By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
Editor’s Note: We will have a story on the House of Formation in the Dec. 19 issue of The Message.
The House of Discernment is a “great place for people that don’t fully know where they’re supposed to go but kind of are feeling a call to the priesthood in a way,” current House of Discernment resident Noah Esch said.
The Diocese of Evansville’s Father Deydier House of Discernment was opened in the fall of 2018 by Bishop Joseph M. Siegel in the old rectory of the Sacred Heart campus in Evansville, Diocesan Director of Vocations Father Tyler Tenbarge said. The goal of the House of Discernment is to be a place for men who are not sure what they should do yet to get a taste of what seminary could be like, Father Tenbarge said.
“The point is to let a guy who’s less certain about a priestly call to try it out,” Father Tenbarge said. “To get a taste of the prayer life, community, expectations, etc. And then at the end of the year say oh, I’m definitely called to more of this. Or that was nice but it wasn’t for me. By getting a taste of things, say I want more, or good, but not for me. So it’s a place for guys to discern what God is telling them to do with their next step.”
Unlike those men in seminary, those in the House of Discernment’s primary use of their time is either work or school. Father Tenbarge said they do daily prayer, but not as frequently each day as diocesan seminarians. They attend Mass about half the days of the week, versus diocesan seminarians who attend Mass daily.
“If a guy’s in the House of Discernment and he learns how to pray the Breviary at least one of the times of the day, he’ll know that going in,” Father Tenbarge said. “Or he’ll get used to the rhythm of the daily Mass half the days of the week. Or he’ll get used to spiritual direction sometimes but not every week.”
While he tries to get interested men to apply for a school year, Father Tenbarge said the House of Discernment runs on a month-to-month basis. A man interested in discerning can move in any month and leave any month, he said.
Father Tenbarge said the goal is for them to come in at the beginning of a semester and leave at the end of the semester “so you don’t just follow the wave of the high or the low.”
“But a guy could come and go as he pleased based on what his needs are,” Father Tenbarge said. “And so it’s much less pressure or commitment on the House of Discernment side…”
At present, they go back and forth between the House of Formation and House of Discernment for different events, Father Tenbarge said. This includes meeting for supper at the House of Discernment on Mondays and at the House of Formation on Wednesdays. They also meet in the House of Formation for prayer in the chapel, Father Tenbarge said.
Among the four men who resided in the House of Discernment last year, two are currently in first year seminary in the House of Formation. One of the seminarians who lived in the House of Discernment last year and is now a first-year seminarian is Landon Mayer.
“I was working last year as an electrician and the other guys in the house were going to school or working as well,” Meyer said. “And so the most beneficial thing was just the community. Having a core group of guys that you hang out, that you talk to, that you can lean on for support and that you pray with.”
Esch said living in the House of Discernment this year has been “definitely the right choice.” So far, living at the House of Discernment has shown Esch very deeply what the priesthood looks like. It also has shown him a great community around here, with so many people supporting and praying for them, he said.
He said one of his favorite things about his time in the House of Discernment has been being in community with the first year seminarians in the House of Formation.
“I think the opportunity to pray with them is really a blessing,” Esch said. “Like the Liturgy of the Hours, going to adoration with them. I think it really allows you to have people with the same goals as you, which is holiness, and also although they have entered seminary, are still discerning in a way. They’re still trying to figure out and make sure they’re called to priesthood. So I think that’s helpful.”