Du réfectoire
Entering the Refectory
The children approach the refectory with modesty and join the community in prayer before the meal.
The refectory bell rings for the ordinary meal after Sext, and they all go there with the same modesty as they do to church. Once they have arrived, they make their reverence two by two in the middle of the refectory, and again when they pass before any sister.1 They stand modestly in their places without speaking to one another, waiting for the Benedicite to be said, which they recite aloud with the sisters very modestly, their sleeves folded down over their hands.2
Order and Discipline at Table
The children are seated with intention and instructed in habits of penance, attentiveness, and silence during their meal.
After the Benedicite, they sit down at the table—not by rank, but as is judged best—placing the wiser ones among those who are less so to keep them from talking to one another. Great care is taken not to keep them in soft, dainty habits: they are urged to eat everything without preference; to begin with the part of their portions they like least, in a spirit of penance; and to eat enough so they do not let themselves grow weak. That is why close watch is kept on whether they have eaten. They must always keep their eyes cast down, without looking to either side, listening quietly to the reading; then they say grace with the sisters and leave in the same order they entered.
Read the original Latin
Le réfectoire sonne pour l'ordinaire ensuite de sexte, et elles y vont toutes avec la même modestie qu'à l'église. Y étant arrivées, elles font leur révérence deux à deux au milieu du réfectoire, et en passant devant quelque sœur. Elles se tiennent modestement à leur place sans se parler, en attendant que l'on dise le Benedicite, qu'elles disent tout haut avec les sœurs bien modestement, les manches abattues sur leurs mains.
Après le Benedicite, elles se mettent à table, non point selon leur rang, mais comme on le juge mieux, entremêlant les plus sages avec de celles qui ne le sont pas tant, pour empêcher qu'elles ne se parlent.
On a grand soin de ne les pas entretenir dans la délicatesse : les exhortant de manger de tout indifféremment; de commencer par celle de leurs portions qu'elles aiment le moins, par esprit de pénitence, et de se nourrir suffisamment pour ne se pas laisser affaiblir. C'est pourquoi on prend bien garde si elles ont mangé.
Elles doivent toujours avoir les yeux baissés sans regarder de côté ni d'autre, écoutant paisiblement la lecture; et puis, elles disent grâces avec les sœurs, et sortent au même ordre qu'elles sont entrées.
Notes
- 1 ↩The French ends with the elliptical clause "et en passant devant quelque sœur," which continues the same verb of reverence rather than introducing a new action.
- 2 ↩"Benedicite" is kept as the traditional meal blessing (the blessing before food). "Les manches abattues sur leurs mains" is rendered as sleeves folded down over the hands, a conventual gesture of modesty.
Règlement pour les enfants companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit