“Everyone was essentially impoverished,” Wahlberg remarked. “There was an understanding. We were all experiencing similar situations. Everyone was struggling financially. I believe we were somewhat oblivious to what we lacked. All around us, individuals shared the same conditions as we did.”

Wahlberg and his brothers and sisters recognized socioeconomic disparities when their father scored a significant win with his bookie, allowing him to purchase a residence in a more affluent area of Boston. The other children in the neighborhood wore more fashionable attire. The Wahlberg household was the sole home on the street with nine children and a large work vehicle parked outside.

“We quickly recognized what we lacked,” Wahlberg remarked. “I believe children are perceptive. They’re emotional, and they can be unkind. It wasn’t solely our own doubts. In numerous instances, we were made conscious of our deficiencies. It was challenging, and I think it definitely played a role in my sensations of inadequacy, embarrassment, and shame.”

‘It’s all about endurance’

Wahlberg sought ways to alleviate those sensations of inferiority. While they were raised in a largely Catholic community and sometimes attended church, the Faith itself held minimal significance in the family’s existence.

“Indeed, we were nominally Catholic, but it was essentially a matter of ticking off boxes or adhering to rituals and affirmations of belief in a mechanical and uninspired manner,” Wahlberg states in his memoir.

Absent God in his existence, Wahlberg sought to fill the emptiness by associating with older youths in the vicinity who engaged in alcohol, drugs, and minor criminal activities. Wahlberg was just 8 years old when he first downed a can of beer. He acquired his street knowledge at home.

‘WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS?’
OSV, through its production company OSV Films, is partnering with Jim Wahlberg’s Wahl Street Productions to release “What About the Kids?,” a feature film about drug addiction as seen through the eyes of an 8-year-old girl whose parents are addicted to opioids. For more information, including a trailer and how to attend the film’s virtual premier on Sept. 8, visit whataboutthekidsfilm.com.

“With nine children, a scarce supply of food, resources, and warm footwear during the winter, you figure out how to position yourself to obtain the valuable items,” Wahlberg stated. “It’s similar on the streets. It’s all about survival.”

Wahlberg grew up during an era marked by urban decline, while Boston was gripped by bussing disputes and racial strife. He mingled with older youths who were frequently involved in brawls, some of which had racial undertones. At just 10 years of age, Wahlberg claimed he was “drunk and high all the time.”

“I was taking from others, acquiring possessions I desired or cash to obtain what I wanted,” Wahlberg stated. “You find yourself trapped in this loop of feeling awful, perceiving yourself as a bad individual, as though you’re inferior to those around you. Then you seek something to alleviate that sensation, and for me, alcohol and drugs provided that escape.”

Wahlberg stated, “Yet, alcohol and drugs turned against me as well, and I was unable to escape them.”

‘The divine influence was involved in that’

During sixth grade, Wahlberg encountered his initial experience with the legal system when he was apprehended for assault and battery. Amid challenges at home — his mother had expelled his father from their residence — Wahlberg’s criminal record expanded to feature arrests for public intoxication and unruly behavior.

At the age of 17, Wahlberg received a five-year prison sentence for armed robbery. Half a year following his release from prison, Wahlberg trespassed into a police officer’s home. The officer and his colleague discovered him intoxicated and unconscious on the kitchen floor.

In the half year preceding that burglary, for which he was sentenced to nine years in prison, Wahlberg stated he ingested as much alcohol and drugs, particularly cocaine, as possible. On the night of his arrest, Wahlberg mentioned he had chosen to inject heroin.

“I don’t believe I would have survived for long on the streets,” Wahlberg stated. “I feel God was involved in that. The officer whose residence I entered recognized that I was in dire need of assistance. He went to court and remarked, ‘Why don’t we provide this kid with some support? He’s in a tough spot.’”

At MCI Concord, a medium-security state correctional facility, Wahlberg, Inmate #44563, interacted with Father Jim Fratus, the prison chaplain, who proposed that he take on the role of the chapel custodian. Wahlberg initially viewed the priest as a simple mark from whom he could obtain additional benefits. However, gradually, Wahlberg began to find himself participating in weekend Mass at the behest of Father Fratus.

“Apparently, he was conning me,” Wahlberg stated.

Mother Teresa’s trip to MCI Concord on June 4, 1988, altered the trajectory of Wahlberg’s existence. Her demonstration of kneeling and praying alongside the inmates during Mass — passing up an opportunity to sit in an elegant chair with the cardinal-celebrant — made a profound impact.

“I knew I was in the presence of somebody very, very special,” stated Wahlberg, who later obtained the Sacrament of Confirmation during his time in prison. This experience inspired him to maintain sobriety and dedicate himself to a life of recovery following his release from incarceration.

‘I required to sense his existence’

Walberg tied the knot, relocated to Florida, and welcomed three children with his spouse. Despite being sober, his spiritual life diminished to the extent that he was merely “going through the motions” and not consistently participating in Sunday Mass. This shifted a few years back when he took part in a men’s retreat, during which he recounted experiencing the Lord’s presence in a notably profound manner.

“It brought me to my knees,” Wahlberg stated. “I’ve been fortunate to proceed with the effort of nurturing my faith, and to invite other men to that retreat, to be involved in and testify to what God is accomplishing in their lives, observing their lives renewed, their marriages repaired, their families healed. It’s remarkable.”

Unquestionably, life has not consistently been simple for Wahlberg, who discusses in his book the devastating moment he found out his eldest son was addicted to drugs. Yet, amidst everything, including his son’s continuous recovery journey, Wahlberg attributes his perseverance to his Catholic faith.

“For quite a period, I would pray quite simply, ‘God, assist me,’ but there was no connection involved,” Wahlberg stated. “Throughout, that’s what I was missing. I required a relationship with God. I needed to sense his presence. I needed to comprehend all that was sacrificed for me to exist.”

Brian Fraga is a contributing editor for Our Sunday Visitor.