Stallone: Church-going Catholic

Catholic News Service ran a nice story on actor Sylvester Stallone's return to the Catholic Church after years away. His new film, "Rocky Balboa," features a few faith moments, primarily through the role of a Bible-toting ex-fighter who camps out daily at Rocky's Italian restaurant.

"When I got married everything changed," (Stallone) said. "When my daughter was born sick, and I realized I really needed some help here, I started putting everything in God's hands, his omnipotence, his all-forgivingness."

Stallone added that being Catholic "puts me where I should be. I was alone in the world. I thought I would have to handle things in my own way."

But then "I thought if I put myself in Jesus' hands and asked for insight and guidance I am basically taking the yoke off of me and using his intelligence and wisdom to make the proper decision," he said.

With the imminent success of "Rocky Balboa" (by the way... it's not bad). Stallone is reviving his other big franchise, Rambo, for a fourth installment. Like "Rocky Balboa," Christianity figures into this one as well. Says Stallone:

"Rambo is a borderline atheist. He doesn't believe in anything anymore. His job is to bring a group of Christians upriver into a very hostile territory, and they're there to bring the word of God and medicine and dentistry to these natives. He has conversations with some of these Christians and he doesn't see it their way. They get captured, and . . . he starts getting influenced by their faith in the face of such incredible odds."