Mark Wahlberg Says He Won't Force Religious Beliefs Onto His Kids

Daniel Mitchell-Benoit
Mark Wahlberg.
Getty | Kevin Winter

For those whose faith is a large part of their life, it's a common enough assumption that should they have children, they'll raise those children in the same faith so it can be something the family shares and the values expressed in that faith can be passed down.

However, there are many who don't choose this, instead allowing their children to find their own path when it comes to religion. Among those people is actor Mark Wahlberg, who recently spoke about the matter on TV.

Mark Wahlberg recently opened up about how he handles both parenting and his faith.

Mark Wahlberg speaking into a microphone.
Getty | Scott Eisen

While promoting his upcoming film Father Stu, which is about an ex-boxer who becomes a Catholic priest after a near-fatal accident, on a recent episode of The Today Show, he got to speak about his own relationship with Catholicism.

Wahlberg is an open Catholic.

He's never shied away from talking about his faith when asked, and in fact, it was one of his driving motivators when it came to Father Stu, a film he financed entirely himself.

He is also a father of four, his children's ages ranging from 12 to 18, all with his wife Rhea Durham.

Despite his passion for both aspects of his life, he doesn't let them intertwine.

Mark Wahlberg.
Getty | Kevin Winter

He told host Hota Kotb, "Even with my faith, I don't force it on [my kids]. But they know that Dad can't start the day without being in prayer, can't start the day without reading my Scripture or going to Mass."

He's hoping his children are inspired by him to explore their faith.

"And hopefully, instead of forcing that on them, they'll say, 'Well, if it works for Dad, maybe it'll work for us,' and they'll kind of gravitate towards it on their own," he said.

When asked what his kids thought about Father Stu, he joked, "They think Dad's crazy, and he's boring."

h/t: vt.