Actor Shia LeBeouf has converted to Catholicism after being confirmed at a mass with Capuchin Franciscan monks on New Year's Eve.
The Capuchin Franciscan Province of Western America announced the news on its Facebook page. There he posted pictures of a smiling LeBeouf receiving communion, kneeling in prayer with his eyes closed during Mass and hugging the brothers taking part in the ceremony.
The sacramental ceremony took place at the Old Mission St. Agnes Parish in Solvang, California, the same monastery where LaBeouf trained for months for his role as one of Italy's most famous and revered saints in the 2022 film “Father Cheep.”
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“The Capuchin Franciscan Friars are pleased to welcome him into the fold and to witness his deep commitment to his journey of faith,” the Catholic order said.
“Shia LaBeouf, known for his incredible talent and passion for the entertainment industry, has embarked on a profound spiritual journey that has led him to embrace the teachings of the Catholic Church. “His decision to fully join the Church is evidence of his sincere desire to grow in his relationship with God and live the values of the gospel.”
LaBeouf first rose to fame as a teenager on the Disney Channel show “Even Stevens” and is best known for his roles in “Transformers” (2007) and “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull” (2008). He also starred in the 2019 film “The Peanut Butter Falcon.”
Pastor Wolfgang Rothe, left, blesses the couple Christine Walter, center, and Almut Münster, right, during a Catholic service with the blessing of same-sex couples in the Benedictine Church in Munich, May 9, 2021.>AP Felix Hoerhager ▲
He has had several run-ins with the law throughout his career, including a 2017 arrest in New York City for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct that was captured on livestream video. He was sent to rehab by court order.
LaBeouf, who admitted to suffering from alcoholism and was accused of abuse by an ex-girlfriend, spent months in a California monastery preparing for his role in “Padre Pio.”
The actor said this was the opportunity to play the mystical Capuchin monk, best known for displaying the “stigmata” wounds of Christ (he was bleeding from his hands, feet and sides) For him personally it was a miracle.
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LaBeouf's confirmation sponsor, Capuchin friar Alexander Rodriguez, told the Catholic News Agency that the actor wants to become a deacon “at some point in the future” and that he had already been thinking about the diaconate while filming the film about the Franciscan monk.
Padre Pio died in 1968 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002. He became one of the most popular saints in Italy, the United States and beyond.
The Capuchin Friars Minor are a Catholic men's order inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi. On their website they say their life's mission is to serve the poor and live the Gospel “through brotherhood, simplicity and contemplative prayer.”