Wahlberg spoke about the importance of practicing his faith as he sported an ashen cross, a symbol of the Catholic tradition of Ash Wednesday, on his forehead on Today

Mark Wahlberg is staying true to his faith. In an appearance on Today on Ash Wednesday, the Father Stu actor, 51, discussed the balance of practicing Catholicism in the public eye while sporting an ashen cross across his forehead, which is a symbol of the Catholic tradition. “It’s a balance. I don’t want to jam it down anybody’s throat, but I do not deny my faith. That’s an even bigger sin,” Wahlberg told Savannah Guthrie on Today.

“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 added. “But, I have 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.”

The actor, who plays a boxer turned priest in his most recent film Father Stu and is a spokesperson for the Catholic app Hallow, went on to describe his fasting rituals. These include not eating any meat and having a single meal on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during the Lent season on the Catholic calendar. He said that having the discipline to give up something during the season helps “people to be better versions of themselves.”

Mark Wahlberg is joining us to talk about the Catholic prayer app ‘Hallow,’ discusses fasting, opens up about why it’s important for him to not deny his faith, shares why he doesn’t force Catholicism onto his children, and more. pic.twitter.com/TrUy1g9eMT

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 22, 2023

“Discipline has always been important for me in life,” Wahlberg said. “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.”

“I’ve been rewarded for it so much, and I want to share that with people, 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,” he continued. “Those things are important.”

Wahlberg added that religion is “everything” to him, and said that “focusing” on his faith has helped him to want to become a better version of himself.

He told Entertainment Tonight: “I feel like this is starting a new chapter for me in that, now, doing things like this — real substance — can help people. I definitely want to focus on making more. I wouldn’t say necessarily just faith-based content but things that will help people.” “So, hopefully, this movie will open a door for not only myself but for lots of other people in Hollywood to make more meaningful content,” he added. Although Wahlberg has been open about speaking on his dedication to his faith, he also admitted that he doesn’t want to force those beliefs onto his children — daughters Ella, 19, and Grace Margaret, 13, plus sons Michael, 16, and Brendan, 14, whom he shares with wife Rhea Durham.

“I don’t force it on them,” he told Hoda Kotb. “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.” “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,” Wahlberg added.