Mark Wahlberg: ‘The first thing I do each day is pray’

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catholicherald.co.uk/features/2010/12/24/%E2%80%98the-first-thing-i-do-each-day-is-pray%E2%80%99/
In the modern world, we are told, religion is being pushed to the side. Church-going is down, cynicism is up, and old-fashioned Christianity is not so slowly going the way of the penny-farthing bicycle. And nowhere, we are told, is this more apparent than in Hollywood, land of the superficial, the catch-a-passing-trend, the every-man-for-himself.
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And then there is Mark Wahlberg.
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“Being a Catholic is the most important aspect of my life,” the A-list actor tells me firmly when we meet for tea in a posh hotel near his home in Beverly Hills. “The first thing I do when I start my day is, I get down on my hands and knees and give thanks to God. Whenever I go outside of my house, the first thing I do is stop at the church. The kids will be mad with me. ‘Daddy! It takes too long!’ I’m saying: ‘It’s only 10 minutes and this is something I really need to do.’ Because I do. If I can start my day out by saying my prayers and getting myself focused, then I know I’m doing the right thing. That 10 minutes helps me in every way throughout the day.”
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Good article, and I really like Mark Wahlberg’s work. Having said that, I would not hold him up to be an example of what a good Catholic does - I would show him, however, as an example of how despite many bumps in the road, you can make thing right with God and with the Church. Do not judge least we be judged ourselves.
 
I would not say that his work is good or anything near Catholic. I will not even bring up the past as we have all made mistakes and can repent. His current show Entourage celebrates drug use, nudity, fornication, and a lifesyle based on materialism. Not only is he not living a Catholic life but it promoting and leading others into sin. Cooperation in, and promotion of, sin is sinful–gravely. Praying means little if one is promoting or celebrating evil–fornication and drug use etc.
 
I’ve never understood why an actor’s worldview is any more or less relevant than my mailman’s. People are people. The only difference is what they do for a living. Meaningless.
 
Inhimthroughher said:
I would not say that his work is good or anything near Catholic. I will not even bring up the past as we have all made mistakes and can repent. His current show Entourage celebrates drug use, nudity, fornication, and a lifesyle based on materialism. Not only is he not living a Catholic life but it promoting and leading others into sin. Cooperation in, and promotion of, sin is sinful–gravely. Praying means little if one is promoting or celebrating evil–fornication and drug use etc.
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It’s entertainment. He who is without sin, might as well cast the first stone. He’s a talented actor, and I wouldn’t call starring in an entertaining, albeit mature themed show, to be leading people to grave sin…
 
AdvanceAlways said:
It’s entertainment. He who is without sin, might as well cast the first stone. He’s a talented actor, and I wouldn’t call starring in an entertaining, albeit mature themed show, to be leading people to grave sin…
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Pornography is considered entertainmant also. Wrong is wrong no matter how entertaining it may seem to some. This idea of entertainment that celebrates fornication, nudity, drug use, and a hedonistic lifestyle as “mature themed” couldn’t be more wrong. There is nothing mature about any of those things, they are very immature, similar to the so called “gentlemens clubs” which are filled with anything but gentlemen.

Would Christ approve of this show? Is this how you think He would want people spending their time?

As far as “he who is without sin” that was never intended to say we are not to call evil what it is.
 
You know, he was supposed to be on one of the planes on September 11 and only lived due to a last minute change in plans. I wonder if that has anything to do with his recent activities of becoming more religious.
 
Inhimthroughher said:
I would not say that his work is good or anything near Catholic. I will not even bring up the past as we have all made mistakes and can repent. His current show Entourage celebrates drug use, nudity, fornication, and a lifesyle based on materialism. Not only is he not living a Catholic life but it promoting and leading others into sin. Cooperation in, and promotion of, sin is sinful–gravely. Praying means little if one is promoting or celebrating evil–fornication and drug use etc.
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It seems like the Holy Spirit is doing a good job so far. Not excusing Wahlberg’s body of work, but it seems to me the glass if half-full here, not half-empty. Over time, if he continues his daily prayers, he will gain the wisdom to make the right moral decisions. Not everyone has a conversion like Saint Francis.
 
Inhimthroughher said:
I would not say that his work is good or anything near Catholic. I will not even bring up the past as we have all made mistakes and can repent. His current show Entourage celebrates drug use, nudity, fornication, and a lifesyle based on materialism. Not only is he not living a Catholic life but it promoting and leading others into sin. Cooperation in, and promotion of, sin is sinful–gravely. Praying means little if one is promoting or celebrating evil–fornication and drug use etc.
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I’ve never seen the show, so I don’t know. If it depicts the negative consequences of such a lifestyle, albeit in an explicit way, then it could serve a useful purpose. But, if it only glamorizes such a lifestyle, without showing the negative consequences on oneself and others, then I would tend to agree with you. He has influence and is very well known - therefore, he could do a lot of good with his celebrity. Otherwise, he is wasting his gift of fame and talent, which is not right at the least.
 
a_priori said:
I’ve never understood why an actor’s worldview is any more or less relevant than my mailman’s. People are people. The only difference is what they do for a living. Meaningless.
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It can be more relevant simply because he is a public figure in an industry dominated by hedonism. The relevance can be that a person in his position has a great opportunity to evangelize and show what a good Catholic is (I’m not saying he is or is not; I don’t know him that well, but I do know OF him). Your mailman be a saint, but he probably does not carry the same level of recognition as Mr. Wahlberg.
 
This is a great article.

Just a couple pf months ago I started a thread asking if the Catholic Church should try a New Evangelisation of Hollywood. You can find that thread here -

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=508285

As I said in that thread, just one high profile star like Mark Wahlberg, could make such a difference in a hedonistic town like Hollywood. At the time I started that thread, I couldn’t think of even one devout Catholic, just fallen away trainwreck Catholics. So it’s great to see that Mark cares so much about his faith. A guy with his star-power and “coolness” could do wonders for the faith in Hollywood. Maybe even bring Kabbalah/Madonna back!😉

As for his TV show, it has been on the air for quite a number of years now, so maybe he wasn’t so into his faith when he started it. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt…
 
At least he is trying to be a good Catholic.

How many out there aren’t even trying, let alone in Hollywood?
 
jimcav said:
This is a great article.

Just a couple pf months ago I started a thread asking if the Catholic Church should try a New Evangelisation of Hollywood. You can find that thread here -

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=508285

As I said in that thread, just one high profile star like Mark Wahlberg, could make such a difference in a hedonistic town like Hollywood. At the time I started that thread, I couldn’t think of even one devout Catholic, just fallen away trainwreck Catholics. So it’s great to see that Mark cares so much about his faith. A guy with his star-power and “coolness” could do wonders for the faith in Hollywood. Maybe even bring Kabbalah/Madonna back!😉

As for his TV show, it has been on the air for quite a number of years now, so maybe he wasn’t so into his faith when he started it. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt…
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I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as well, until I saw that he announced a deal with HBO to do a program highlighting the porn industry.

clevelandleader.com/node/14381
 
Oh no!

Terrible joke in my mind!

I can’t stop my fingers from typing it!

Talk about good vibrations! everyone of CAF starts booing at how bad that was
 
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