… Walking in the footsteps of a Benedictine …

05:00 a.m.

The start of a new day.  The respective Monastic who is assigned “bell-ringer” begins their procession through the cloister corridor … ringing the hand bell … our Lord awakening us to a new day … let us give thanks to God !

As Benedictines prepare for the day, after freshening up … they stand before their Crucifix, offering their dressing prayers and respectfully venerating each piece of the Holy Habit as they place their clothing upon themselves.  For some it is then a time for private prayer; for others, a time for some spiritual reading.  But it is a time to arise … and give thanks to Almighty God for the gift of the privilege of serving Him another day.

05:45 a.m.

The bell rings again.  This time it is heard throughout the entire monastery – from one end to the other.  It is God’s way of calling the Monastic to the work of God … prayer !  The Divinum Officium (Divine Office) begins with Statio … kneeling outside your choir stall, completing a good examination of conscience, and then offering prayers in reparation for our sins, failures, shortcomings … for ourselves and for the sins of the whole world.

Lauds, Prime & Terce are chanted as a community in our Oratorium Sancti Benedicti, our traditional Monastic Choir Chapel.  The Office is then completed with the Antiphona of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the prayer to Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary.  Silence … a time of private preparation for the Missa Principalis (Conventual Mass) at 7:00 a.m.

08:00 a.m.

Breakfast !  One must feed the body as well as the soul !  At about 08:15 a.m. the Abbot enters the Refectory and gives the directives for the day before the dismissal.

08:30 a.m.

Ora et Labora … according to the Holy Rule of St. Benedict, everyone must work in the monastery. Labora may come in a multitude of ways.  For some, there are chores to be done in the paddocks, for others: lawn, garden or outside maintenance duties.  Then there is the sewing room, the kitchen, the Sacristy, library … office duties, carpentry, etc., etc., etc.  Doctor’s appointments, grocery & supply shopping and private spiritual conferencing could also take place during this particular time period … all assigned by the Abbot or his appointee.

This time may be a time of study for Postulants and Novices.  For those Monks who are studying for the priesthood, this time may also be assigned as study time, if needed.  As Benedictines, our lives are enriched each moment of the day – no matter what we are doing – a gift that allows us through our ora et labora (work and prayer) … an opportunity to bring glory to God in all things !

12:15 p.m.

The bell calls the community to the Oratory once again … this time for the Offices of Sext & None.  Once the bell sounds – silence prevails.  After the office is offered, we then wait in silence for the main meal of the day.

Our Monastic Refectory is where we nourish our bodies and our souls.  This is a time of holy readings and prayer.  If necessary, the Abbot may impart further directives and/or clarifications before dismissing the Monastic’s from Refectory.

01:45 p.m. ~ 02:30 p.m.

Rest period !  So far it has been a long day.  We have completed over half of our daily responsibilities.  So it is time to take a short rest, that we may regenerate ourselves and make us more alert to God’s voice calling us. 

Many do not understand or appreciate the silence … but it is only with-in the silence can we hear our Lord whisper His thoughts into our hearts.  A Monastic Cell (we do not call them ‘bedrooms’)  is an area for completesilence !  The cell is sacred space, more holy even than the Oratory.  For it is there that you are utterly alone with God; it is for the two of you alone and should never be compromised.

02:30 p.m.

Tyrocinium Religiosum … the School of Religious Perfection.  This is a synopsis of ascetic theology by which the Religious committed to seeking perfection are directed to the planes of higher perfection.  A time when all of the Monastics come together and “fan the fame of divine charity” in their discussions and learning how to put into practice the experiences, lives and examples of our holy forefathers.

05:00 p.m.

If you listen closely – you can hear the bell once again.  The bell … an integral part of the Monastic life.  It is with the bell that God calls us into unity with Him; in prayer and in silence.  When the bell rings in the monastery – everything STOPS !  Our attention is then focused on our retreat to the Oratory. 

As a community consecrated to Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary (Abbatia Sanctissimi Rosarii ) we come together daily to pray her chain of beads … a chain that binds us to her Immaculate Heart !  A simple chain … but a chain with such powerful ammunition against the attacks of Satan and his cohorts !  A simple prayer, but a prayer which reminds us with each bead, the life of our Redeemer and how He suffered and died for us … that we might some day, be with Him, our heavenly Father and our Most Holy Mother … in paradise … our heavenly home.

Vespers … Latin for “eventide” … the sixth and one of the most solemn Canonical Hours … the great evening assembly.  We come together once again as a Benedictine family … as community.  The Office, chanted in common, is a befitting way to begin the ending day.  Vespers tells us that it is a time to commence the solemnity and solitude of the nighttime. 

06:00 p.m.

Collation and community recreation … a small meal.  Having had the main meal at midday, in the evening the Monastics have a simple meal – a light meal – something that will not weigh them down in the quiet of the evening.  We visit with one another about the happenings in the day; we knit or crochet as we enjoy the company of the entire community gathered together.  A variety of topics, whether it be about what’s new in the paddocks, a special reading, a special recipe or maybe it is a time for a little laughter.  But we do it together, as a family, as a community dedicated to sharing our lives with one another.

07:15 p.m.

Completorium … the completion !  Statio, Holy Reading & Compline … the day ends as it began:  gathered together in the Oratorium Sancti Benedicti.   We offer our final Examination of Conscience, our prayers in reparation for our sins, failures & faults, we listen to one last holy reading, our voices giving glory to God one final time, we receive our absolution and final blessing from the Abbot.  Our day is over … we retire to our respective cells … we listen ever so gently with the silence of our hearts to the whisperings of our Lord !  Nunc dimittis …