Horarium

General Daily Schedule

• 7:30 Rise
  • In the beginning, we woke them up with a CD of bagpipe music and a strategically-placed stereo. It has since evolved as technology has evolved, and the girls are woken up by a Pandora playlist on an iPad. Some would wake up earlier than 7:30 to shower and get ready for the day, even as early as 6 AM, leading to the enforcement of a "no showering before 7" policy that sleepier kids are happy to oblige to.
• 8:15 Lauds
  • The mornings always begin with Morning Prayer, usually chanted. Whichever group is scheduled for the Liturgy of the Hours rotation will handle the reading and the presiding. A short presentation is given by leaders regarding how to pray the LOH or how the LOH is used in the Church before each period of Liturgy.
• 8:30 Breakfast
  • Usually breads and bagels and cold cereal, though sometimes pancakes and sausage on a morning or two, breakfast is our way of getting the girls excited for the day - it's the only meal we eat indoors besides snack and the occasional dessert, and we try to show cool or inspirational videos to get their creativity going before we jump into work (the videos range from funny, touching, dramatic, musical, or cats).
• 9:00 Tasks
  • Our version of "ora et labora" has everyone doing light clean-up in the morning after breakfast. After arrival, people sign up for a task, which may be dumping trash, vacuuming the church, watering plants, or straightening up bathrooms. Every person has a job, one which never takes more than 15 minutes, to keep the space clean and efficient for the week.
• 9:15 Rotations
  • Each group rotates through a set of activities during this time slot. The rotations used to include campfire entertainment and working in the kitchen to set up for meals, but it now only includes Mass preparation, Lectio Divina, Liturgy of the Hours preparation, and whatever job may need to be done for the day (such as prep work for the Thursday night talent show, etc)
• 10:00 Great Room Meeting
  • At this point of the day, we meet back in the main space for a light snack (which ends early enough to meet the hour fast before Mass), and an introduction to the projects and theme for the week. A presentation is usually given by leaders, which comprises videos, Scripture, images, Prezis and Powerpoints, books, and so forth. Here, the main theme for the week is presented as well as the beginning stages of whatever personal project has been chosen to represent the week.
• 10:15 Group Projects
  • Group video projects are also introduced. Each group has their own table, and each of those group leaders has a folder of papers and resources so the group can begin working on projects together.
• 11:45 Break
  • At this point, snack has been put away so the girls can still fast before Mass. Break is a good way to stretch and begin channeling energy towards preparing for Mass. Most kids will change into something a little nicer for Mass.
• 12:00 Mass
  • Nothing much to be said here other than the obvious - Mass is celebrated for the day. Back in the beginning, the Angelus was also said at noon, though this has since become lax. Whichever group has the Mass rotation for the day prepares the readings and the Prayer of the Faithful, though a music ministry team almost always handles the music for every day.
• 12:45 Lunch
  • First of the meals to be outside unless the weather is severe. Some group singing typically commences (we leaders enjoy making the girls sing for their meals in order to rally them and wake them up) and occasionally there are "O-grams" or messages from "Mystery Messengers."
• 13:15 Dishes
  • This rotates between groups - two groups at each meal will hand wash the dishes and take them into the house while the other groups begin their free time.
• 13:45 Swim or Recreation
  • At this point, all groups including the two who completed dishes will have free time. Free time may have a scheduled game of volleyball, soccer, or the like, or the girls have the opportunity to go swimming at a nearby farm. The house becomes quieter for those who want to take naps and people with energy are sent outside or continue work on personal projects.
• 15:30 Projects
  • More work on personal and group projects is scheduled for this point. It's a good way to draw girls back into a quieter and more creative mindset after running around or being outside.
• 18:00 Vespers
  • The second of the daily liturgy cycle. Again, whichever group is scheduled for this rotation handles everything. Vespers is usually chanted.
• 18:30 Dinner
  • This meal works the way lunch works - it may begin with singing or messages, eating is outside, two groups handle dishes. At each meal outside, especially at dinner, there is an activity such as games, opportunities to witness and share, or quick entertainment to establish a sense of community and to spark conversation.
• 19:30 Free to Be
  • The second set of free time, a little more lax than Recreation time. Many girls will opt for working on projects at this point.
• 20:30 Campfire and Rosary
  • Campfire is outside (around the fire, obviously) unless the weather prevents it. Campfire is scheduled with games or entertainment, perhaps singing or skits or the annual "Initiation Ceremony" which has girls new to the camp being "initiated" by dancing around the fire. When the sun sets, everyone settles and the Rosary is prayed. For each campfire or time the rosary is said, a different group or set of people will lead it. Following the Rosary is dessert or snack (though this is occasionally pushed until after Compline).
• 21:30 Compline
  • The third time we pray the Liturgy of the Hours in the day. Like Lauds and Vespers, a group handles the presiding and so forth. Compline is not chanted as often as Lauds and Vespers, though it is preferred.
• 22:30 Lights Out
  • After Compline, a period of silence is assumed. Girls are asked to remain quiet in the house and sleeping areas as they get ready for bed, and to go downstairs to the main meeting space if they want to work on projects or talk quietly. In the past, strict silence was enforced everywhere as soon as Compline was complete, but it has since become a little looser. Leaders will have a quick meeting to discuss the day and the upcoming days while the kids get ready for bed. After the Leader Meeting finishes, lights will be turned off, doors will be locked, and leaders will do a sweep to make sure that everyone is where they should be - in bed. Girls are allowed to be in the Chapel to pray, or bathrooms, or with a leader, though leaders must use prudence in determining who may be up, for what, and at which time they must be sent to bed. A leader may go around at Lights Out to bless the girls with Holy Water and say goodnight.