September 23rd is the Memorial of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina — commonly known as Padre Pio.

Padre Pio is one of the most beloved Saints of all time.

A new movie called Padre Pio has been filmed, and it stars Shia LaBeouf as the Saint.

The official trailer is below.

I only knew LaBeouf from his role on the TV sitcom Even Stevens and the movie Holes when he was a teenager. I haven’t followed his career, but I learned that he became involved with public scandals and other destructive behavior.

Bishop Robert Barron interviewed the actor, and the video was released last month.

In the interview, LaBeouf shared that he converted to Catholicism while studying for his role as Padre Pio.

Friends, in the latest “Bishop Barron Presents,” I’m delighted to be joined by Shia LaBeouf, the actor famous for “Transformers,” “Honey Boy,” and “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” among other films. His most recent role is as the young Padre Pio in a new biopic on the great saint. In our conversation, we discuss:

– Method acting

– Prayer

– Suffering

– The ego

– The Traditional Latin Mass

– Padre Pio

– Shia’s time with the Capuchin friars

– And more

I watched the interview and believe it’s worth watching in its entirety.

I love conversion stories, and I was moved and fascinated by his story!

The conversation is a bit all over the place, which I feel accurately depicts the spiritual journey. One’s path to God isn’t always straight and neat.

I can’t know his soul, but it seems he is being genuine.

Hearing his story made me feel hopeful and encouraged!

In his own words, before studying for the movie role, “his life was on fire” (in a negative way). He felt hopeless, lost and suicidal.

He has now found meaning and purpose for his life. He is motivated to discover and fulfill the mission God created for him.

I pray that every soul may come to know Christ and be in communion with His Church — which is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.

The video of the interview is below.

“It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:32)