SUNDAY MASS IS CELEBRATED AT 10:00 AM
The Benedictine monastic life is a life of balance and variety. You will notice that we pray, read, work, and recreate. Although our prayer life is the most important aspect of our monastic life, other happenings in our daily life compliment and balance our prayer times. This is the "good life" in which God is glorified in all things. The following is our weekday schedule.
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6:45 a.m. |
Every monk has their own private rooms, which are traditionally called, cells. The monastic cells are simple, with bed, desk, and sink. Showers and toilets are down the
hall. We awake at our own at different times; some like to get an early
cup of coffee, others like to go to chapel early, some go for early morning walks. Monks are
in chapel for morning prayer (Lauds) at 6:45. The Psalms are recited except
on Sundays and feast days when they are sung. |
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After Lauds |
Monks have time before breakfast for private prayer, meditation or
lectio divina (spiritual reading). |
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7:30 a.m. |
Different
monks take turns cooking breakfast. Each morning brings us cold cerial to eat, except Sunday's in which a cooked breakfast is served. Breakfast is eaten in silence except on Sundays and feast
days. It is a "come and go" breakfast. |
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8:00 a.m. |
Work begins
for all. Jobs are usually assigned each day, sometimes the same job for a
few days. A monk may find himself working on a variety of occupations. |
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9:30 a.m. |
Monks and
can take a 15 minute optional coffee break in the dining room. |
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10:30 a.m. |
This is time for lectio divina
(spiritual reading), usually done in their monastic cell. The abbey
has a collection of over 20,000 books to choose from, although the Bible is always the preferred choice for reading. |
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11:30 a.m. |
The
Eucharist and Day Prayer are prayed in chapel. This is the center of our day. |
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12:15 p.m. |
Lunch is
always abundant and delicious; there is in addition fresh fruits, peanut
butter and jelly. The main cook for lunch and supper is our
neighbor, Vicky; on her days off Don or Kim. Br James helps out also. Guests often join us for this meal during
which there is always talking. |
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After lunch |
Free time
to rest or pursue any personal interest. |
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1:30 p.m. |
Return to
work, often continuing the job begun in the morning. . |
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3:15 p.m. |
Monks and
can take a 15 minute optional coffee break in the dining room. |
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5: 00 p.m. |
Monks gather in chapel for evening prayer (Vespers). This is always
sung as monks have been doing for centuries. In chapel, the monks always
wear their black habits. On Saturday and Sundays as well as Solemnities, incense is used, and special organ processionals/recessionals are played to add to the Solemnity. |
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After Vespers |
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is available daily. |
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6:00 p.m. |
All gather in the dining hall and wait for the abbot to
pray the
Angelus and meal blessing. Then, following seniority, the monks go through the line to select their food. This is the main meal for the day. A monk reads aloud from a book read during the meal, all others are silent and listening. |
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After Supper |
The
associate has time to do more lectio divina (spiritual reading) or studying.
It is a quiet time
until Vigils (night prayers). |
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7:30 p.m. |
Monks come together in the chapel for the last time in the day to pray Vigils.
At the end, a hymn in
Latin is sung to the Blessed Virgin Mary. |
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After Vigils |
Some will
gather in the recreational room to talk, listen to music and/or play cards.
Others watch television. Activities end at 10 at which time all retire to
their rooms for the night. Each Wednesday and Friday night there is grand silence (no
recreation). |
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