Erin Werneke

Director of Faith Formation
Phone: Ext. 203
Email: Click Here to Email

Erin Werneke joined the Holy Name staff in August, 2025. Erin says: I’m Erin Werneke, the new Director of Faith Formation. I am looking forward to evangelization and discipling the whole family. You may ask, “What does that mean?” Foremost, we need to learn who the Trinity is on a personal level. Then, we are equipped to share the good news within our community - be it home, school, work, parish, or neighborhood. Second, once we’ve started that relationship, we must develop our commitment to learning from and living like Jesus. Third, discipleship formation begins in the home with the family, whatever that may look like. I view catechesis formation in the train-the-trainer format, so parents and adult volunteers are prepped to be catechists and evangelists, and they turn around and teach what they learned. Believe me, you know more than you think.

I taught business at Benilde-St. Margaret’s. I’ve been involved in faith formation and youth ministry since September 1999, when I joined the Newman Center at Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. I currently serve as the AOL den leader for my youngest son’s den. We are getting ready to bridge up to the troop in the spring. My favorite age to work with are high school juniors and seniors—young people preparing to step into the wider world.


My family lives in Shoreview, MN, and we are parishioners at St. Odilia Catholic Church. This means you will find me here on Sunday mornings and over there on Sunday evenings since we help liturgically at the 6 pm Mass. My oldest son, John, will start his first year at Mounds View High School. My youngest son, Seamus, will be a fifth grader at St. Odilia Catholic School.

I’m beginning a Master of Arts in Ministry with a Spiritual Direction Certification at St. John’s University School of Theology. It’s one class at a time, so I’ll still have time to sleep! Along the way, I may invite you to help me with a class project: attending a lecture, trying out an alternative approach, or letting me practice my pastoral skills with you.

Thanks for choosing me to be your Director of Faith Formation, and I look forward to meeting every one of you.