Shia LaBeouf expresses desire to become a deacon in the Catholic Church

Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf was confirmed and received into a Catholic congregation at a church in Minnesota on Sunday evening. 

Bishop Robert Barron confirmed LaBeouf and announced it on the congregation's Facebook page on Tuesday. 

"We are thrilled to share that our dear friend Shia LaBeouf has fully entered the Church this past weekend through the sacrament of confirmation,” the post read. 

The post commented on the actor's journey in the entertainment industry then into a spiritual awakening, saying, "Shia LaBeouf, known for his incredible talent and passion in the entertainment industry, has embarked on a profound spiritual journey that has led him to embrace the teachings of the Catholic Church. His decision to fully enter the Church is a testament to his sincere desire to grow in his relationship with God and live out the Gospel values."

Citizen Free Press reported the event and posted pictures of the ceremony to X. 

LaBeouf's sponsor for his confirmation, Capuchin Friar Brother Alexander Rodriguez, told the Catholic News Agency (CNA) that the actor has a desire to become a deacon “sometime in the future.”

“He just spontaneously said, ‘I want to become a deacon,’ and he still feels that way,” Rodriguez told the CNA. 

Rodriguez said that LaBeouf had started thinking about the idea of being a deacon during his training for the film "Padre Pio." He had played the role of a Franciscan friar.

Bishop Barron met LaBeouf in his assignment as auxiliary bishop over the Archdiocese of Los Angeles when he oversaw the region. That led to a relationship between the bishop and LaBeouf. 

LeBeouf in August of 2022 previously interviewed with Bishop Barron on YouTube and spoke about his journey to the Catholic faith through playing the part in the film. 

Prior to coming to the Catholic Church, LaBeouf explained that he was agnostic but had a bar mitzvah as a 13-year-old to please his grandmother. Although, internally, he had never embraced the Jewish faith. 

LaBeouf told the bishop he came to a point in his life where he had fallen into a downward spiral and said to himself, “I don’t want to be here anymore.”