Light Moments from Des Plaines Carmel

[graciandelamadrededios]

As is the custom for many Carmels, when it
is time for a meal we process down from the
choir to the refectory reciting in alternation
the De Profundis (Out of the depths) which
the chantress intones after the prioress gives
the signal to start. When we finish the De
Profundis, the hebdomadary of the week
continues to lead the remaining prayers as is
designated in our grace book. Her first line is
“From the gate of hell” with the community
responding “deliver their souls O Lord”.
Among the other prayers the hebdomadary is required to say is the following: “Let us pray:
O God creator and redeemer of all the faithful grant to your departed servants the forgiveness of
all their sins. May our fervent prayers obtain for them this favor of yours which they have desired
so much.”

From this custom we would like to share two amusing anecdotes.
The first one involves one of the sisters who was hebdomadary. Most of us know these prayers
by heart; however, we still carry our grace books with us just in case memory or attention fails.
This particular dear Sister needed to read the prayer and walk at the same time which was
challenging for her. I, being in front of her, could hear all the different variations she was coming
up with. Most involving the transposition of the pronouns. For instance, one night we had the
prayer something like “…grant to your departed servants this favor of ours which you have
desired so much.” The next meal was something like “…grant to your departed servants this
favor of theirs which we have desired so much” and so on until the one that broke us all out into
muffled laughter: “…grant to us your departed servants this favor of yours which they have
desired so much.” After which she turned to me and said in a loud whisper “I got it right that
time, didn’t I?” NO!

The second one:
Fifteen minutes before 6pm the kitchen Sisters go down to the kitchen & quickly begin
preparing our simple supper/collation. There are usually 3 for this task. When the meal is
complicated (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) they may need more help. Being a former kitchen
Sister myself, occasionally I would go down & help if it were needed. More than once when I
was helping at this time I would have to run back up to the choir because I was chantress in the
first choir and needed to intone the “Out of the depths…”. When I needed to leave and had to
mention it to the cook I would simply say, “I’m out of the depths” as she would know the
reference & then I would leave. Once when I was hebdomadary I was helping in the kitchen and
when the cook asked if I needed to go she said “aren’t you Out of the depths” and I said (the
hebdomadary’s part), “no, I’m from the gate of hell.” You can imagine the variety of responses
that came from that statement.

[allegra]

16 hours ago, graciandelamadrededios said:

Once when I was hebdomadary I was helping in the kitchen and when the cook asked if I needed to go she said “aren’t you Out of the depths” and I said (the hebdomadary’s part), “no, I’m from the gate of hell.” 

ROTFL 😂🤣 Thank you so much for this! You got me literally laughing holding my belly! 😆

[graciandelamadrededios]

5 hours ago, allegra said:

ROTFL 😂🤣 Thank you so much for this! You got me literally laughing holding my belly! 😆

hahahah! its really funny...

[BarbTherese]

On 8/10/2023 at 12:41 AM, graciandelamadrededios said:

As is the custom for many Carmels, when it
is time for a meal we process down from the
choir to the refectory reciting in alternation
the De Profundis (Out of the depths) which
the chantress intones after the prioress gives
the signal to start. When we finish the De
Profundis, the hebdomadary of the week
continues to lead the remaining prayers as is
designated in our grace book. Her first line is
“From the gate of hell” with the community
responding “deliver their souls O Lord”.
Among the other prayers the hebdomadary is required to say is the following: “Let us pray:
O God creator and redeemer of all the faithful grant to your departed servants the forgiveness of
all their sins. May our fervent prayers obtain for them this favor of yours which they have desired
so much.”

From this custom we would like to share two amusing anecdotes.
The first one involves one of the sisters who was hebdomadary. Most of us know these prayers
by heart; however, we still carry our grace books with us just in case memory or attention fails.
This particular dear Sister needed to read the prayer and walk at the same time which was
challenging for her. I, being in front of her, could hear all the different variations she was coming
up with. Most involving the transposition of the pronouns. For instance, one night we had the
prayer something like “…grant to your departed servants this favor of ours which you have
desired so much.” The next meal was something like “…grant to your departed servants this
favor of theirs which we have desired so much” and so on until the one that broke us all out into
muffled laughter: “…grant to us your departed servants this favor of yours which they have
desired so much.” After which she turned to me and said in a loud whisper “I got it right that
time, didn’t I?” NO!

The second one:
Fifteen minutes before 6pm the kitchen Sisters go down to the kitchen & quickly begin
preparing our simple supper/collation. There are usually 3 for this task. When the meal is
complicated (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) they may need more help. Being a former kitchen
Sister myself, occasionally I would go down & help if it were needed. More than once when I
was helping at this time I would have to run back up to the choir because I was chantress in the
first choir and needed to intone the “Out of the depths…”. When I needed to leave and had to
mention it to the cook I would simply say, “I’m out of the depths” as she would know the
reference & then I would leave. Once when I was hebdomadary I was helping in the kitchen and
when the cook asked if I needed to go she said “aren’t you Out of the depths” and I said (the
hebdomadary’s part), “no, I’m from the gate of hell.” You can imagine the variety of responses
that came from that statement.