A typical day at the Congrégation de Notre-Dame in the mid-twentieth century: interview with Sister Denise Lamarche
Sister Denise Lamarche goes through a typical day at the Mother House of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame in the 1950s.
The day began between 5 and 6 a.m., the Sisters went to the chapel for a half-hour of silent prayer or meditation before common prayer and then Mass.
Breakfast was eaten in complete silence. The nearly 600 residents of the Mother House did not take more than a half-hour to eat breakfast, lunch or supper. During lunch, from a rostrum, a Sister would read from a spiritual work, the necrology of the day (list of the Sisters of the Congrégation who had died) and from the martyrology (the life of saints). After lunch, there was recreation followed by a period of spiritual reading.
Supper was preceded by the rosary and the Little Office of Our Lady during which texts about Mary were read.
After supper, there was recreation followed by evening prayer. The Sisters then entered into Grand Silence, a period of recollection, in preparation for the night.
