Our Daily Life
From early rising until retiring late at night, the Carmelite day is interspersed with a continuous interchange of spiritual exercises: recitation of the Divine Office, Holy Mass, mental prayer and spiritual reading, with manual labor and two one-hour periods of recreation during which they are employed in some kind of useful occupation.
Manual labor is diversified and includes about every kind of duty: making Scapulars, mending habits, embroidering fine sacristy work, painting crucifixes and statues, to cleaning, cooking, laundry--even to the vigorous use of the hammer and saw, garden fork and hoe, the hum of sewing machines, lawnmowers, and other implements of toil.
5:15 AM - Rise. Clappers sound to awaken the Sisters, accompanied by the words, "Praised be Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, His Mother! Come to prayer, Sisters! Come to praise the Lord!"
5:40 AM - The Holy Rosary is recited in Choir, followed by Lauds.
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After Lauds, the Great Silence ends, and simple silence is in effect through the day until the hour of Compline
6:20 AM - An hour of Mental Prayer
7:25 AM - The hour of Terce is recited in the Choir
7:40 AM - The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered, followed by a time of thanksgiving
8:45 AM - Breakfast
9:00 AM - Manual labor; the Sisters work in solitude in the cells, garden, or offices of the Monastery
11:25 AM - The hours of Sext and None are prayed in the Choir, followed by the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a five-minute particular examination of conscience
12:00 PM - Dinner
12:30 PM - Recreation
1:30 PM - Free time
2:00 PM - Spiritual reading in cell
3:00 PM - The hour of Vespers is recited in the Choir (solemnly chanted on Sundays and major feasts)
3:30 PM - Manual labor
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 3:30 on First Fridays
5:00 PM - An hour of Mental Prayer
6:00 PM - Supper (During the Fast of the Order, from September 14 until Easter, Supper is replaced by a light Collation, except on Sundays and major feasts.)
7:15 PM - Recreation
8:15 PM - The hour of Compline, followed by Matins, is recited in Choir.
The Great Silence begins now, and ends after Lauds of the following morning
10:30 PM - Retire
"Wasn't this life of prayer and sacrifice the one that Jesus lived for 30 years?
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He spent but three years in preaching.
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Isn't this the life of Jesus in the Tabernacle?
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Oh, sister dear, it is undoubtable that we've chosen the better part, since a Carmelite deals with God alone."