Liam Neeson Reveals Why He Ceased Attending Confession Following a Reprimand Regarding Masturbation

Liam Neeson’s confessional experiences took a scarring turn when he was a teenager. The acclaimed Northern Irish actor details this incident, which he has kept to himself for decades, in a recently released clip for Conan O’Brien’s podcast. Neeson’s honesty during his confession about his discovery of masturbation led to a shocking reaction from a traveling missionary, ultimately causing him to swear off confession forever.

Neeson humorously recounts the moment he first learned about masturbation, eagerly looking up the term and pondering how harmless it seemed. However, the confession took an unexpected turn when, as a 15-year-old, Neeson finally revealed his self-pleasuring practices. The missionary’s explosive reaction reverberated through the church, causing old women outside the confessional to begin praying fervently. Neeson mimics the dismayed missionary, who vehemently denounced his actions with booming declarations such as, “The grass will grow over the palm of your hand before you’re 21! Stop that evil practice!” The traumatic experience left Neeson swearing never to return to the confessional.

At the time of this mortifying incident, Neeson was still active in his amateur boxing endeavors. Although receiving a visit from a missionary was typically a momentous occasion in Neeson’s town, the aftermath of this particular confessional experience left a lasting impression. In a separate interview with GQ in 2014, Neeson referred to these missionaries as “weird guys” but acknowledged that there were also many good men and women among them. Additionally, Neeson shared that one local priest had given him the nickname “Liam” and taught him the Mass in Latin as part of his training.

Neeson’s full conversation with Conan O’Brien is eagerly anticipated and set to be released on Monday. This candid discussion offers a rare glimpse into the actor’s personal history and sheds light on the factors that shaped his views on confession and spirituality.