{"id":490542,"date":"2026-10-09T16:52:40","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T16:52:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/490542\/"},"modified":"2026-10-09T16:52:40","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T16:52:40","slug":"dioceses-is-creating-a-house-of-discernment-for-men-considering-priesthood-a-first-for-oc-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/490542\/","title":{"rendered":"Dioceses is creating a House of Discernment for men considering priesthood, a first for OC \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"

A former convent in Orange is being transformed into a communal house for men considering the priesthood, a first of its kind in Orange County and one of just a few Catholic residential programs in the United States.<\/p>\n

A blessing ceremony for the project was led this week by the Most Rev. Kevin Vann<\/a>, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange<\/a>. A sacramental rite of blessing was performed by several priests who sprinkled holy water throughout every room on both floors, many of which have been taken down to their bare wood walls.<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People pray as Bishop Kevin Vann blesses a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A sample bedroom inside a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

An original 1930s stained glass sits in a door at a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"After<\/p>\n

After Martin Latiff blesses a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"After<\/p>\n

After Martin Latiff blesses a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People pray as Bishop Kevin Vann blesses a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The original 1930s chapel inside a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"After<\/p>\n

After Martin Latiff blesses a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"After<\/p>\n

After Martin Latiff blesses a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 10<\/p>\n

People pray as Bishop Kevin Vann blesses a future House of Discernment on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Santa Ana. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and The Orange Catholic Foundation are converting the former Santa Ana convent into a 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)
\n in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

When renovations are completed in fall or winter, the House of Discernment will serve as a residential, dormitory-style community where men who are considering the priesthood can live for a period of prayer, vocational testing and formation.<\/p>\n

Renovation of the two-story, 5,800-square-foot structure, believed to be 105 years old, began earlier this year.<\/p>\n

The Orange Catholic Foundation has been tasked with raising $3.5 million to complete the renovations and add furnishings to the building.<\/p>\n

During visitors\u2019 time in the home, diocesan leaders will have a chance to get better acquainted with and gauge the readiness of the future priests, said Fr. Cheeyoon Chun, director of priestly vocations for the diocese.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this is what our Lord wants,\u201d Chun said. \u201cTo provide a space for young men in our diocese to come away from the world and to live together in community and to really intentionally discern the call to the priesthood.\u201d<\/p>\n

This early formation helps ensure those who continue to seminary are ready to embrace the lifelong vocation, he said.<\/p>\n

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange lived in the former convent from 1932 to 1971, teaching at the adjacent St. Joseph Catholic School. The house served as the sisters\u2019 first stable residence after the congregation relocated from Eureka to Orange in 1922.<\/a><\/p>\n

In 1959, the sisters relocated to the newly built brick \u201cMotherhouse\u201d<\/a> along Batavia Street in Orange.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we help build this house, we build on what has come before here,\u201d Bishop Vann said.<\/p>\n

When completed, the house will have seven bedrooms for discerners, each containing a bed, sink and desk.<\/p>\n

The house will also have a living room, dining room, outdoor garden patio space and a chapel, as well as a visiting priest\u2019s suite and a bedroom for the on-site priest who will manage the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we believe in the communion of saints, we believe that the spirits of those who lived here are still present,\u201d said Sister Mary Beth Ingham, who serves as general superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph. \u201cThe prayers of those who prayed here are still present. The tears of those who wept here are still present. So that they\u2019re going to be the support and the strength for the young men who will be living here.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A former convent in Orange is being transformed into a communal house for men considering the priesthood, a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":490543,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164,7,36569,23,171,611,6163],"class_list":["post-490542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-california","tag-christ-cathedral","tag-local-news","tag-orange","tag-orange-county","tag-religion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/490542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=490542"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/490542\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/490543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=490542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=490542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=490542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}