"GARMENT OF GRACE" Why Do We Wear the Scapular? If you wear Mary's Brown Scapular, you should be introduced to St. Simon Stock. You may already know him from his picture (alongwith our Lady's) on your Scapular. Actually, St. Simon is an old friend, for it was to him that Our Blessed Mother gave the Scapular promise in 1251, saying, "Whosoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire." One of the greatest mysteries of our time is that the majority of Catholics either ignore, or have entirely forgotten this Heavenly promise of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady further says: "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." Blessed Claude de la Colombiere, the renowned Jesuit and spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary, gives a point which is enlightening. He said, "Because all the forms of our love for the Blessed Virgin and all its various modes of expression cannot be equally pleasing to Her, and therefore do not assist us in the same degree to reach Heaven, i say, without a moment's hesitation, that the BROWN SCAPULAR IS THE MOST FAVOURED OF ALL!" He also adds, "No devotion has been confirmed by more numerous authentic miracles than the Brown Scapular." The Brown Scapular Investure Ceremony at the end of the article	Home
	About the Centre
	The Garabandal Story
	Garabandal in India
	The Call of Garabandal
	Position of the Church
	Questions & Answers
	Picture Gallery
	Scientific View
	The Garabandal Messages
	Three Popes
	Father Padre Pio
	Joey's Story
	Bishop De Val
	Prophecies
	Miraculous Cures
	News Update
	GARABANDAL MATERIALS
	Print Media     (Books, Leaflets, etc)
	Audio Visual Media     (Cassettes, Slides, etc)
	Religious articles
	Lectures
	Apologetics (Learn about your faith) The Holy Rosary Divine Mercy The Scapular Mary, Mother of God The Holy Bible
	More Catholic Links
	Contact us
	Feedback

Old Testament History

Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel (the Madonna of the Scapular) goes back far before the time of St. Simon Stock ¾ even before the time of Our Blessed Lord; it goes back all the way to the 8^th century B.C. It was then that the great prophet Elias ascended the holy mountain of Carmel in Palestine, and began there a long tradition of contemplative life and prayer. It is amazing to realize that centuries before Christ was born, Holy Elias and his followers had mystically dedicated themselves to God's Mother-to-come, Mary, Queen of Mount Carmel. Nearly three thousand years later, that tradition of prayer, contemplation, and devotion to Mary continues to live and prevail in the Catholic Church.

In the fullness of time, God became the God-main, Jesus. We know of Our Lord's life, death, resurrection and ascension from the four Gospels of the New Testament, and we know that Jesus bequeathed to the world the Holy Catholic Church to teach, to govern, and to sanctify in His Name.

On the Feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, the spiritual descendants of Elias and his followers came down from Mount Carmel. Fittingly, they were baptized by the Apostles. When, at last, they were presented to Our Lady, and heard the sweet words from Her lips, they were overcome with a sense of majesty and sanctity which they never forgot. Returning to their holy mountain, they erected the first chapel ever built in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From that time, devotion to god's Mother was handed down by the hermits on Mount Carmel as a treasured spiritual legacy.

Our Lady Appears to St. Simon

In the year 1241, the Baron de Grey of England was returning from the Crusades in Palestine: he brought back with him a group off religious from the holy mountain of Carmel. Upon arrival, the baron generously presented the monks with a manor house in the town of Aylesford. Ten years later, in the very place, there occurred the now famous apparitions of Our Lady to St. Simon Stock. As the Holy Virgin handed St. Simon the brown woolen Scapular She spoke these words: "This shall be the privilege for you and all Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall be saved." In time, the Church extended this magnificent privilege to all the laity who are willing to be invested in the Brown Scapular of the Carmelites, and who perpetually wear it.

Many Catholics are invested in the Brown Scapular at the time of their First Holy Communion; in the case of converts the vesting concurs with their Profession of Faith. When a person is enrolled in the Confraternity of the Brown Scapular and vested in that tiny habit of brown wool, the priest says to him: "Receive this blessed Scapular and ask the most holy Virgin that, by Her merits, it may be worn with no stain of sin and may protect you from all harm and bring you into everlasting life." The following true stories will give a brief idea of how Our Blessed Mother keeps Her promise.

