Liam Neeson says he dreamed about “being a priest” as an altar boy

The actor shared his memories of growing up Catholic in a recent interview.

In an interview with CNN, actor Liam Neeson related memories of his childhood growing up Catholic, including thoughts he had while serving as an altar boy. Neeson said, “I was brought up Catholic in Ireland, so the Church featured quite heavily in our household. I was an altar boy as a kid, and had early fantasies of being a priest for several months.”

The interview was conducted to highlight Neeson’s narration of a new CNN special called, Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History. According to CNN, it “is a six-part CNN Original Series that goes inside the Vatican to reveal the true power held by popes throughout the ages. The docuseries explores how 12 apostles became 1.2 billion Catholics today, linking recent news events surrounding the Vatican with their unexpected origins. The premiere episode, ‘The Rise of the Pope,’ examines the origins of the papacy and how Catholicism, against all odds, spread throughout Europe.”

Neeson was eager to lend his talents to the series, pointing out how the Vatican “became an integral part of the Renaissance, and inspired some of the world’s most dazzling religious works of art that are still being marveled at.”

While Neeson related the fond memories he had of growing up Catholic, he has stated elsewhere that his Catholic faith has grown dimmer with time, but he respects those who remain steadfast, like his mother. In an interview related in the Belfast Telegraph, Neeson “described his own waning faith as ‘a gradual process,’ but added that he admired true faith in others, especially his mother Kitty, who is 90.”