP’s English editor. "I'm in RCIA right now and once a week I get on the horn with Fr. Bobby and we talk shop."
Catholicism remains the largest denomination of Christianity, and is often portrayed in a variety of films. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
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Being a member of the Catholic Church begins with the process of baptism, usually when one is a child, followed by first communion, confession, and a process of confirmation as one enters adulthood. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops summarized, "In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is ‘sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit’ and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ."