Two members of the Blue Ribbon Commission that recently submitted recommendations to Archbishop Bernard Hebda for year three of implementing his pastoral letter said they are convinced that when parents are the first teachers of faith for their children, cultures can change.
Kenna Millea, a parishioner of St. Joseph in West St. Paul and St. Agnes in St. Paul, along with Andrew Wagenbach, a parishioner of St. Michael’s in Stillwater, belong to the 18-member Blue Ribbon Commission preparing for year three (July 2025-June 2026) of implementation. Year three will focus on the proposition: “Form and inspire parents to understand and fulfill their responsibility as the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith.”
When invited to be on the commission by Archbishop Hebda, Wagenbach said that being part of a broader impact at the archdiocesan level was a beautiful gift and opportunity.
“I said yes, because when the archbishop asks you to do something, I think you say yes,” Wagenbach told “Practicing Catholic” radio show producer Kayla Mayer during an interview airing June 21. “As our shepherd, we’re following him as the archbishop. He has the power of authority over all the Catholics here. It’s just such an opportunity to walk with him, to share with him and to, again, show our support as parish workers, as laborers in the vineyard, as he talked about, as an opportunity for us to be able to continue on this path where he hopes the archdiocese goes.”
Millea said that currently, parents in the archdiocese in general do not feel equipped, empowered or supported by the Church to be primary educators for their children. Millea described the work of the commission as “stepping into uncharted waters.”
“Also, the human inclination to shy away from things that are uncomfortable, and being a primary teacher of the faith toward children is uncomfortable,” Millea explained. “What do we need to do to help parents feel like they can be supported, they can be accompanied in the midst of doing something that maybe they didn’t see their parents do and their parents didn’t see their parents do.”
Wagenbach said there is a false conception that the Catholic Church or Catholic schools will take care of fostering the faith in children. A parents’ example in loving Jesus Christ will impact a child’s life more powerfully than any ministry or any program, Wagenbach said.
For parents in the archdiocese dissatisfied with the current culture, Wagenbach said, a new model of educating youth can foster a cultural shift.
“We just need to give parents permission to dive deep, themselves,” Wagenbach said. “I’m most excited to focus on that idea that parents are primary educators, they’re primary catechists, they’re primary disciple makers. They have to show and witness the prayer life and their love of their own faith. I hope that they get excited, that they might get a chance to have an opportunity to grow in faith and grow in their own discipleship because maybe they they’ve never had that opportunity.”
To hear Millea and Wagenbach dive more deeply into some of the resources available for parents, tune in to the “Practicing Catholic” episode that debuts at 9 p.m. June 21 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeats at 1 p.m. June 22 and 2 p.m. June 23.?
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the program also includes a discussion with Allison Spies, the archdiocese’s archives program manager, about the 1941 Eucharistic Congress, which was held in St. Paul. Also, James Shackelford from Encounter Ministries explores talks about the satellite location for the organization’s new School of Healing.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at archspm.org/faith-and-discipleship/practicing-catholic or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.?
