(LifeSiteNews) — On this week’s Faith & Reason, John-Henry Westen and Liz Yore discuss the Pope’s secret meeting with cardinals, Theodore McCarrick’s proteges taking part in the Synod on Synodality, Shia LaBeouf’s powerful interview with Bishop Robert Barron, and why the upcoming Padre Pio film starring LaBeouf may greatly benefit the Church’s Latin Mass movement.
Padre Pio, which premiers in Venice on Friday, September 2, features American actor Shia LaBeouf as the title character. Much of the publicity surrounding LaBeouf and the movie comes from Bishop Robert Barron’s 90-minute interview with LaBeouf in late August. LaBeouf lived with Capuchin friars while preparing for the role and eventually converted to Catholicism during filming — an amazing development given his headline-grabbing, hedonistic lifestyle.
For John-Henry, LaBeouf’s testimony about his conversion and love for the Latin Mass was “fascinating” and “moving,” especially as the Vatican moves to stamp out the Latin Mass throughout the Church, and prelates like Cardinal Arthur Roche blast its devotees as “more Protestant than Catholic.”
READ: Shia LaBeouf stuns Bishop Barron with love of Latin Mass: ‘They’re not selling me a car’
“Our Lord is still in charge,” he says. “And so He brings out this new film on Padre Pio, and a bit of Padre Pio’s own character comes out in Shia LaBeouf. Who would ever have thought that Shia would be playing Padre Pio?”
Liz comments that “God has a sense of humor” because the joint stories of Pope Francis’ appointment of cardinals and the recent consistory were “put on the back burner” after Bishop Barron published his interview with LaBeouf.
“We all love a story of redemption, don’t we?” she says. “The Latin Mass is being shut down left and right by the Pope, and this young man who is hanging on to his life by his fingertips … is given a lifeline by this great holy saint, Padre Pio, and he converted to Catholicism.”
READ: Cdl. Roche says he would be willing to talk with Shia LaBeouf about why actor favors Latin Mass
“Obviously Padre Pio had a profound impact on this young man,” Liz adds. “I don’t think any of us expected something like this coming from left field, but it was a real grace and a great story of redemption … I think it’s, quite frankly, Francis’ worst nightmare, Cardinal (Blase) Cupich’s worst nightmare.”
For all the latest updates and reaction on recent Church news also covered in this week’s episode, listen below or scroll above to watch the video.
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