OUR LADY AND THE BROWN SCAPULAR

A MESSAGE FOR THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

On the 16^th of July, 1251, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the Prior General of the Carmelite Order, St. Simon Stock.  The Carmelites were a mendicant order of friars, and their habit included a brown belted tunic, a hood called a capuche, a white mantle, and a long brown scapular.  As with any religious order, the wearing of the habit was an essential part of their religious practice, identifying the wearer as a member.  To remove one’s habit was tantamount to leaving the order, and indeed, the Carmelite Constitution of 1389 stipulates automatic excommunication for Carmelites who say Mass without a scapular, and it was considered a serious sin to sleep without the scapular.

When our Lady appeared to St. Simon, she made reference to the scapular of his order, promising salvation to those who faithfully wore it till the end of their life.  This singular privilege has been extended to include not only the religious members of the Carmelite Order, but to all those who are enrolled in the Order’s brown scapular.  The traditional formulation of the Scapular Promise is “Take this Scapular.  Whosoever dies wearing it shall not suffer eternal fire.  It shall be a sign of salvation, a consecration to the most sacred heart of the Immaculate Virgin.”

The wearing of the scapular, however, should not be interpreted as an easy way to heaven, and care should be taken not to stray into superstition.  We must remember that the scapular is a sacramental, not a sacrament, and does not confer grace in the same way that a sacrament does.  Rather, the faithful wearing of the scapular is indicative of a sign that we belong to Mary, and her pledge to us of her motherly protection, both in this life and after death.

Our Blessed Lady told St. Simon Stock that the faithful should wear the scapular devoutly and perseveringly: “It is my garment.  To be clothed in it means you are continually thinking of me, and I in turn, am always thinking of you and helping you to secure eternal life.”  To obtain the fullest possible benefits from the brown scapular devotion, one must be validly invested (enrolled) in the brown scapular by a priest.  Every priest has the privilege of enrolling Catholics in the scapular.  After having received the initial blessed scapular from a priest, no other scapular need be blessed before wearing.  The blessing and imposition are attached to the wearer for life.  The scapular must be worn on the shoulders in such a manner that one part hangs in front of the body and other in back.  Worn in any other way it carries no indulgence or promise.

The brown scapular is a magnificent assurance of salvation, and it is one of the great mysteries of our time that the great majority of Catholics either ignore or have forgotten the Blessed Virgin Mary’s promise.  Make sure you’re wearing yours!