Schedule Advice Please :)

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ZDHayden

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Hi all,
This may sound odd, but I am wondering if anyone would share advice for a spiritual schedule. I have to make a schedule for prayer, first off, or else I won’t do it. I’m just that way. I either have a lot of structure or no structure at all. I prefer a lot of structure, but I tend towards no structure. Please note: reading Scripture is fun for me, especially if I have a quality study Bible (I got one for Christmas, which makes me happy)

Below is what I have thus far. Please note that I am a parishioner at St. Francis, but St. Mary’s is closer and has an earlier Mass during weekdays. Also: This schedule thus far is designed to accommodate my classes for this coming semester as well. At the worst, I will have to cut out the last item or two of each day as I start my Philosophy coursework this coming semester. Any additions/subtractions/changes/suggestions would be nice. My spiritual director, in our last meeting, advised thirty minutes of prayer with five minutes of reflective silence each day, with the Rosary and Scripture readings being included. She (she is the only qualified person who has the time to be my spiritual director, as my pastor is too busy currently because his associate is on a leave of absence) advised no more than an hour, stating that an hour was the maximum advised for clergy.

My schedule thus far:

Daily Weekday Schedule
5:15 am: Wake up
5:25 am: 5 minutes of prayerful silence
5:30 am: Liturgy of the Hours (Lauds)
6:30 am: Mass at St. Mary’s
7:15 am: Rosary
8 am: if term is in session, prepare for class
6:30 pm: Liturgy of the Hours (Vespers)
8 pm: Read a section from Sacred Scripture
9:30 pm: Write in my journal
10 pm: Listen to a program on Alabama Catholic Resources

Saturday Schedule
5:15 am: Wake up
5:25 am: 5 minutes of prayerful silence
5:30 am: Liturgy of the Hours (Lauds)
7:15 am: Rosary
9 am: Mass at St. Francis
9:30 am: Confession
12 pm: Liturgy of the Hours (Sext)
6:30 pm: Liturgy of the Hours (Vespers)
8 pm: Read a section from Sacred Scripture
9:30 pm: Write in my journal
10 pm: Listen to a program on Alabama Catholic Resources

Sunday Schedule
5:15 am: Wake up
5:25 am: 5 minutes of prayerful silence
5:30 am: Liturgy of the Hours (Lauds)
7:15 am: Rosary
11:15 am: Mass at St. Francis
6:30 pm: Liturgy of the Hours (Vespers)
8 pm: Read a section from Sacred Scripture
9:30 pm: Write in my journal
10 pm: Listen to a program on Alabama Catholic Resources.

Whenever the chance occurs, I am to read from a book of spiritual benefit.

In any labor, pray before commencing, that the labor might bring glory to God; pray during the labor; then when finished pray at the end of the labor, giving thanks to God.

Thank you.
 
ZDHayden said:
Hi all,

My spiritual director, in our last meeting, advised thirty minutes of prayer with five minutes of reflective silence each day, with the Rosary and Scripture readings being included. She (she is the only qualified person who has the time to be my spiritual director, as my pastor is too busy currently because his associate is on a leave of absence) advised** no more than an hour, stating that an hour was the maximum advised for clergy**.
Click to expand...
As someone who always feels he should be praying more, but never (or rarely) does, that is very helpful information on realistic goals!

Thankyou!
 
Hi ZD what you plan is very commendable, however, when have you scheduled in time for being on your computer here at CAF?Time to eat and rest? If you are studying at school,where is the provision of time for studying your subjects?
I am very impressed with your desire to have such a prayerful life.God is too.I wake up with making the sign of the cross each morning saying an act of contrition,Our Father Hail Mary Glory Be etc then throughout my day I pray.I pray while I am driving, cooking, cleaning, working, washing, bathing etc.This way I try to make time for all that has to be done in my daily life whilst focussing on Our Blessed Lord.I attend daily Mass when I am able.