Miracle of Grace

A Priest relates how one day in a town near Chicago he was called to the bedside of a man who had been away from the Sacraments for many years. "The man did not want to see me: he would not talk. Then I asked him to look at the little Scapular I was holding. 'Will you wear this if I put it on you? I ask nothing more.' He agreed to wear it, and within the hour he wanted to go to confession and make his peace with God. this did not surprise me, because for over 700 years Our Lady has been working in this way through Her Scapular."

On the very day that Our Lady gave the Scapular to St.Simon Stock, he was hurriedly called by Lord Peter of Linton: "Come quickly, Father, my brother is dying in despair!" St.Simon Stock left at once for the bedside of the dying man, asking Our Blessed Mother to keep her promise. Immediately the man repented and died in the grace and friendship of God. That night the dead man appeared to his brother and said, "I hae been saved through the most powerful Queen and the habit of that man as a shield."

St. Alphonsus tells us: "Modern heretics make a mockery of wearing the Scapular. They decry it as so much trifling nonsense." Yet we know that many of the Popes have approved and recommended it. It is remarkable that just 25 years after the Scapular Vision, Blessed Pope Gregory X was buried wearing the Scapular. When his tomb was opened 600 years after his death, his Scapular was found intact.

Two great founders of Religious Orders, St. Alphonsus, of the Redemptorists and St. john Bosco of the Salesians had a very special devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and both wore Her Brown Scapular. When they died, each was buried in his priestly vestments and Scapular. Many years later, their graves were opened, the bodies and sacred vestments in which they were buried were decayed ¾ dust! BUT THE BROWN SCAPULAR WHICH EACH WAS WEARING WAS PERFECTLY INTACT. The Scapular of St. Alphonsus is on exhibit in his Monastery in Rome.

Protection Against the Devil

You will understand why the devil works against those who promote the Scapularwhen you hear the story of Venerable Francis Ypes. One day his Scapular fell off. As he replaced it, the devil howled, "Take off the habit which snatches so many souls from us!" Then and there Francis made the devil admit that there are three things which the demons are most afraid of: the Holy Name of Jesus, the Holy name of Mar, and the Holy Scapular of Carmel. To that list we could add: the Holy Rosary.

The great St.Peter Claver was another of God's heroes who used the Scapular to good advantage. Every month a shipment of 1000 slaves would arrive at Cartegena, Colombia, South America. St. Peter used to ensure the salvation of his converts. First, he organized catechists to give them instructions. Then, he saw to it that they wer baptized and clothed with the Scapular. Some ecclesiastics accused the Saint of indiscreet zeal, but St.Peter was confident that Mary would watch over each of his more than 300,000 converts.

A Train Accident

One of the most extraordinary of all Scapular incidents took place in the United States. It happened around the turn of the century in the town of Ashtabula, Ohio, that a man was cut in tow by a train; he was wearing the Scapular. Instead of dying instantly, as is usual, he remain alive AND CONSCIOUS for 45 minutes ¾ just enough time until a priest could arrive to administer the Last Sacraments. These, and other such incidents, tell us that Our Blessed Mother will take personal care of us in the hour of our death. So great and powerful a Mother is Mary that She will never fail to keep the Scapular contract, i.e. to see that we die in God's grace.

A Home Saved from Fire

Nearer our own times, in May of 1957, a Carmelite priest in Germany published the unusual story of how the Scapular saved a home from fire. An entire row of homes had caught fire in Westboden, Germany. The pikous inhabitants of a 2-family home, seeing the fire, immediately fastened a Scapular to the main door of the house. Sparks flew over it and around it, but the house remained unharmed. Within 5 hours, 22 homes had been reduced to ashes. The one structure which stood undamaged amidst the destruction was that which had the Scapular atached to its door. The hundreds of people who came to see the place Our Lady had saved are eye-witnesses to the power of the Scapular and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Futher Miracles

A Jesuit missionary in Guatemala tells of an incident of Our Lady's Scapular protection. In November of 1955 a plane carrying 27passengers crashed. All died except one young lady. When this girl saw that the plane was going down, she took hold of her Scapular, and called on Mary for help. She suffered burns, her clothing was reduced to ashes, but her Scapular was touched by the flames.

In the same year of 1955, a similar miracle occurred in the Midwest. A 3^rd grader stopped in a gasoline station to put air in his bicycle tires, and at that very moment an explosion occurred. The boy's clothing was burned off, but his Brown Scapular remained unaffected: a symbol of Mary's protection. Today, although he still bears a few scars from the explosion, this young man has special reason to remember the Blessed Mother's protection in time of danger.

