Jerry White

Jerry White

I grew up Baptist in south Minneapolis and was given the choice to stop attending church at the age of about 12. The only time I was in church after that was for weddings and funerals. Fast forward three-plus years, and my life had been taken over by addiction and alcoholism.

Through that crisis I was actually introduced to faith for the very first time as an adult through Alcoholics Anonymous. Over the next 10 years, my wife and I shared our faith together through Joyce Meyer Ministries, but found something lacking: a faith community we could worship with in person. So began the search for a church community with which we could worship with and share our faith.

After several different churches and denominations, my wife suggested the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. She grew up Catholic and wanted to attend Mass there. I had always loved the building from the outside but also thought to myself, “Catholics — a lot of stand up, sit down, ‘thees,’ ‘thous’ and ‘thuses.’ But the next Sunday we went to Mass and even though I had a hard time following along, I fell in love with the Catholic Mass. I loved everything about it: the sounds, the smells and beauty of the space. It felt like this is what church is supposed to be.

The following spring at the Palm Sunday Mass, while standing with the congregation outside on the plaza, I was looking down at the worship aid with a simple depiction of Jesus on the donkey riding into Jerusalem. It struck me that he knew exactly what was going to happen. And I knew right then and there that Jesus died for me. Not us — me. I wept uncontrollably for the next 10 to 15 minutes with tears of joy.

The following fall I went through RCIA, and the following spring I was baptized into the Catholic faith. I became Catholic because I found Jesus amidst the pageantry of a high Catholic Mass. Having all of my senses open to God’s presence, I truly found Christ. That was eight years ago. I’ve been asked by many, “Why on earth would you join that Church with all of the things that have happened and are still happening? Why them?” For me it’s really simple, even with all the problems within the Catholic institution: Our Catholic Mass — whether in English, Spanish, Italian or any other language — is where I found Jesus. So, for me, Mass is home.

White, 57, is a member of the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. He has served in the Minneapolis Fire Department since 1995, and was made captain in 2015. He and his wife will celebrate their 29th anniversary on Valentine’s Day. He has a stepdaughter and two grandchildren.

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