Alan Gallagher

You'll note from my pages there is always a reference to the time of day; much as in the times of old and indeed in monasteries today the bells invite one to change direction throughout the day. Below is the schedule I keep for weekdays and separately weekends.

Weekdays:

Bell	Hour/Prayer	Time (UK/IE)	Focus
I	Oblatio Matutina	05:45	Morning offering
II	Laudes	06:15	Morning prayer and breakfast
III	Rosarium	07:15	Commute and rosary
IV	Labora	08:00	Workday begins
V	Intermissio	10:00	Reset and short break
VI	Sexta	12:00	Midday prayer and lunch
VII	Nona	14:00	Reset and short break
VIII	Transitus	16:00	End of workday, commute, exercise, household tasks, cookery
IX	Vesperae	18:00	Evening prayer
X	Studium	18:15	Personal projects (formation, study, writing, learning, gardening)
XI	Requies	19:45	Relaxation period
XII	Completorium	21:30	Spiritual reading, evening prayer and examen, light reading

I always go to sleep and rise at the same times daily - 05:45 & 22:30.

Weekends:

Weekends follow the same underlying rhythm as weekdays, but with a different emphasis. Rather than a fixed work schedule, Saturdays operate on a four-week rotating pattern, ensuring that essential domestic, social, and restorative needs are met in a balanced and sustainable way.

This rotation prevents overload, avoids drift, and ensures that no single obligation crowds out the others over time.

Saturday Structure (With Rotation)

Time	Block	Week A	Week B	Week C	Week D
05:45-08:00	Morning rhythm	Same as weekday morning (Oblatio, Laudes, Rosarium)	Same as weekday morning (Oblatio, Laudes, Rosarium)	Same as weekday morning (Oblatio, Laudes, Rosarium)	Same as weekday morning (Oblatio, Laudes, Rosarium)
08:00-16:00	Rotation focus	Deep Clean: household reset, laundry, and order	Social: time with friends, family, or community	Maintenance: shopping, errands, admin, repairs	Day Out: walking, travel, museums, countryside
16:00-18:00	Transition	Rest, reset, light tasks, prepare for evening	Rest, reset, light tasks, prepare for evening	Rest, reset, light tasks, prepare for evening	Rest, reset, light tasks, prepare for evening
18:00-22:30	Evening rhythm	Vesperae, Studium, Requies, Completorium	Vesperae, Studium, Requies, Completorium	Vesperae, Studium, Requies, Completorium	Vesperae, Studium, Requies, Completorium

Each Saturday typically runs between 08:00 and 16:00, after which the normal evening rhythm resumes.

Fifth Saturdays (When They Occur)

When a month contains a fifth Saturday, it is treated as an unstructured rest day.

• No formal tasks are assigned.
• The intention is simple rest, light recreation, or unplanned leisure - a deliberate pause in the rhythm rather than an obligation.

Sunday - The Lord's Day

Sunday is ordered toward worship, rest, and restoration. It is intentionally non-productive, with no administrative or household obligations beyond simple nourishment and care of the home.

Sunday Structure:

Bell	Hour/Prayer	Time (UK/IE)	Focus
I	Oblatio Matutina	06:30	Gentle rising and offering of the day
II	Laudes	07:00	Morning prayer and quiet preparation
III	Preparatio	08:00	Prepare for Mass, travel
IV	Missa	08:30-11:00	Mass, parish time, fellowship
V	Convivium	11:30-13:00	Lunch (often with others)
VI	Requies	13:00-15:00	Rest, quiet time, light reading
VII	Lectio	15:00-16:30	Scripture, catechism, spiritual or reflective reading
VIII	Hortus / Creatio	16:30-17:30	Gentle activities: gardening, craft, light creative work
IX	Vesperae	18:00	Evening prayer
X	Tranquillitas	18:30-21:00	Calm evening, light recreation, reflection
XI	Completorium	21:30	Night prayer and close of the day

Notes on Sunday Practice

• No heavy labour: no deep cleaning, no major errands, no projects that create fatigue.
• Cooking is permitted, but kept simple and unhurried.
• Reading is restorative, not goal-driven (Scripture, catechism, literature).
• Creative or garden work should be light and contemplative rather than productive.
• Social time is welcomed but not obligatory.

