Did you know that the patron saint of actors is a convert?
His name was Genesius—and before his conversion, he was working as an actor, performing in plays that made a mockery of all kinds of things, especially Christianity. One day, when doing a performance for the emperor Diocletian, Genesius came to the portion of the play that was making fun of Baptism. While acting that scene, he had a profound experience of God’s presence, and an immediate conversion.
This was in the early 4th century, when Diocletian had developed a reputation for hunting down and persecuting Christians. Genesius proclaimed his newfound faith, and the emperor was furious, handing him over to be tortured and beheaded. Though given the opportunity to denounce his newfound faith, Genesius was willing to suffer heroically for the name of the Lord he had once mocked.
We talked to Ashley Stinnett—a convert with a filmmaking background—about his own conversion, and the extraordinary way that St. Genesius ended up becoming his confirmation saint.
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CHN: What kind of faith background did you come from?
Ashley: I grew up United Methodist but considered myself a Protestant mutt. I left the UM church shortly after high school and was a member of a Freewill Baptist church for several years. After college I was a Pentecostal for nearly 15 years before finally coming home to the Catholic Church.
How did you get into acting?
I started acting in theatre as a child and then later as a hobby all through middle and high school. I got into acting professionally in 2001, working on a show called Dawson’s Creek. One of my favorite aspects of the industry is meeting so many unique and diverse individuals from all walks of life, and learning about their lives and stories.
When and how did you start to become interested in the Catholic Faith?
I became deeply interested in the Catholic faith during college and even started RCIA way back in 2005 through a friend who attended a parish in West Virginia. Unfortunately, my grandmother had a stroke, which required my mother and I to move in and take care of her of full-time. This difficult period of my life forced me to step away from RCIA, but I never lost the interest or the desire to learn more about the Church and her history.
How did you end up coming across St. Genesius, and what was it like to discover him?
During the final process of RCIA, we were asked to research and pick our confirmation saint. I had no clue where to begin since there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of saints. So, I started to research if there were any saints that represented actors or entertainers and sure enough, I found St. Genesius of Rome.
His story, his conversion, and his ultimate martyrdom—as well as the fact that his feast day is on my birthday (August 25)—was such a powerful and spiritual moment in my life. It moved me to tears and confirmed it was divine intervention for me to get confirmed with his name.
What would you say to anyone who’s interested in becoming Catholic but is struggling to find a confirmation saint?
To those who are struggling to find their saint, I would say to pray about it first. I would recommend researching a saint that best represents who you are, or what obstacles you have overcome in your life, because so many of our saints had their own deep personal struggles. The good news is there is a saint out there for literally everyone, no matter your background or circumstance.
It isn’t always an easy choice, but never make your choice on impulse because it such an important and meaningful decision. Take your time, do your homework, speak to your RCIA brothers and sisters, talk to your priest, and most importantly, stay in faithful prayer.
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Ashley Stinnett is an American actor, author, writer and filmmaker. Ashley currently resides in West Virginia with his wife and three sons. His filmography is at IMDB.com and he can also be found on Instagram:@ashleystinnettactor
