The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-11-21
PRAYER, WORK ANDPLAY
THE ARDUOUS DAILY ROUTINE IN
CATHOLIC COLLEGES.


tagging Zeal-Plain Food and Prayers.
What kind of life is it in our col
leges? Well, suppose it is much the
same as the life in colleges which are
not ecclesiastical. Of course, church
students have many more prayers to say,
and are expected to observe the rules
with more fidelity than other students.
They rise early-in foreign colleges at
In winter and in summer-in most
English colleges at all the year round.
Half an hour is allowed for dressing,
after which all go down in silence to the
church. where morning prayers are said,
and meditation is held for half an hour
on some spiritual subject. Meditation
Is followed Immediately by the celebra-
ton OF mass, and altogether about an
hour Is spent every morning in spiritual
exercises Then follows study till break
$&st time. at g.
Breakfast consists of a bowl of coffee
or tea, with bread and butter at discre-
ton II the home colleges, while abroad
one has choice between coffee. milk
and chocolate. but the bread must be
eaten dry. 1t is wonderful what sub
stantial meal can be made of coffee and
dry bread when there is nothing else to
be had. 4 few minutes for recreation
are allowed after breakfast, then work
goes on till dinner time, broken only by
half al hours recreation at II o'clock.
PLAIN FARE.
Dinner, which is eaten at /. is al
ways a good, substantial meal. and
ample justice is done to it after the
rather thin breakfast. No study is al
lowed during the hour and half fol-
lowing dinner. All who are we'll enough
must jim in the public games, which
for the most part are played with great
spirit and keenly enjoyed.
AT 3 o'clock the studies commence
again, and class and lecture or prepara-
ton for them, with half an hours rest
at ), 60 on until or half past, when
thirty minutes are given to prayer and
the reading Of the life of some saint.
After the prayers all go to the refectory
for supper. which, like dinner, is eaten
In silence. broken only by the voice of
the reader, who reads aloud some bio
graphical or historical work.
After supper there is recreation, and
at foreign colleges this is always the
favorite hour of the day. And very
pleasant it is to hear the fresh young
voices and merry hearted laughter echo.
ing along the college cloisters.
AT the big bell rings out again for
the last time that day, and at its first
peal the talk and laugh are hushed, the
groups break up. all-professors and
Church students alike-make their way
to the church for night prayers. Prayers
over th- points for the next mornings
meditacicns are read out, and after the
slngir- q hymn all retire TO we'll
earneG re>t. which in most cases is only
too soon disturbed by the noisy Changing
CT the great bell in the early morning.
TIE WORK Is HARD
OF course. every day is not study
day. sunday is always, more or less,
DAY e rest ana at least one afternoon
ever wrek i devoted TO outdoor recre-
at;yA
", IL site Of occasional play days,
as thy ale called. and the holidays twice
a yea:. ne lie is hard enough. 1t must
nec@~-.,.:.y 20 on for some dozen years
bef5r~ tie student is called up for ordi-
natisa. Tie life Of Catholic priest is
ind or- T. which many are called,
but ~ ave chosen. A great number of
tho>- W., - u college. at the age Of
fourc-r!. tttren. with the intention of
becnlA.,.- priests. do not reach the goal
of ordination.
In M cas-s health breaks down,
many -r'W wary of the routine and
strict discipline Of the life. others dis
cover tnat tnrE nave no calling for the
ecclesiastical >t,'e and go out into the
world t. I~-,i, lie afresh. So, from
one cause or another The student finds
that by the time he is ready for ordi-
nation he has lost the company Of many
who stood tv hi. side when he entered
college.
Of six who went to college some
seventeen year, acp with the present
writer, one Is dra';. ore is practicing as
a doctor in the CI.itr4 States. third is
manager Of a bar; i! ne north Of Eng
land. another is serving AS mounted
policeman in South africa and only two
are priests.-A CathGiIc Priest in Lon
don Tit-Bits.
The largest animal known is the rOr-