Sarah Mitchell
Tom Cruise is best known for his commitment to Scientology. However, the actor grew up in a Catholic household and attended a Catholic seminary in his youth. He was even considering becoming a priest before he got into show business.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic upbringing | Yes |
| Baptized Catholic | Yes |
| Attended seminary | Yes |
| Duration of seminary attendance | 1-2 years |
| Reason for leaving seminary | Stealing booze |
| Considered becoming a priest | Yes |
| Current religion | Scientology |
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What You'll Learn
Tom Cruise had a Catholic upbringing
Tom Cruise was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1962, to electrical engineer Thomas Cruise Mapother III and special education teacher Mary Lee. Cruise grew up in near poverty and had a Catholic upbringing. He once described his father as abusive, a "merchant of chaos", a "bully", and a "coward" who beat his children.
In his youth, Cruise attended a Roman Catholic seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, for two years in the early 1980s. Known then as Tommy Mapother, he was sincere about becoming a priest, according to a close seminary friend, Shane Dempler. Dempler recalled that Cruise "had a very strong Catholic faith" and that they "went to Mass, spent time in the chapel and enjoyed hearing stories from the priests". However, Cruise was eventually expelled from the seminary for stealing liquor from their Franciscan fathers.
After leaving the seminary, Cruise decided to pursue acting instead. He landed his breakout role in the movie "Taps" just before turning 20, and soon after, his career took off with roles in classics like "Risky Business" and "Top Gun".
Despite his subsequent association with Scientology, introduced to him by his first wife, Mimi Rogers, Cruise's Catholic upbringing has continued to influence his life and work. For example, his films "Mission: Impossible" and "Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One" have been noted for their explicit theological themes and references to Catholicism.
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He attended a Catholic seminary
Tom Cruise, born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, had a Catholic upbringing. He spent his childhood in Canada and later moved back to the United States. As a teenager, he met Fr. Ric Schneider, who persuaded him to enter St. Francis Seminary School in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Cruise's close seminary friend, Shane Dempler, recalled that Cruise had a "very strong Catholic faith". He also added that they "went to Mass, spent time in the chapel and enjoyed hearing stories from the priests". Dempler also mentioned that they were "really interested in the priesthood". Cruise himself was sincere about becoming a priest, according to Dempler. However, he was asked to leave the seminary after two years for stealing liquor from their Franciscan fathers.
After leaving the seminary, Cruise decided to pursue acting instead. Within five years, he landed his breakout role in the movie "Taps". Following this, he appeared in Risky Business and Top Gun, which cemented his status as a superstar.
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He considered becoming a priest
Tom Cruise was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1962, to electrical engineer Thomas Cruise Mapother III and special education teacher Mary Lee. Cruise grew up in near poverty and had a Catholic upbringing. He attended fifteen schools in total, spending part of his childhood in Canada.
As a teenager, he met Fr. Ric Schneider, who persuaded him to enter St. Francis Seminary School in Cincinnati, Ohio. According to Shane Dempler, a close seminary friend, Cruise was serious about becoming a priest. Dempler recalled that Cruise "had a very strong Catholic faith" and enjoyed spending time in the chapel and hearing stories from the priests. However, Cruise was asked to leave the seminary after he and Dempler stole liquor from their Franciscan fathers.
After leaving the seminary, Cruise decided to pursue acting instead. Within five years, he landed his breakout role in the movie "Taps," followed by "Risky Business" and "Top Gun."
While Cruise is now best known for his commitment to Scientology, his Catholic past has not been completely left behind. His former wife, Mimi Rogers, who introduced him to Scientology, later claimed in a Playboy interview that he had been considering becoming a monk, which affected their intimacy. This comment caused controversy and was later retracted, with Rogers claiming she had been misinterpreted.
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He was baptised Catholic
Tom Cruise was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1962. He grew up in near poverty and had a Catholic upbringing. His family was Catholic, and he was baptised as an infant. In his youth, he attended a Roman Catholic seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, for two years, with the intention of becoming a priest.
Cruise's close seminary friend, Shane Dempler, recalled that Cruise "had a very strong Catholic faith. We went to Mass, spent time in the chapel and enjoyed hearing stories from the priests. We thought the priests had a great lifestyle and we were really interested in priesthood". Dempler also noted that Cruise was ""sincere about becoming a priest".
Cruise's time at the seminary was, however, cut short when he was expelled for stealing liquor from their Franciscan fathers. He decided to pursue acting instead and landed his breakout role in the movie Taps five years later, just before turning 20. He went on to star in Risky Business and Top Gun, and the rest is cinematic history.
Despite his long association with Scientology, it appears that Cruise's Catholic past hasn't left him completely. His films, particularly the Mission: Impossible series, have been noted to contain a lot of Catholic elements.
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He has since left the Catholic Church
Tom Cruise was born into a Catholic family and had a Catholic upbringing. He attended St. Francis Seminary School in Cincinnati, Ohio, for two years in the early 1980s, with the intention of becoming a priest. According to Shane Dempler, a close seminary friend, Cruise was serious about the priesthood and had a strong Catholic faith.
However, Cruise's time at the seminary was cut short. While some sources claim that he left the school when his family moved from Louisville, Kentucky, to New Jersey, Dempler recalls that Cruise was expelled for stealing liquor from their Franciscan fathers.
After leaving the seminary, Cruise decided to pursue acting instead. He landed his breakout role in the movie "Taps" just before turning 20, and soon after, his career took off with roles in classic films such as "Risky Business" and "Top Gun".
During this time, Cruise's relationship with the Catholic Church also appears to have changed. He has since become known for his commitment to Scientology, a belief system introduced to him by his first wife, Mimi Rogers, in the early 1990s. Since then, he has been deeply involved in the Church of Scientology, raising funds and publicly advocating for it.
While Cruise's current religious beliefs and practices are not entirely clear, it is evident that he has left the Catholic Church and embraced a different spiritual path.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Tom Cruise was raised Catholic and attended a Catholic seminary in his youth.
Yes, Tom Cruise considered becoming a Catholic priest and even attended a Catholic seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, for a couple of years.
Tom Cruise was asked to leave the seminary because he was caught stealing liquor. However, he left the seminary and the idea of becoming a priest when his family moved from Louisville, Kentucky, to New Jersey.
No, Tom Cruise is no longer Catholic. He left the Catholic Church and embraced Scientology when he married his first wife, Mimi Rogers, who had grown up in Scientology.
Some viewers have noted the presence of Catholic themes in Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible" films, such as Catholic processions, crucifixes, and references to the Old Testament.
