According to the ancient tradition of seminary and religious life, the ordinary schedule is characterized by a healthy combination of prayer and work, of study and relaxation.
All rise at 5:45 am to get ready for Morning Prayers and an hour of personal meditation which culminates in the community Mass celebrated at 7:30 am. After a breakfast in silence and thanksgiving for the gift of the Eucharist, the students attend various periods of classes in the morning.
These are interrupted by either a unit of physical exercise or conversation while walking through the gardens.
At midday, after the examination of conscience, the community gathers for the prayer of the Angelus and the singing of a hymn, followed by lunch and another period of conversation.
The afternoon brings more classes and studies, but also time for spiritual reading, the Rosary, and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
Dinner time is at 6:30 pm, after which, according to a rotation, some clean the kitchen and others watch or read the news and have more opportunity to converse.
The evening is dedicated to either personal study or common activities.
The community assembles around Christ for Night Prayers with Eucharistic Benediction at 9:30 pm to conclude the day.
For recreation, community members have the opportunity to play sports several times a week – favorites are soccer (indoors and outdoors), basketball, and volleyball.
All-day hikes and special outings are times particularly appreciated to enjoy and relax together, as much as community weekends and the yearly vacation time for two weeks during the summer.
Musical talents flourish in our choir and instrumental practices in order to perform at special celebrations in or outside the house. The yearly display of a newly designed Christmas Room provides the opportunity to exercise and develop artistic skill.
All members of the seminary contribute to the cleanliness and maintenance of the facilities: tending the gardens or cooking meals, washing cars or sweeping the hallways are only a few of the tasks that complement the ordinary activities. The novices dedicate a whole month during summer to manual labor such as painting walls and doors, renovating rooms, or working on construction projects.
Perhaps the greatest excitement arises when the seminarians leave the house to take their first steps in the apostolate of evangelization. Parish missions, youth clubs, weekly catechesis sessions are only some of the many occasions during which they train themselves in transmitting the Christian faith and love to others, thus applying in real life what they have learned and experiencing the spiritual needs of people in the world.