Bank Holidays Ordinands&Prayer

Discipline in prayer is so important. This is the routine that the discalced Carmelite nuns at Lanherne followed there. How many Anglicans are called to an enclosed monastic order? If y0u have been following this blog you will know that the reason I am interested in Lanherne is that it is the site of the cornish ringed high cross from chapel-close in barton of Roseworthy. And the interest in that prime example of mid-anglo-saxon archaeology is the delightful little copy of it sat here on my desk which acts as a focus for my devotions.

Here below is the daily routine of the nuns, I wonder how different it is from the Celtic monastic order that was on the same site in the seventh to eighth centuries, and how ordinands would cope with this and with studies, placements, community opportunities, formation groups under whatever name they are found, communal meals, chores, and community life. Did I mention private life? I hope that modern ordinands at college or on courses get Bank Holidays off nowadays. Next question is the daily routine of prayer continued privately or corporately on those days and do ordiands experience those days as 'days'off'.


'Rise at midnight - Matins and Lauds at 12.10 am
5.35 am - Lauds of Our Lady (in cell)
6 am - Prime followed by Little Office Prime
Meditation and Terce and Little Office Terce
7.30 am - Conventual Mass (sung daily)
12.20 pm - Sext (+ Little Office Sext)
1.20 pm - None (+ Little Office None)
3 pm - Vespers (Little Office – in cell)
3.15 pm - Vespers
3.45 pm - Rosary and Litany
4.15 pm - Meditation and anticipated Little Office Matins until 5.40 pm
8.25 pm - Compline (followed by Little Office Compline in cell)

Stations of the Cross – Fridays at 8.20 pm
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction – Fridays 8.40 am – 1 pm

The Sunday timetable varies very slightly – the main difference is that the Conventual Mass is at 10 am'

Source