Paul Wagner, a father of eight and parishioner of St. Paul in Ham Lake, has witnessed the beauty of humanity in all his children.
During a segment of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show set to air at 9 p.m. July 18 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM, Wagner said, “The Lord has blessed me so much with eight children. … I have the privilege to be able to be their father just to experience their humanity, the beauty of them, their unique differences. … Everyone is unique. They offer different gifts; they have different temperaments and just the little moments. It’s amazing.”
With a schedule as busy as his, Wagner said he believes in sanctifying the day by beginning with the right mindset. He does so through the Liturgy of the Hours or through personal morning prayers.
“Being with the Lord in adoration, I find that when I’m with him he just fills the tank,” Wagner said. “If I’m not filled up … it’s really difficult to manage all the demands, from family to work. Depending on the seasons, I can tell right away if I’m not spiritually centered. I start to get a little more anxiety. I start to get worn down.” He said he also reminds himself: “I just need to focus on the day. Today is the day that the Lord has given me and I just need to focus on today and let tomorrow worry for itself. There’s way too much going on to be able to worry about tomorrow.”
Wagner said with each addition to his family, the Lord has asked him to grow in sanctity.
“As each little one has come, I’ve learned that I can take a lot more,” Wagner said. “I can do more, but I also need to be focused on Christ. Otherwise, the cup is too empty, and I am not able to stay focused, especially with the children. How do I serve them? How do I serve my coworkers and anything if I’m not centered on him (Jesus)?”
When handling difficulties with his children, Wagner said he often hears God’s voice in his mind reminding him that he was also a child at one time.
“So be patient, because we’ve all had our moments,” Wagner has advised other parents. “I’ve certainly had mine in my youth. Even as a father, I can hear (God’s) voice saying, ‘This is you. You know how it feels. I’ve shown you mercy, so be merciful. But be firm as a father needs to be and lead these children. Take the narrow road. Do not get lazy and take the wide path.’”
To hear the full interview with radio show host Patrick Conley, listen to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which repeats at 1 p.m. July 19 and 2 p.m. July 20.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes an interview with The Catholic Spirit photographer Dave Hrbacek about his coverage of a newly ordained priest, Father Zachary Ochsenbauer, and the journey of Father Ochsenbauer’s family. Also, Zach Jansen, the digital content producer for the archdiocese, discusses the spiritual undercurrents of the movie “The Sound of Music.”
Listen to interviews after they have aired at archspm.org/faith-and-discipleship/practicing-catholic or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.?
