A FORMER CONVENT IN SANTA ANA is becoming a special communal house for men considering the priesthood, a first of its kind in Orange County and one of few such houses in the United States.
The House of Discernment — part of the St. Joseph Catholic Church and School property near Santa Ana’s French Park — will have dormitory-style living conditions that give diocesan leaders a chance to get better acquainted with future priests and to gauge their maturity and readiness. Currently, the diocese chooses and sponsors men for a seminary after conducting interviews, background checks and hosting group events. With the House of Discernment, that process would be significantly enhanced by having them complete extended stays in an environment of brotherhood — where, through various meetings, prayer and daily obligations, they can demonstrate their commitment, responsibility and holiness before entering the seminary.
FR. ERIALDO RAMIREZ ALFARO, PAROCHIAL VICAR AT ST. NORBERT, ORANGE, BLESSES THE HOUSE OF DISCERNMENT ON OCT. 6. PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Bishop Kevin Vann blessed the house during a short ceremony on Oct. 6, with various benefactors, priests, and members of The Orange Catholic Foundation and Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange in attendance. The Orange Catholic Foundation has been tasked with raising $3.5 million to add furnishings and fully renovate the building, which is believed to date to around 1915. Between 1932 and 1971, it was a convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph before being used by the adjacent St. Joseph school. However, the aging 5,800-square-foot structure has long needed a major renovation, which began earlier this year.
“Well-formed priests are not an accident,” said Fr. Cheeyoon Chun, director of priestly vocations for the Diocese of Orange. “The House of Discernment will offer men the opportunity to live in fraternity with fellow discerners, receive spiritual direction and participate in intentional human, spiritual and pastoral formation. This early formation helps ensure those who continue to seminary are ready to embrace this lifelong vocation.”
BISHOP KEVIN VANN BLESSES THE NEW HOUSE OF DISCERNMENT IN SANTA ANA DURING A CEREMONY ON OCT. 6.
The diocese is aiming to complete the project by fall 2027. The House of Discernment will have seven simple bedrooms for discerners (containing a bed, sink and desk) that use two large shared bathrooms. It will also have a dining room, living room, outdoor garden patio space and a chapel, as well as visiting priest’s suite and a bedroom for the on-site priest who manages the house.
The diocese wishes to preserve the original spiritual and architectural character of the property, including the refurbishment of the chapel’s stained-glass windows, while adapting the building into a specialized, 21st-century home for faith and discernment.
“The House of Discernment is more than a building restoration,” said Kathleen Hurtt, executive director of The Orange Catholic Foundation. “It is an investment in the men who may one day bless you with the sacraments, walk alongside your family or lead your parish in faith. We have a short timeline because we have so many men expressing interest in the priesthood.”
FR. CHEEYOON CHUN, DIRECTOR OF PRIESTLY VOCATIONS IN THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE, ADDRESSES GUESTS ON OCT. 6.
Men will live at the home for varied periods ranging from a few weeks to a year, allowing the diocese to journey with them from the very beginning of their call to priesthood through their ordination.
“Breathing new life into the historic convent will honor the Sisters of St. Joseph legacy while offering discerners the chance to remain in Orange County, rather than leaving the communities that shaped their faith,” added Fr. Cheeyoon. “They will determine if God truly is calling them to become a priest and make the eight-year commitment to the seminary.”
Sr. Mary Beth Ingham, CSJ, general superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, noted how her order was missioned at St. Joseph’s and its neighboring convent for decades.
“Here, we were educators and members of the parish community,” she said. “We shared life with the thousands that came through these doors and formed their faith here, united in the hopes and prayers for the local community and the world. It is part of our Sisters of St. Joseph tradition to support others to carry good works forward.
“We are grateful to Bishop Vann and the diocesan community that this residence where we daily experienced the Holy Spirit, will continue to influence those in discernment who seek to serve our beautiful, yet wounded world, sharing the Great Love of God with every person they encounter.”
The Orange Catholic Foundation is actively raising funds to support the project. Naming opportunities for key spaces will be available, such as for the chapel, prayer garden, formation library, dining room and kitchen.
For more information about the House of Discernment and to donate, visit OrangeCatholicFoundation.org/hod