"I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of God. For my part, I keep myself retired with him in the very center of my soul as much as I can... We must serve God in a holy freedom; we must do our business faithfully, without trouble or disquiet, recalling our mind to God meekly, and with tranquillity, as often as we find it wandering from him."
– Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, OCD
Daily Life in Carmel
"... a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ... " - Rule no.2
Daily life in Carmel is ordered according to our Rule, Constitutions and the Carmelite tradition, which have as their goal the nurturing of a deep relationship with God through prayer and mindfulness of the presence of God. Our day in practice then means trying to live in God's presence.
"Each of you is to stay in his cell... pondering the Lord's law day and night and keeping watch at his prayers... " - Rule no. 8
We begin each day by turning our thoughts and hearts to God in an hour of personal prayer. Another hour in the afternoon is set aside for
personal prayer. Five times a day, we gather as a community to pray the
Liturgy of the Hours, the prayer of the Church.
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Daily Life in Carmel (continued)
An hour of
spiritual reading (Lectio Divina) provides daily nourishment for our spirits. The source and center of all our prayer is the celebration of the Eucharist each morning. A weekly hermit day provides time for greater solitude. Except for sisters in formation who follow set times of
study with the novice director, professed sisters schedule their own time of study each week.
"You must give yourself to work of some kind... " -Rule No. 17
Work is an important part of each day and is one way we express our vow of poverty. The work we do is varied: everything entailed in the running of a household and the upkeep of the monastery and gardens, approached in such a way that the abilities of each are considered and the call to recollection is fostered.
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Daily Life in Carmel (continued)
Among other things, our daily duties include
cooking,
answering requests for prayers, sewing vestments for sale,
preparing for liturgies, sacristy work, answering mail,
gardening, archive work, administrative duties, cleaning, and maintenance. About 4 and a half-hours each day are given to work in silence and solitude.
"So that the sisters may joyfully and spontaneously communicate with one another, recreation will be held in common... "
– Constitutions No. 93
The spirit of the Teresian Carmel is characterized by joy, with time for
recreating and sharing. There are community meetings to decide business matters and to evaluate our day to day living, "forming a
family that resembles Christ's little flock."
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Our Horarium
 |
|
| 5:30 |
Rise |
| 6:00 |
Hour of personal prayer |
| 7:15 |
Morning Praise (Lauds) |
| 8:00 |
Mass followed by 15 minutes Thanksgiving |
| |
Breakfast |
| |
Midmorning prayer in private |
| 9:30 |
Work (study time for those in formation) |
| 10:45 |
Hour of spiritual reading |
| 11:45 |
Midday prayer and examen |
| 12:10 |
Lunch |
| 12:45 |
Work |
| |
Midafternoon prayer in private |
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Our Horarium (continued)
| 4:00 |
Hour of personal prayer |
| 5:00 |
Evening praise (Vespers) |
| 5:45 |
Supper |
| 7:15 |
Office of readings |
| 7:50 |
Recreation |
| 8:30 |
Compline and examen |
| |
Grand silence begins |
| 8:50 |
Personal free time or study time |
| 10:30 |
Retire |
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