Actor Mark Wahlberg, who recently played the lead role in the biographical film "Father Stu," admitted in an Ash Wednesday television interview that while Christianity isn't popular in Hollywood, he can't deny his faith.
Appearing on NBC's "Today" show with ashes on his forehead, Wahlberg spoke to host Savannah Guthrie about the meaning of his Catholic faith in his life.
"Oh, it's everything," Wahlberg said. "It's afforded me so many things. Obviously, you know, God didn't come to save the saints. He came to save the sinners."
But, he added that expressing his religion in public is "a balance" and he doesn't "want to jam it down anybody's throat."
Nevertheless, "I do not deny my faith," Wahlberg said. "That's an even bigger sin. You know, it's not popular in my industry, but I cannot deny my faith. It's important for me to share that with people."
He said he has friends from all walks of life and all different types of faiths and religions, "so it's important to respect and honor them as well."
"Discipline has always been important for me in life," he told Guthrie. "Once I started getting into movies and transitioned from music, I realized I needed a lot of discipline in my life, and that discipline has afforded me so many other things."
Wahlberg has partnered with the Catholic prayer app Hallow as its spokesman and narrator.
"I've been rewarded for it so much, and I want to share that with people, so whether that's with fasting, working out more, detaching from other things and just spending more time with God, in prayer, or in thoughtful reflection. And those things are important," he said.
"We've all had things and issues in our lives, and we want to be better versions of ourselves, and, through focusing on my faith, it's allowed me to do that," Wahlberg added.
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