The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

From the Pastor:    The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

    Traditionally, on the day children received their First Holy Communion they also received a blessed scapular and were enrolled in the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Do you remember receiving the scapular at your First Holy Communion? Do you still wear yours? If not, why not? The following is from the old Catholic Encyclopedia regarding this scapular.

    Also known as the Brown Scapular, this is the best known, most celebrated, and most widespread of the small scapulars... It is probably the oldest scapular and served as the prototype of the others. According to a pious tradition the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Simon Stock at Cambridge, England, on Sunday, 16 July, 1251. In answer to his appeal for help for his oppressed order, she appeared to him with a scapular in her hand and said: "Take, beloved son this scapular of thy order as a badge of my confraternity and for thee and all Carmelites a special sign of grace; whoever dies in this garment, will not suffer everlasting fire. It is the sign of salvation, a safeguard in dangers, a pledge of peace and of the covenant". This tradition, however, appears in such a precise form for the first time in 1642, when the words of the Blessed Virgin were given in a circular of St. Simon Stock which he is said to have dictated to his companion secretary, and confessor, Peter Swanyngton. Although it has now been sufficiently shown that this testimony cannot be supported by historical documents, still its general content remains a reliable pious tradition; in other words, it is credible that St. Simon Stock was assured in a supernatural manner of the special protection of the Blessed Virgin for his whole order and for all who should wear the Carmelite habit, that the Blessed Virgin also promised him to grant special aid, especially in the hour of death, to those who in holy fidelity wore this habit in her honour throughout life, so that they should be preserved from hell. And, even though there is here no direct reference to the members of the scapular confraternity, indirectly the promise is extended to all who from devotion to the Mother of God should wear her habit or badge, like true Christians, until death, and be thus as it were affiliated to the Carmelite Order.
    ...For this privilege declares nothing else than that all those who out of true veneration and love for the Blessed Virgin constantly wear the scapular in a spirit of fidelity and confiding faith, after they have been placed by the Church itself with this habit or badge under the special protection of the Mother of God, shall enjoy this special protection in the matter and crisis which most concerns them for time and eternity. Whoever, therefore, even though he be now a sinner, wears the badge of the Mother of God throughout life as her faithful servant, not presumptuously relying on the scapular as on a miraculous amulet, but trustfully confiding in the power and goodness of Mary, may securely hope that Mary will through her powerful and motherly intercession procure for him all the necessary graces for true conversion and for perseverance in good. Such is the meaning and importance of the first privilege of the Carmelite Scapular, which is wont to be expressed in the words: "whoever wears the scapular until death, will be preserved from hell".
    The second privilege of the scapular otherwise known as the Sabbatine privilege, may be briefly defined as meaning that Mary's motherly assistance for her servants in the Scapular Confraternity will continue after death, and will find effect especially on Saturday (the day consecrated to her honour), provided that the members fulfill faithfully the not easy conditions necessary for obtaining this privilege.
    As regards the external form of the scapular, it should consist of two segments of brown woollen cloth; black, however, is also admissible. This scapular usually bears on one side the image of our Lady of Mount Carmel, but neither this nor any other image is prescribed... Concerning the often miraculous protection which Mary on account of this her badge has granted to pious members of the Scapular Confraternity in great perils of soul and body, there exist many records and reliable reports (some of recent times), to which it is impossible to refuse credence. Like the rosary, this scapular has become the badge of the devout Catholic and the true servant of Mary.

    If you have read this far and are now wishing that you had had the privilege of being enrolled in the Brown Scapular when you were a child, you are very fortunate. This Tuesday, July 16, is the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. After the two morning Masses I will have an enrollment ceremony for anyone who was not previously enrolled. I will invest you with the blessed habit of Carmel and you will be able to receive all of the graces promised. The information above is, obviously, shortened for the sake of fitting this space in the bulletin, and I highly recommend that before the enrollment ceremony you take upon yourself the simple task of further research into the benefits of wearing this powerful sacramental. That way you will desire it all the more and wear it with great devotion to Our Lady. You may bring your own scapular if you wish or accept the one provided by the parish. 

With prayers for your holiness,
Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka

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