After high school graduation in 1996, I entered into candidacy with the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. This offered a schedule that gradually introduced me into community life with a proposal towards application in aspirancy for entrance into Religious formation as a postulant in the novitiate. This schedule involved a rising at 4:55 a.m. to begin Morning Offering and Liturgy of the Hours at 5:25 a.m. And I found my day being formed from this decision of discipline at the moment of rising.
The Schedule:
4:55 a.m. Rising
5:25 a.m. Morning Offering, Liturgy of the Hours, Meditation
7:00 a.m. Holy Mass
7:50 a.m. Breakfast, Dishes, Clean up
9:00 a.m. Morning Announcements, Blessings with Novice Directress
9:30 a.m. Classes, Duties, Study
11:55 a.m. Examination of Conscience for the morning, Angelus Prayer
12:00 p.m. Lunch, Dishes, Clean up
1:15 p.m. Siesta, Quiet Time, Study in Cell
2:15 p.m. Classes, Duties, Study
5:00 p.m. Holy Hour, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, Rosary, Meditation, Benediction
6:15 p.m. Dinner, Dishes, Clean up
7:15 p.m. Recreation in Community (Example: Crafts, Exercise, Choir Practice, etc.)
8:15 p.m. Night Blessing, Liturgy of the Hours, Examination of Conscience of the Day
10:00 p.m. Grand Silence, Lights out
*Duties and Assignments entailed: Kitchen Preparations, Meals, Retreatant and Sisters and Guest Clergy, Refectory and Retreatant Dining Area Clean and Organize, Sacristy, Chapel, Office, Novitiate Facilities, Novitiate Laundry, Maintenance of Retreatant Quarters, Gardening etc.
*Example of Examination of Conscience: Did I complete the tasks of this day? Was I tardy for class or scheduled meetings? What caused this fault, if any? Did my work slack at scheduled responsibilities? Did I chatter during silence? Was their gossip during work time?
*Blessing from the Novice Directress communicated an approval of granted permission and a closure of the request being granted. (Example: Permission to make travel appointment to the dentist, purchase new shoes, etc.)
