Mark Wahlberg is set to play his most Catholic role ever

Movie star will play beloved Catholic priest in upcoming film.

Well-known Hollywood movie star and Catholic, Mark Wahlberg is gearing up for his most Catholic role ever.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Mark Wahlberg, alongside director David O Russell, is working on an inspirational biopic about Father Stuart Long, an American priest and former boxer, according to the Catholic Herald.

"I think it's an amazing, inspirational story, so David and I are working on that right now," stated Wahlberg, in a Facebook Q&A.

Fr Long was a popular prize fighting boxer but was forced to end his career after an injury left him needing surgery. His life continued to be full of ups and downs and was completely altered after a motorcycle accident left him nearly dead.

His journey of recovery led him to the Church, but then he was "struck by inclusion body myositis, a rare autoimmune disease," according to the Catholic Herald. However, Fr Long didn't let this prevent him from his "priestly ministry."

He was "a beloved priest, confessor and friend to countless people," described the Catholic newspaper, Angelus. Fr. Long "once remarked that his infirmity was the best thing that ever happened to him, because it allowed him to shed the pride he had felt for most of his life."

"He suffered from this horrible muscular degenerative disease but was still ordained as a priest and passed away, but not before he was able to inspire thousands upon thousands of people," expressed Wahlberg. "He was a very tough guy who was a fighter, a football player. anything but a spiritual guy. He found his calling, and decided, after falling in love with a woman, that he wanted to become a priest."

Wahlberg and Russel collaborated on another biopic about a boxer called The Fighter back in 2010.