Gary Sinise and the Catholic Faith
In 2016, the actor opened up to EWTN News journalist Raymond Arroyo about the story of his family's spiritual journey, as well as his commitment to supporting military members and veterans from a young age, inspired by his and his wife's veteran family members.
Sinise's conversion to Catholicism began in the 1990s when his wife, Irish actress Moira Harris, rediscovered her Catholic roots and began attending mass regularly. The family followed her and witnessed Harris' confirmation on Easter Sunday in 2000.
Since then, the Catholic Church has been the family's refuge at various times, including during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the Twin Towers in New York. Sinise deepened his faith when he heard the testimony of Franciscan chaplain Mychal Judge, who died while helping victims of the attack.
In December 2010, the actor was confirmed in the Catholic Church. “I see now that my work with veterans over the last 30 years and my confirmation in the Catholic Church are largely part of the same story,” he told CNA, EWTN News' English-language affiliate, at the time.
Shortly after his confirmation, Sinise felt he could do more to help veterans.
“I felt called and compelled by God to use all the tools and reputation I had been blessed with and all the work I had done over the years in the military to serve and create more substantively. “This could be permanent into the future,” said Sinise, who founded the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2011.
In addition to building homes for numerous veterans, the foundation offers numerous programs and resources that honor veterans and their families and help them successfully adapt to life after combat.
In 2014, the Knights of Columbus, the world's largest Catholic fraternity, made a significant donation to Sinise's foundation.