Shia LaBeouf, the Hollywood actor known for his lead role in the “Transformers” franchise, fully entered into the Catholic Church through the sacrament of confirmation last Sunday.
LaBeouf, 37, first seriously considered the faith while preparing for the role of Saint Padre Pio, the famed Catholic friar who received a stigmata. Since May 2023, LaBeouf has attended classes for the Right of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in preparation for his conversion.
In an August 2022 interview with acclaimed author and theologian Bishop Robert Barron, LaBeouf said portraying Pio was bigger than just a role, but a lifesaving experience.
“If you like immersive experiences, and you get tasked with playing Pio, your life is going to change,” said LaBeouf.
Friends, please join me and the Capuchin friars in continued prayer for Shia LaBeouf. Shia was fully received into the Church through the sacrament of Confirmation on New Year’s Eve.
— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) January 4, 2024
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” —St.… pic.twitter.com/H33IRQPWCs
The “Holes” actor was confirmed by Bishop Baron alongside the Capuchin Friars-Western American Province at a New Year's Eve mass in December 2023.
Catholic News Agency reports that LaBeouf has expressed interest in becoming a deacon of the Church, according to his confirmation sponsor, Capuchin Friar Brother Alexander Rodriguez.
“We are thrilled to share that our dear friend Shia LaBeouf has fully entered the Church this past weekend through the sacrament of confirmation,” a statement from the Capuchin Franciscans-Western American Province said. “The Capuchin Franciscan friars are overjoyed to welcome him into the fold and witness his deep commitment to his faith journey.”
LaBeouf claims that discovering the faith has given him a “hack” to suffering and pain.
“I’ve found a way of looking at the death of self, the death of ego, as the supreme gift from on high,” LaBeouf said in an interview with the National Catholic Register.
With nearly 30 years of acting experience and lead roles in “Holes,” “Indiana Jones 4,” and “Even Stevens” under his belt, LaBeouf followed the child actor-to-troubled adult pipeline. His controversies rivaled his resume in volume, including several arrests, drug abuse, and public physical altercations.
LaBeouf’s ex-girlfriend, singer FKA Twigs, sued him for sexual battery, assault, and emotional abuse. The lawsuit alleged he would even choke her to the point of bruising.” LaBeouf acknowledged the allegations, expressing his shame and regret about the abuse.
The trial date for this lawsuit has been postponed to October 14, 2024.
Despite the still open case against LaBeouf, the Catholic faith has given him a different perspective. In the interview with Bishop Baron, LaBeouf talks about how he views suffering as a “gift.”
“When I think about what’s happened in my life…I was so upset, so resentful about the woman who accused me of all this,” said LaBeouf in the interview with Bishop Baron. “I wanted to go on Twitter and write all these things, and I wanted to justify this and explain all this. And now I actually see; this woman saved my life. She is, for me, a saint in my life. That perspective shift feels miraculous.”
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