Sir Alec Guinness is best known as having played Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. Guinness was born in 1914 in London, England, as Alec Guinness de Cuffe. His mother's maiden name was Agnes Cuff. The identity of Guinness's father has never been confirmed. Guinness believed that his father was a Scottish banker, Andrew Geddes, who paid for Guinness's education. Geddes also visited Guinness and his mother, posing as an uncle. Alec was confirmed in the Anglican faith at 16; but he later tried Presbyterianism, atheism, Marxism, Buddhism, and even the Quaker sect. .Guinness married the actress Merula Sylvia Salaman (1914–2000) in 1938; and in 1940, they had a son, Matthew Guinness. He conversion started when he was 40 years old in France working on the film Father Brown. This series is based on G. K. Chesterton's novels about a detective priest. Guinness was playing the role of Fr. Brown and was dressed in a cassock as a Catholic priest. When walking down the street in costume, a child saw him and thought him to be a priest. The child grabbed his hand, and walked with him down the road; afterwards saying goodbye Father. He later explained:
“Continuing my walk, I reflected that a Church that could inspire such confidence in a child, making priests, even when unknown, so easily approachable, could not be as scheming or as creepy as so often made out. I began to shake off my long-taught, long-absorbed prejudices.”
Then his 11 year old son Matthew was struck with polio and thought be near death. Guinness then started visiting a Catholic church to pray. Alec made a deal with God: if God healed Matthew, he would allow his son to become Catholic.
Then them miracle happened; his son recovered. Guinness then enrolled Matthew in a Jesuit Catholic school. These events led to Alec's conversion at the age of 42. A few years later, his wife, and his son all converted to Catholicism.
Guinness was a faithful Catholic till his death in 2000. (with Information from Wikipedia and This Rock Magazing 2005)
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