The Catholic Defender: Ricardo Montalban a Devout Catholic his faith the most important thing in his life

Ricardo Montalbán was a deeply devout Roman Catholic who openly proclaimed that his religion was the single most important thing in his life. Despite the intense professional pressures of Hollywood, he practiced his faith with uncompromising integrity throughout his seven-decade career.

Montalbán's deep spirituality was forged during his youth in Mexico. Growing up during a period when the leftist government actively persecuted the Catholic Church, a young Montalbán had to attend secret, forbidden catechism classes taught by a brave French priest. This early exposure to faith under pressure anchored his devotion for the rest of his life

Montalbán's faith went far beyond personal devotion. He actively contributed to the Catholic community and lent his famous baritone voice to countless religious productions. In recognition of his lifetime of meritorious service to the Church, Pope John Paul II made him a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great (KSG) in 1998, which is the highest honor a Catholic lay person can receive from the Vatican.

He was a dedicated member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild in Beverly Hills.

 For over 60 years, he supported Holy Cross Father Patrick Peyton’s Family Theater Productions. He hosted the docudrama Fatima, narrated the documentary The Face: Jesus in Art, and participated in Voz Latina: Radio for the Latin Explosion.

 When asked about his Hollywood image as a "Latin lover," Montalbán proudly countered that the true definition of a great lover was a faithful family man—like his own father, who was married for 53 years

 Closely following his faith, Montalbán prioritized his 63-year marriage to actress Georgiana Young, with whom he raised four children. He famously rejected Hollywood's "Latin lover" stereotype in his personal life, defining a true lover as a man of faith who can commit to making one woman happy for a lifetime.

 He was married to actress Georgiana Young for 63 years until her death in 2007. He frequently noted that his marriage and family were the closest seconds to his faith

 Even after suffering a major, debilitating spinal injury later in life that caused chronic pain, Montalbán relied on his spiritual foundation to maintain his trademark poise, dignity, and kindness.

 He frequently wrote and spoke about shifting his spiritual mindset away from self-centered requests to praying for the burdens of others. He was a regular attendee of the 4:00 AM "Actors' Chapel" Sunday Mass at St. Malachy's in New York early in his career and later belonged to the Good Shepherd Parish in Beverly Hills. 

In recognition of his lifelong devotion and his extensive work with Catholic media initiatives (such as Family Theater Productions), Pope John Paul II bestowed upon him one of the church's highest honors. In 1998, Montalbán was made a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great (KSG), the highest honor a Catholic layperson can receive from the Vatican.