Necessity of Wearing the Scapular

During the Spanish civil war in the 1930's, seven communists were sentenced to death because of their crimes. A Carmelite priest tried to prepare the men for death; they refused. As a last resort, he brought the men cigarettes, food and wine, assuring them that he would not talk religion. In a short while, they were all friendly, so he asked them for one small favour: "Will you permit me to place a Scapular on each of you?" Six agreed; one refused. Soon all Scapular wearers went to confession. The seventh continued to refuse. Only to please them, he put on a Scapular, he would do nothing mjore. Morning came, and as the moment of execution drew near, the seventh man made it clear that he was not going to ask for the priest. Although wearing the Scapular, he was determined to go this death an enemy of god. Finally, the command was given, the firing squad did its deadly work, and seven lifeless bodies lay sprawled in the dust. Mysteriously, a Scapular was found approximately 50 paces from the bodies. Six men died WITH Mary's Scapular; the seventh died WITHOUT the Scapular. Blessed Claude giveus us the solution to the mystery of the missing Scapular; "You ask, 'What if I desire to die in my sins?' I answer, 'Then you will die in your sins, BUT YOU WILL NOT DIE WITH YOUR SCAPULAR.'" Blessed Claude tells the story of a man who tried to drown himself three times. He was rescued against his will. At least he realized that he was wearing his Scapular. Determined to take his life, he tore the Scapular from his neck and leaped into the water. Without Mary's protective garment he accomplished his wish, and died in his sins.

The Promise of Our Lady

Our Lady Herself has said, "Take this Scapular. Whosoever dies wearing it shall not suffer eternal fire. It shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger, and a pledge of peace."

Vatican Approval

In wearing the Scapular at all times we make silent petition for the Blessed Mother's continual assistance. We share in all the prayers and good works of the Carmelite Scapular Confraternity throughout the world. Pope Pius XII often spoke of the Scapular. On the 700^th anniversary of the appearance of Our Lady to St. Simon Stock, Pope Pius XII referred to the Scapular as "the Sign of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary." The Scapular also represents the sweet yoke of Jesus Christ which Mary helps us to bear. And finally, the Pope continued, the Scapular marks us as one of Mary's chosen children, and becomes for us (as the German's call it) a "Garment of Grace". Blessed Claude tells us, "Of all the pious practices which have inspired the faithful to honour the Mother of God, there is none so sure as that of the Scapular. No other devotion has been confirmed by so many and such extraordinary miracles ."

As we mentioned above, during the Scapular Anniversary celebration in Rome in 1951, Pope Pius XII told a very large audience to wear the Brown Scapular as a sign of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady asked for this consecration in the last apparition at Fatima, when She appeared as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, holding the Brown Scapular out to the whole world. It was Her last moving appeal to souls to wear Her Scapular as a sign of consecration to Her Immaculate Heart.

A Brief Summary

The Scapular is a habit - Our Lady's habit. The Scapular must be worn over the shoulders in such a manner that one part hangs in front of the body and the other in back. Worn in any other way, it carries no indulgence or promise. it is not necessary to wear the Scapular next to the skin. Furthermore, the Scapular may be enclosed in some sort of case ¾ metal, plastic, etc. - provided the case does not prevent the Scapular material from being attached to the braid or chain. Many Catholics may not know it is the wish of the Holy Father, the Pope, that the Scapular Medal should not be worn in place of the Cloth Scapular without sufficient reason. Mary cannot be pleased with anyone who substitute the medal out of vanity, or out of fear of making open profession of faith. Such persons run the risk of not receiving the Promise. The medal has never been noted for any of the miraculous preservations attributed to the Brown Cloth Scapular.

May a non-Catholic wear the BROWN SCAPULAR? Yes, and in so doing, a non-Catholic will receive many graces and blessings with this special sign of devotion to the Mother of God. Although baptized Catholics are the only ones who can be officially enrolled in the Confraternity and share in the special Scapular privileges non-Catholics are warmly encouraged to avail themselves of this special way of honouring Jesus' Mother. By wearing the Scapular, we are dedicated to Our Blessed Mother in a special way and have a strong claim upon Her protection and intercession.

In Conclusion

Q. What is the Scapular?

A. The Scapular is a small replica of the religious habit consisting of two pieces of wool connected by ribbons and worn under one's clothes so that one piece hangs in front and the other in back. Alongwith the Rosary and the Miraculous Medal, the Scapular is one of the chief Marian sacramentals.

