After a dark turn, Shia LaBeouf finds a new faith

Shia LaBeouf returns to the screen to star in "Padre Pio" 1:08

(CNN) --

Shia LaBeouf says he turned to Catholicism after a dark period in his life.

The actor, who was raised within the Jewish and Christian traditions, spoke with Bishop Robert Barron of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries to discuss how his faith has helped him.

• Shia LaBeouf, from "Transformers", receives treatment for alcoholism

LaBeouf says he began studying Catholicism while preparing for his next film, "Padre Pio," about the saint of the same name.

"Seeing that other people who have sinned beyond what I could imagine are also found in Christ made me feel, 'Oh, that gives me hope,'" she said.

"I started hearing experiences from other depraved people who had found their way into this and it made me feel like I had permission."

LaBeouf said that at one point he felt suicidal and experienced deep shame over events in his life.

"He had a gun on the table. He was with one foot on the other side," LaBeouf said.

"He didn't want to be alive when this all happened. Shame like he's never experienced before: the kind of shame that makes you forget how to breathe. You don't know where to go. You can't go out and get a taco."

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"But I also had this deep desire to hang on," he added.

At the time, LaBeouf was going through a tumultuous period in both his personal and professional life.

While preparing for his new role, LaBeouf lived in a monastery with Capuchin Franciscan friars.

"Now I know that God was using my ego to draw me to Him. It was turning me away from worldly desires. It was all happening simultaneously. But there would have been no impulse for me to get in the car and drive [to the monastery] if I didn't think, 'Oh, I'm going to save my career,'" he said.

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Shia LaBeouf