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Daily Activities |
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Our Daily Activities "What do you do all day?" is a question that puzzles the students in our Academy. This is especially true now that many of us spend most of our time in the monastery. Our primary work has become prayer for our world, our church, and our country. We pray especially for those suffering from injustice as well as the poor, the sick and the dying. We pray for our armed forces in the Middle East, for the jobless, for those grieving the loss of loved ones. Nor do we forget our own families, our students, and friends. We pray for peace and forgiveness in our world. The list could go on and on. But besides intercessory prayer and praise, there is work to do. Keeping up this website, preparing meals, visiting the sick, working with the students, so many little details fill our days. Finally there is time for relaxation. Here we are emphasizing the first and the last topics -- prayer and recreation or should we call it: re-creation of the spirit and of the body.
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Francis de
Sales calls us "Daughters of Prayer." Four times a day, the whole
community gathers to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the official prayer of
the Church. This prayer is offered for the needs of the whole world. |
| Besides psalms
and canticles, the Liturgy of the Hours includes a reading from Scripture.
One sister reads this Scripture from the Bible on the lectern in the middle
of our choir |
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The sisters are split into two groups, one on each side of the choir. These groups alternate in singing the stanzas of the psalms and canticles. This is our way of praising God together. |
Recreation and Celebrations
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Have you ever
played Uno? It is a fun game we all enjoy. Our charism may
stress gentleness, but Uno brings out the competitive streak in each of us. |
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Many prefer
just to chat about the funny antics of the school children, the letters from
friends, the news of the world or even a good book. Of course email
from friends supplies us with many good jokes to share. |
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Each month we
have a party at which all the Sisters who have birthdays during that month
are honored with a dinner featuring the favorites of the honorees. All
of us enjoy the special treats. |
| But the highlight of the party is the birthday cake or cakes, sometimes two. Lemon and chocolate are the favorites here. Sr. Mary Agnes was 100 years young on her last birthday. |
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Contemplation
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The favorite time of day for each of us is our time alone with God. Many enjoy praising God while gazing at the beauties of His creation. Others prefer to sit |
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| before Him in the Eucharist. Still others have a little prayer corner in their own rooms. Each treasures this time for praise, petition, and gratitude. |