Colbert the Catholic

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Stephen Colbert is known for his over-the-top conservative pundit persona on his Comedy Central show, but he’s also a devout Catholic who regularly speaks about his faith.

And considering that “The Colbert Report” host will soon be stepping into an entirely new role when he replaces David Letterman on “The Late Show” next year, some are wondering how his religious views could possibly impact his new gig.

After all, Colbert has never minced words when it comes to his faith. In a 2012 interview with the New York Times, the comedian shared his spiritual journey as well as one of the most painful moments of his life: a 1974 plane crash that killed his father and two of his brothers when Colbert was only 10 years old.

“I’m not bitter about what happened to me as a child, and my mother was instrumental in keeping me from being so,” he told the Times.

Colbert said his mother, who died last year, taught him to be thankful regardless of life’s difficulties.

“She taught me to be grateful for my life regardless of what that entailed, and that’s directly related to the image of Christ on the cross and the example of sacrifice that he gave us,” he told the Times. “What she taught me is that the deliverance God offers you from pain is not no pain — it’s that the pain is actually a gift. What’s the option? God doesn’t really give you another choice.”