VEYO :: Diocesan House of Discernment

On behalf of the Bishop of Peterborough and under the auspices of the diocesan Office for Vocations the House of Discernment assists young men, typically between the ages of 18-30, in the discernment and development of a possible priestly vocation, providing them with the foundation for subsequent entry into seminary through spiritual discernment and direction, shared community life of prayer and worship; spiritual, personal and intellectual development; and pastoral service.

To provide a prayerful environment for residents discerning a call to the ministerial priesthood.
To provide the spiritual, personal, pastoral, communal and intellectual tools necessary to help a resident discern a call to ministerial priesthood.
To assist with a smooth transition from secular life to seminary formation.
To prepare, in a preliminary way, young men for a possible service as priests with special emphasis on their generosity of spirit, their dedication to the Church’s mission and their readiness to serve.

Candidates for residency in the House of Discernment must be at least 18 years of age, show sufficient maturity, faith and a serious desire to enter upon a process of discernment. Candidates must have completed their high school formation; may have been enrolled in university or college; may already possess undergraduate/graduate degrees or may have already been in the work force. For the duration of residency in the House outside work or studies are not likely compatible with the daily and weekly schedule. Exceptions can only be allowed based upon the assessment by the Director.

The standard length of stay is six months to one year. Once selected, residents would enter the House and follow its schedule and programs until they leave the House. In special circumstances, residency could be extended for a second period. Near the conclusion of this time, a resident would decide together with the Director if he intends to apply to the Diocese to be admitted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Peterborough.

The primary purpose of the House of Discernment is vocational discernment. The House is to be considered a pre-seminary institution of the Diocese of Peterborough and, therefore, residents are subject to the discipline, structure and schedule as outlined in the attached program. Proper discernment requires an environment of quiet and prayer in order to be able to investigate whether God is calling the candidates to priestly ministry. Major components of the discernment process include the following areas:

Growth in the spiritual life is at the heart of the House of Discernment. Formed by the Word of God and nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ, residents are encouraged to develop a personal discipline of both private and public prayer within a Christian faith community. They are called to fall deeper and deeper in love with Christ!

Prayer: The daily celebration of the Eucharist along with the Liturgy of the Hours creates the rhythm of spiritual discernment. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, days of recollection, an annual retreat, meditation, Marian devotion, spiritual reading and private prayer all contribute to individual and community life. Prayer is paramount to a priest's life and, therefore, also to the life of those who wish to discern a vocation to the priesthood.

Spiritual Direction: Each resident has a priest spiritual director, assigned by the Bishop, with whom he meets at least twice per month. This director assists the resident in discerning the movement of the Holy Spirit in his life, helping him to recognize and respond to God's personal communication, and to grow in intimacy with Jesus Christ. The spiritual director offers support, guidance, encouragement and insight all in the context of a private and confidential relationship.

Conversion of Life: Christ preached conversion of life as a preparation for the coming of the Kingdom. In desiring to pattern his life after Jesus Christ, a candidate should bear witness in his own life to the ideals of sacrificial love, simplicity of life, and obedient service. In order to make a free and mature vocational choice concerning the ministerial priesthood, residents must approach the sacrament of confession frequently to remove any spiritual obstacles in the discernment process and to be able to commit himself to:

Community Life: Self-awareness and the commitment to grow, hallmarks of the human development that underlies spiritual maturity, are encouraged and facilitated in the dynamics of community life and through individual and group conferences with the Director of the House or invited speakers. Personal growth is a process of recognizing God-given gifts and transforming areas of weakness into ministerial tools for building the Kingdom of God. Communal living fosters discipline.

Balanced Living: Residents are encouraged to develop a healthy rhythm of life, balancing academic work, apostolic service and community involvement with prayer, reflection, leisure, physical exercise, proper nutrition, silence and solitude.

Personal Goals: Upon initially entering the House, each resident defines in writing clear, attainable goals towards which they intend to work over the course of the residency. These goals are the topic of frequent discussion between the resident and his spiritual director as well as with the Director or the Bishop.

Ministry to Those in Need: Priesthood is a call to service. An essential element in the process of discernment is a ready and generous dedication to the service of Christ and His Church. Opportunities for direct service to people in need challenge those discerning a vocation to experience the personal dimension of priestly life. With guidance provided by the Director of the House, residents learn to integrate their pastoral experiences with their spiritual, personal and academic development.

Ministry Placements: Hours per week in particular ministry placements are tailored to fit an individual's discernment process. Placements may likely rotate so that residents could experience a diverse range of pastoral situations. Placements could include parish faith formation programs, youth ministry, RCIA, schools, visits to the hospitalized, homebound or incarcerated and assistance at local shelters. Residents also have the opportunity to observe the daily activities of priests and will be asked to help with events and administration of the diocesan Vocations, Evangelization and Youth Office (VEYO).

Human Experience: The emphasis in the pastoral service component of discernment is on the human experience as well as on the ministerial service provided. Residents have frequent opportunities to reflect on their ministry experiences with the other residents of the House, integrating their experiences into their overall discernment of diocesan priesthood. Part of such human growth is a structured assistance with the maintenance and upkeep of the House and its facilities.

A resident's primary academic responsibility is his personal course of studies. Spiritual reading is part of the daily schedule and a list of suitable literature will be provided upon entry. In addition, residents are encouraged to take advantage of the house library, containing works on philosophy, theology, Scripture, Church history, homiletics, priestly formation, and spirituality.

Interested candidates may request an application for the House of Discernment from the Diocesan Vocations Office. The application is fairly extensive and includes autobiographical notes, some basic personal information and letters of reference.

Applications are accepted throughout the year. Personal interviews are conducted prior to entering. During the interview the candidate will be asked to present himself and his intentions which will be helpful in assessing the candidate's maturity, time and ability to enter into a focused time of discernment.

At the end of the candidate’s residency a formal evaluation will take place, a final interview will be conducted with the candidate and a recommendation will be submitted to the Bishop who will make the final decision as to the candidate’s eligibility for the seminary. The contents of spiritual direction will, of course, remain confidential and will not enter into this final evaluation.

For sufficiently grave reasons and upon due communication, a candidate may be asked to leave the House of Discernment at any time. If a candidate, who was asked to leave or left the House out his own volition, applies for re-admission or for admission as a seminarian, a thorough process will be made prior to (re-)entry in order to determine the reasonableness of such a move.

The cost to the Diocese of Peterborough for proper operation of the House of Discernment and its program is substantial. While the program is a service to those discerning a call to the ministerial priesthood and remains as such free of charge, a nominal financial contribution of $ 200.00 per month is being requested from the candidate. This financial contribution may be waved for serious reasons or may be increased based on the candidate’s or his family’s financial abilities.

Please note that the above description of the nature and purpose of the diocesan House of Discernment has been approved by the Bishop of Peterborough and is subject to change at his discretion without prior notice given to the candidates applying or those in residence.

Attached are a weekly schedule and an application form. The weekly schedule is likewise subject to change, but serves as a basis for the program offered to the candidates.

The Director of the House of Discernment, VEYO Centre
208 Romaine Street
Peterborough, ON K9J 2C4

phone 705-749-0330
fax 705-749-0339