Now-Fr. Patrick Gonyeau, then a seminarian at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, leads a group of young men in prayer during a 2012 religious freedom rally in Detroit. Fr. Gonyeau serves as one of four regional directors of the Watchmen, a gorup for men ages 16-55 who meet to discuss questions pertaining to vocations.Mike Stechschulte | Michigan Catholic file photo
Metro Detroit — The decision to join the seminary can be daunting.
In discerning such a serious academic, spiritual and life commitment, it’s good to have a place to go to openly discuss where God might be leading a young man.
That’s where the Watchmen come in.
“These groups are designed for men who are trying to discern or figure out what their calling in life is or what their vocation is,” said Fr. John Kopson, associate pastor of Divine Child Parish in Dearborn and south regional vocations promoter for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Fr. Kopson helps direct one of four regional no-pressure discernment groups in the Archdiocese of Detroit for men ages 16-55 who meet in an informal setting to discuss questions about the seminary and priesthood, including what it means to discern.
“These groups are intended to teach men about discernment, how to seek the mind of God and what to do with one’s life,” he said.
Men involved in the Watchmen are at different stages of discernment, and the groups are intended to be a place of discussion, fellowship and prayer. The 16-55 age range is a diverse group, but Fr. Jeffrey Allen, associate pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Port Huron and northeast regional vocations promoter, said that diversity strengthens the discussions.
Pre-theologate students at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio gather for evening prayer. Low-pressure discernment groups, such as the Watchment in the Archdiocese of Detroit can play a role in helping men of all ages determine God's will for their lives, local vocations promoters say.“There’s an understanding that men come into the priesthood at different points in their lives,” said Fr. Allan, who with Fr. Kopson was ordained last year. “Some come into the seminary right after high school, because they have been discerning since they were 15. Then we have people who’re looking into the priesthood as a second career option. We’ve had men recently ordained in their 50s, so we try to be as open as possible, regardless where people are in the discernment process.”
There is no set “discerning state,” according to Fr. Kopson, but rather it’s a fluid process of prayer and discussion.
“Discerning is figuring out what God wants a person to do with their life,” Fr. Kopson said. “People discern all the time: figuring out what college to attend, what major they should have, where to get a job. This is about finding out what might be God’s will and praying about it.”
The biggest thing the regional vocations promoters stress is the informality of the Watchmen, inviting people to come even if they’re not sure they’re discerning about the priesthood.
“This is a time to come together with different guys at different places in the lives and just talk,” said Fr. Paul Snyder, administrator at St. Mary Parish in Royal Oak and northwest regional vocations promoter. “Some who attended have spent a lot of time praying and talking about the priesthood, others may feel they have nobody to talk to, and they are just curious. It’s a low-pressure way to ask questions about the priesthood, and discuss with like-minded men some of the experiences they have gone through.”
The Watchmen just started meeting and plan to meet once every two months. Right now, the groups are working on getting to know one another and finding a place to pray, eat and talk.
Fr. Snyder said there is no set playbook for discernment, but there are common themes.
“Discernment is different for everybody, but each person is trying to figure how they know where the Lord is calling them,” said Fr. Snyder, who was ordained in 2012. “A lot of guys may have questions with what a priest does on a daily basis.”
Watchmen leaders stress even when a person decides to enter the seminary, the discernment process isn’t over until that person receives Holy Orders.
“The seminary is a house of discernment, so it is a win-win for guys who feel it is right for them,” Fr. Allan said. “You either are called to the priesthood or to the married life, and that’s a good thing, too. What the seminary wants is for candidates to have a little certitude and seriousness when they enter theology than once you start with philosophy; there is no 100 percent commitment.”
The same goes for the Watchmen, who view the ministry less as a way to recruit potential seminarians, but rather a fact-finding mission to discuss whether the seminary is right for someone.
“The biggest thing we want people to know about entering the seminary is that they aren’t signing the dotted line,” Fr. Kopson said. “Likewise, this group isn’t a commitment, it’s a forum.”
The Watchmen
To learn more about the Watchmen discernment groups, visit DetroitPriest.com or contact:
Northwest Region: Fr. Paul Snyder, (248) 547-1818
Northeast Region: Fr. Jeffrey Allan, (810) 984-2689
South Region: Fr. John Kopson, (313) 277-3110
Central Region: Fr. Patrick Gonyeau, (248) 541-4122
