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Christian filmmaker Jim Wahlberg was a Boston thoroughfare hustler and alcoholic serving difficult clip erstwhile Christ walked into his life.
His Savior came successful nan shape of Mother Teresa herself.
The early Saint Teresa of Calcutta attended Mass astatine his Massachusetts situation 1 time during a circuit of nan United States successful 1988, he said.
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"There was a definite constituent successful that Mass erstwhile I thought I was looking astatine God," Wahlberg told Fox News Digital this week successful an question and reply astir his travel to Jesus Christ and to sobriety.
"I thought she was God. That’s my knowing of who she was astatine that moment. Once I had this acquisition — that nan missing constituent for maine to effort to unrecorded a different life was a narration pinch Christ — different things made consciousness to me."
Jim Wahlberg attends nan Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation Celebrity Invitational Gala astatine The Chelsea astatine The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Dec. 2, 2023. (Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images )
Among those different things: "It made consciousness to maine that I could beryllium sober and unrecorded a different measurement erstwhile I sewage retired of prison."
Mother Teresa that day, June 3, 1988, said arsenic she arrived successful Boston, "People are quiet for love, overmuch much than quiet for bread."
She had plans to sojourn 3 Bay State prisons nan pursuing day, according to media reports astatine nan time.
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"I deliberation you and I must return nan problem to beryllium that motion of compassion, that beingness of Christ to them," she besides said.
Wahlberg, who lives successful Florida coming and runs Wahl St. Productions, told his communicative in nan 2020 book, "The Big Hustle: A Boston Street Kid’s Story of Addiction and Redemption."
He shared much specifications of his travel pinch his individual "Surrender Story" connected nan Hallow app successful February.
Locked up while brothers soared
Wahlberg's small relative Donnie changeable to stardom successful nan precocious 1980s arsenic a personnel of nan world music sensation "New Kids connected nan Block."
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Another younger brother, Mark, became a solo rap prima arsenic Marky Mark a fewer years later — and is 1 of nan biggest celebrities successful intermezo today.
The prima of nan caller Hollywood flick "Arthur nan King" is besides a Hallow app partner and spokesperson.
Mother Teresa is shown accompanied by children astatine her ngo successful Calcutta, India. She was canonized by Pope Francis connected Sept. 4, 2016. (Tim Graham/Getty Images)
Big Brother Jim was successful situation while "Wahlberg" was connected its measurement to becoming 1 of nan biggest names successful show business.
Yet redemption recovered him, and loved him, contempt a life spent devoted to crime and not to Christ.
The pivotal infinitesimal came erstwhile nan Boston thoroughfare hustler sewage out-hustled by a situation priest, Fr. James Freitas.
"I thought she was God. That’s my knowing of who she was astatine that moment." — Jim Wahlberg astir Mother Teresa
"The first point I asked for, and he said yes — I asked him to bring a cassette portion of my brother, who I told him was successful that singing group, nan New Kids connected nan Block," said Wahlberg.
"They person their first cassette portion successful nan stores and I asked him to bring maine one. He did. And I didn't think, ‘Oh, what a great, generous man.’ I thought, 'What americium I gonna person him bring maine next?'"
"I wasn’t reasoning astir getting to nan ft of nan cross," said Jim Wahlberg of gathering situation leader Fr. James Freitas, who led him connected nan way to Christ. (iStock)
"I wasn’t reasoning astir getting to nan ft of nan cross. I wasn’t reasoning astir immoderate of that," he told Fox News Digital.
"I was reasoning astir really I was going to manipulate nan business and really I was going to fume each nan cigarettes and portion each this java and get entree to his telephone and, you cognize — that was nan plan."
‘Need to cognize more’
Plans changed erstwhile Fr. Freitas invited Wahlberg to cleanable nan situation chapel, fundamentally forcing him to be Mass.
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The inmate agreed, hoping nan bully behaviour would gain him early merchandise from a nine-year sentence.
It was astatine 1 of those services that Jesus Christ walked into his life, Wahlberg believes, successful nan shape of Mother Teresa.
Mother Teresa (1910-1997), shown successful a Nov. 1960 photo. The Albanian nun dedicated her life to nan poor, nan destitute and nan sick of Calcutta, earning nan Nobel Peace Prize successful 1979. (Keystone Features/Getty Images)
"After having this acquisition pinch Mother Teresa, I ran backmost to nan leader and said, ‘I request to cognize much astir this Jesus she’s talking about,’" said Wahlberg.
"'It’s not what I grew up with. I want to — I request to cognize much astir this Jesus who died for me and who loves maine successful spite of each nan things I’ve done wrong,'" he said.
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Wahlberg has remained sober since leaving situation astir 40 years ago.
His movie and production business coming is devoted to proselytizing nan connection of Christ delivered to him by Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
"Mother Teresa: No Greater Love" was "a soaring tribute to a belief icon," arsenic described connected nan film's website, and 1 of nan astir successful documentaries of 2022.
James Wahlberg said that Mother Teresa put him connected nan way to Christ erstwhile she visited nan Massachusetts situation wherever he was incarcerated. (Tim Graham/Getty Images; Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images )
"Jesus Thirst: The Miracle of nan Eucharist," to beryllium released successful June, "unwraps nan mysteries of nan Eucharist successful nan Catholic Church and dips into nan Eucharistic revival," Wahlberg said.
He's besides producing "Roadmap to Heaven."
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The movie tells nan communicative of Blessed Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia astatine property 15 successful 2006, but only aft documenting galore miracles.
Acutis was beatified successful 2020.
For much Lifestyle articles, sojourn www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Kerry J. Byrne is simply a manner newsman pinch Fox News Digital.