Your shedule is remarkable and what we should all strive for.I am just wondering if you might tweak it a little to fit in your studies and other life needs.Perhaps you may consider some of my suggestions.In any case you are a wonderful young person and God bless you
 
Thank you for your consideration tbcrawford. I placed on the schedule only those things of spiritual benefit or necessary for continuation. Yes, I should tweak it. During term, I rarely eat breakfast, nor lunch.

I think I spend too much time online at CAF. It’s a great website, yes, but if I transform just half of the time I currently spend reading threads into prayer time, I would have overshot my spiritual director’s advice by many times.

Because of the many papers I can count on doing this next semester, I should make some more time for that. Generally my classes start at 9 or 9:15 and end at 12, 2, or on Thursdays, 6.

I was assuming to do the eat rest and study stuff when not doing anything on the schedule. (I had thought of going to bed at 11 pm as most of the audio programs on Alabama Catholic Resources are an hour or less)

For example: on Sunday, it takes me about 45-60 minutes to pray the entire traditional rosary with the St. Louis de Montfort reflections and scriptural passages prior each Hail Mary (My favorite method of praying the Rosary), leaving 8 am to 10:45 (I walk) to allow me to be on these forums.

Supper at my house is the only organized meal, and is generally been small since the move. We tend to call any meal from 5-10:59 breakfast, 11-2 lunch, but supper is usually at around 5.

The last three paragraphs, I realize in retrospect are mere justifications, I am sorry.

I think, to be honest, there is another reason I set up this schedule the way it is: I am the only Catholic in my family. My mother, who was brought up Catholic and received the sacraments of initiation, was kicked out of a Catholic school when she was in Kindergarten and has harbored an anti-Catholic sentiment ever since. This has come out recently. She is also dying of cancer. My brother, aged 10, as of yet unbaptized, is dying of a rare form of ALS that usually doesn’t appear until a person’s 50’s. My mother’s boyfriend, because of being wrongfully imprisoned and being refused to see his children, and because of my brother’s ALS and my mother’s cancer, accuses God of being malignant and only caring about the wealthy. My biological father is indifferent to religion. My step-father (my brother’s biological father) was Catholic, but is now dead. I want to suffer for them. Instead of them. But I cannot. All I can do is offer up prayers. Constantly. Trust God in the rest. I don’t think this is the best motivation to prayer, but there it is.

I want to learn my faith so that my mother’s anger will not discourage me; my father’s indifference will not infect me; my mother’s boyfriend’s anger will not cause me to question God’s goodness; so that I can teach the truth about the Catholic Church to my brother, who is now being taken to a presbyterian church by my mother, so that he will not believe any lies told to him about the Church.

I want to learn faith, hope, and charity; prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance; humility, liberality (the giving of self and one’s goods to others), chastity, meekness, temperance, brotherly love, and diligence. Not for myself, but for them, and everyone like them in the world who I shall meet, and also for those who I cannot meet. I want my heart to burn like Christ’s - to bring the light of Christ to those in darkness; to be so conformed to the Father’s will, that my will becomes his. Because I deserve to die, and Christ did not deserve it. That was the greatest evil the world has ever seen - God tortured and killed.

But I am weak and lazy. I am ignorant and foolish. I am stubborn and impatient. I am among the lowest of God’s people, and yet I act sometimes as if I were among the highest by right. I am not worthy, even in a state of grace, to receive Christ in the Holy Sacrament of the altar. But I do when in a state of grace (never in a state of mortal sin; then I do not even approach the altar), not because I am worthy but because I need to. I need the Eucharist - Christ - like I need air. Sorry for the rambling.
 
Hi ZD I am so honoured to meet you here on the Forums and deeply humbled to hear about your life.You are indeed living under great duress and are remarkable in your faith despite these difficulties.I am so sorry your brother has ALS and your mother has cancer.Goodness I cannot imagine the strain you are under.
I will keep you and your family in my prayers my friend.You are a wonderful witness to Christ and a fine example to all of us of how we should conduct our lives.You do your schedule however you see fit my friend.

Memorare (Prayer to Our Lady)
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen
 
ZD, you are remarkable. May God bless you abundantly, and may He always hold you close. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
 
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