Life according to a rule is often called a life of 'observance'. Our life of observance includes the following:
Conventual Life-style:
Our
life-style is conventual (monastic). We live in common, sharing our goods, our
personal gifts, our recreation, work and prayer. In our prayer-life we maintain
the classical monastic practices of Mental Prayer, Lectio Divina and spiritual
study. We keep a spirit of silence in the convent to create the right
atmosphere for prayer and study, generally taking our meals in silence and
observing a Profound Silence during the night hours until after Morning Prayer. We maintain forms of
fasting and asceticism which accord with the Church's renewed concepts of
religious penance.
Habit:
Following the Dominican custom, we wear a full-length white robe with a black
cincture and Rosary, a white scapular and guimp and a long black veil. For
liturgical ceremonies and at certain other times, we wear a full-length black
cappa (shoulder cape).
Poverty & Simplicity:
We try to live a simple, poor life which is not always comfortable by the world's standards. Living on the limited stipends given us by the Church for our work in education, we share among us the household and other manual work necessary to our daily life, and we are always conscious of our dependence on the providence of God. We try to identify with the poor and to share generously what God has given us with those who have fewer resources and greater needs.
We try to live a simple, poor life which is not always comfortable by the world's standards. Living on the limited stipends given us by the Church for our work in education, we share among us the household and other manual work necessary to our daily life, and we are always conscious of our dependence on the providence of God. We try to identify with the poor and to share generously what God has given us with those who have fewer resources and greater needs.
