The Rev. Canon M. Joanna White
Canon for Pastoral Services
Joanna White serves as the chaplain for clergy, diocesan staff and their families. Joanna graduated from Yale Divinity School and was ordained by the Diocese of New York. Prior to that she studied nursing at Wesley College in Dover, Delaware and obtained a degree in criminal justice while practicing psychiatric nursing. Joanna holds additional master’s degrees in Community Health from Long Island University and Spirituality and Pastoral Care from Loyola University. She has served as rector of three parishes and done combined parish ministry and chaplaincy work, as well as work in recovery services. Joanna lives in Annapolis and has three children and four granddaughters. She has 2 grand-dogs and one ungrateful grand-cat who request to be added to the family listing.
Chaplains serve individuals in unique situations where they are coping with the challenges and opportunities of that environment. It is the task of the Chaplain to help them deepen their spirituality by understanding where God is in their life and hopefully, to discover meaning in the situation as presented. The clergy, staff and lay leaders of the diocese strive to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in a world where there are increasing changes in the traditional church and fewer resources. When a representative of the diocese is there to address the range of personal stressors in the areas of illness, family conflict, finances or the inevitable changes brought about by the reasons stated above, the dedicated clergy, staff and lay leaders feel that their efforts are recognized. As with any large caring family, a crisis seems less daunting when you know you are not alone.
As a chaplain, Joanna seeks to help individuals to find deeper meaning in both the joyful and challenging aspects of their lives. While that sometimes requires extensive work one to one or with families, there are even more instances where a cup of coffee, a willing presence and a shared laugh are needed. Joanna looks forward to creating a program around caring for the caretakers and opening avenues of communication among clergy and staff to share experiences and resources.