Sunday functions as the anchor day of the week - not a recovery from exhaustion, but a deliberate slowing that gives meaning to the rhythm that follows.

Latin / Catholic	Plain English	How it works
Claritas Ordinis	Operational clarification	I identify what truly exists, reduce ambiguity, and make roles and flows clear.
Regula Levis	Lightweight governance	I set simple rules, repeatable rhythms, and clear thresholds without over-engineering.
Architectura Humana	Information architecture for humans	I build file structures, naming, and documentation that work in real life and survive turnover.
Rhythmus Continuus	Rhythm and continuity design	I establish sustainable cadence, checkpoints, and resets so work can continue without burnout.
Interpretatio Mundi	Translation between worlds	I make systems legible across technical, administrative, institutional, and values-based contexts.
Ethica Operativa	Ethical, values-aware design	I keep dignity, stewardship, fairness, and limits present in every decision.
Mutatio Prudens	Careful change, not disruption	I stabilise first, improve second, and innovate last in fragile environments.

A rule of life is simply a personal framework for how you live and work. It turns values into daily habits, so your time and attention are guided by intention rather than impulse. While mine is rooted in my faith, the idea can be applied by anyone in a practical and secular way. It's a sort of contract, or a covenant - and in my version I have written it as such because that is what works for me, but it can be much more personal or simple depending on what an individual needs.

Section	Content
Title	RULE OF LIFE ? LAY CATHOLIC Authoritative Personal Rule
Preamble	I adopt this Rule freely as a lay member of the Catholic Church. It binds my conscience but does not constitute vows. Its purpose is to order my life under authority, not impulse, so that prayer, work, and judgment are rightly governed.
Section 1 ? Authority	1.1 Supreme Norm All actions, decisions, and interpretations are governed by: - Sacred Scripture - Canon Law - The Magisterium of the Catholic Church - Approved Catholic tradition - Right reason within Irish Catholic moral custom 1.2 Interpretation This Rule is interpreted strictly and soberly. No modern therapeutic, ideological, or motivational framework may override ecclesial authority or moral theology.
Section 2 ? Structural Rule (Benedictine)	2.1 Governing Structure The structure of daily life follows the Rule of St Benedict as applied to the lay state. 2.2 Binding Principles - Stability of place and commitment - Prayer and work held together (ora et labora) - Moderation and proportion in all things - Obedience to legitimate authority and lawful order 2.3 Fidelity Tools, place, duties, and commitments are not abandoned lightly. Perseverance is preferred to novelty.
Section 3 ? End and Purpose (Augustinian)	3.1 Governing End The purpose of this Rule is to live in unity of mind and heart on the way to God, in charity, truth, and concord. 3.2 Common Good No project or work is pursued purely for private gain if it undermines justice, order, or civic responsibility.
Section 4 ? Judgment and Discernment (Ignatian)	4.1 Instrument Ignatian discernment may be used as a practical tool for decision-making and examination. 4.2 Limits Discernment serves action, not endless introspection. Feelings are evidence, not authority.
Section 5 ? Material Life (Franciscan Constraint)	5.1 Poverty Boundary Material life is governed by voluntary simplicity. Poverty is a boundary, not an ideology. 5.2 Use of Goods - Maintain and repair what exists - Avoid unnecessary accumulation - Prefer efficiency to abundance
Section 6 ? Time and Discipline	6.1 Liturgical Order Time is ordered by the Catholic liturgical calendar. Fasting, abstinence, and penance are observed according to Church discipline and lawful custom. 6.2 Work Work is a moral duty. Work is done diligently, without haste or sloth.
Section 7 ? Obligation and Amendment	7.1 Binding Force This Rule binds in conscience but is not a vow. Failure requires correction, not despair. 7.2 Amendment This Rule may be amended only with sober judgment, not under emotional pressure, and never in contradiction to its authority hierarchy.
Conclusion	This Rule exists to restrain excess, correct disorder, and preserve freedom rightly understood. It is ordered toward fidelity, perseverance, and peace.