Mark Wahlberg Declares He Won't 'Force' His Faith on Kids in Rare Religious Statement: 'Hopefully They See It Really Works'

Mark Wahlberg doesn't want to push his own belief in God on children.

In an interview with an outlet at the premiere of Balls Up on Tuesday, April 14, the actor, 54, shared, "I’ve only tried to be an example to my kids and not force my [Catholic] faith on them."

"And hopefully they see that it really works for me, and they gravitate towards it on their own," he added.

The Oscar-nominated actor, who shares four children with wife Rhea Durham, made the admission while reflecting on his 16-year-old daughter Grace's First Communion.

"After being baptized and making your communion, you’re actually making a commitment to pursue this relationship with God throughout your adult life," he explained. "It’s a beautiful thing."

Wahlberg, who posted on Instagram about her communion day in 2018, noted that he's "very, very happy" Grace is following in his footsteps in that sense.

The Ted star is a devout Catholic who wishes his 30.8 million Instagram followers a "happy Sunday" every week, and tells them, "God bless you — stay prayed up."

Wahlberg has previously opened up about his Catholicism, including in a February 2023 appearance on Today in celebration of Ash Wednesday, where he declared, "I don't want to jam it down anybody's throat, but I do not deny my faith. That's an even bigger sin."

"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 said at the time, adding, "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 Boogie Nights actor went on to say, "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. Those things are important."

Wahlberg even had Bishop Kevin W. Vann bless his Mexican-American eatery Flecha Cantina when it opened in Las Vegas in 2024.

In an interview following the restaurant's launch, he expressed, "All success that I’ve had in my life is accredited to my faith.”

The star also shared that it was "very important" to him and his wife of 17 years to be "married in the church."

The couple, who have been together since 2001, tied the knot at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills in 2009.