By Amy White
The Texas Catholic
After the loss of a loved one changed the direction of Erica Whatley’s life, she began a search for God that led her to the Catholic Church, the parishioner of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Parish in Rockwall said.
A convert to Catholicism, Whatley received a foundation of faith from her parents, who raised her in the Lutheran religion. The practice of prayer shaped her upbringing — during meals, before bed, at church on Sundays; but by the time she reached adulthood, Whatley’s relationship with God had become increasingly distant.
Then, her whole life changed.
“The real turning point in my search for faith came when my firstborn son, Mason, died at daycare at just 11 weeks old. He would be 14 today,” said Whatley, who is also a mother to three daughters.
Whatley’s love and concern for her son did not simply stop at his death, she said. In her grief, she wanted to know that Mason was okay; and she began to ponder the life that comes after death.
“I kept asking myself, ‘How can heaven be a happy place if a baby doesn’t have his mamma?’” she said. “That question sent me searching through the Bible and Christianity for a deeper understanding of what I believed.”
Whatley started to think more intentionally about faith; and eventually, she began visiting various churches with her family, looking for a spiritual home.
“We visited Lutheran, Methodist, and Bible churches,” she said. “There were good things about each, but I kept leaving with a feeling that something was missing.”
As she searched, Whatley felt drawn to the reverence she found in the Catholic Church; but she also found the faith intimidating at times. The tradition and meaning behind the various parts of the Mass, for example, could be confusing to someone raised in another religion.
Then, she found Father Mike Schmitz’s “The Bible in a Year” podcast; and, over the course of three years, she made her way through the Scriptures, guided by the priest. Father Schmitz’s explanations helped Whatley to grasp Catholic teachings, and his preaching instilled in her the significance of the Eucharist. The podcast opened the door to Catholicism for Whatley, who was fully initiated into the Church during a crowded Easter vigil at Our Lady of the Lake a few years ago.
“For years, I thought Catholicism was beautiful, but also that I wasn’t ‘good enough’ to be Catholic,” Whatley said. “Now when I walk into Mass, I feel peace.”
Since joining the Church, the Our Lady of the Lake parishioner has served her faith community by supporting youth faith formation, participating in the welcome committee, and starting a small laundry ministry for low- and no-income families at a local laundromat.
“I started a laundry ministry, because I noticed that people could find help with food and other essentials, but the cost of doing laundry was an overlooked need,” Whatley said. “What surprised me is how much of the ministry happens while the machines are running. Laundry takes time, and people talk. I meet people who are carrying real worries and sometimes just need someone to listen.”
Though Whatley started the ministry on her own, Our Lady of the Lake has helped sustain it though quarter drives and donations of laundry detergent and dryer sheets, she said.
“I’ve seen that community’s generosity firsthand through the parish’s support of the laundry ministry,” the parishioner shared. “Our Lady of the Lake has helped us understand that church is more than a place we attend on Sundays. It’s a place where we belong and where we can serve.”
Through her faith, Whatley said she has discovered the call to not simply believe in God but to live for him — even as she continues to grapple with lingering questions about suffering, loss, and death.
“Learning about Jesus’ suffering has also helped me believe that God is not indifferent to ours; I believe he grieves with us,” she said. “Catholicism hasn’t answered every question I have, especially the painful ones about Mason, but it has taught me to trust God without having every answer.”
“I’m Catholic because this is where I’ve found the reverence, understanding, community, and sense of purpose that I was searching for,” Whatley continued, “and because it challenges me to live that faith every day.”
Editor’s Note: Do you have an answer to the question: Why are you Catholic? Email [email protected] with a few details about your story of faith for consideration in The Texas Catholic’s “Why I am Catholic” series.
Cutline for featured image: Erica Whatley, a parishioner of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Parish in Rockwall, is pictured at her parish on Oct. 28. Whatley shared her story of faith with The Texas Catholic as part of the “Why I am Catholic” series. (AMY WHITE/The Texas Catholic)