Q. And what is a sacramental?

A.  A sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by the Church to excite good thoughts and to increase devotion, and through these movements of the heart, to remit venial sin.

Q. Is it the sacramental itself that gives grace?

A. No, it is not the sacramental itself that gives grace, but the devotion, the love of God, or sorrow for sin that it inspires. In using the sacramentals, the more devotion we have, the more grace we receive.

Q. What is the difference between sacraments and sacramentals?

A. The difference between the sacraments and the sacramentals is: 1^st, the sacraments were instituted by jesus Christ and the sacramentals were instituted by the Church; 2^nd, the sacraments give grace of themselves when we place no obstacle in the way; the sacramentals excite in us pious disposition, by means of which we may obtain grace.

Q. What are some of the other sacramentals besides the Scapular?

A. the sign of the Cross is the chief sacramental used in the Church, besides which we have holy water, blessed candles, ashes, palms, crucifixes and images of the Blessed Virgin and of the saints, the Rosary, Miraculous Medal and the Scapular.

Q. Why do we call it a Scapular?

A. The word "Scapular" comes from the Latin word "scapulae" meaning "shoulders". The Scapular is actually a miniature form of a monk's habit by the same name which is a sleeveless outer garment falling from the shoulders to the knees.

Q. Why do we wear the Scapular?

A. We wear the Scapular to indicate that we placed ourselves under the special protection of the Blessed Virgin. We can tell to what army or nation a soldier belongs by the uniform he wears; so we can consider the Scapular as the particular uniform of those who desire to serve the Blessed Virgin in some special manner.

Q. May a non-Catholic wear a Scapular?

A. By all means, non-Catholics may wear the Scapular, and by so doing, will draw down upon their souls much actual grace from heaven. Our Lady, as a good Mother will bring conversions to those who honour Her by wearing Her Scapular.

Q. Must the Scapular be blessed before wearing it?

A. The first Scapular to be worn must be blessed and imposed by a Priest using the formula contained in the Roman ritual for reception into the Confraternity of the Scapular.

Q. What are the words used by the Priest when enrolling a person in the Confraternity of the Scapular are as follows:

A. "Receive this blessed habit; praying the most holy Virgin, that by her merits thou may wear it without stain; and that She may guard thee from all evil and bring thee to life everlasting. R. Amen.

By the power granted me, I admit thee to the participation of all the spiritual good works, which through the gracious help of Jesus Christ are performed by the religious of Mount Carmel. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, V and of the Holy Ghost. R. Amen.

May the Creator of Heaven and earth, Almighty God, bless V thee; Who has deigned to unite thee to the confraternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. We beseech Her, in the hour of thy death, to crush the head of the old serpent; so that thou may in the end win the everlasting palm and crown of the heavenly inheritance. through Christ our Lord. R. Amen."

Q. Would there be a sin if one ceased to wear the Scapular after having received it?

A. No, it would not be a sin, but by so doing, one would lose all the benefits promised. If, having ceased to wear the Scapular, even for several years, one should decide to wear it once again, no new ceremony of imposition is necessary.

Q. After having received the initial Scapular from a Priest do subsequent Scapulars need to be blessed?

A. No, subsequent Scapulars need not be blessed as the blessing and imposition are attached to the wearer for life.

Q. What should be done with the Scapular when it is worn out?

A. The Scapular, being a sacred object, when it becomes worn out must be either buried or burned. It should not be disposed of in the regular garbage.

Q. What is the Sabbatine Privilege?

A. The Sabbatine Privilege consists essentially in the early liberation from Purgatory through the special intercession of Mary, which She graciously exercises in favour of Her devoted servants……on the day consecrate to Her, Saturday.

Q. What are the requirements to make oneself eligible for the Sabbatine Privilege?

A. There are three conditions for the gaining of the Sabbatine Privilege. They are:

(1) We must WEAR THE SCAPULAR. (2) OBSERVE CHASTITY according to our state in life. (3) RECITE THE LITTLE OFFICE OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER (The Rosary or some other pious work can be substituted for the Office of Our Lady. The faculty to sanction this change was granted to ALL CONFESSORS by Pope Leo XIII in the Decree of the Congregation of Indulgence in June of 1901).

BROWN   SCAPULAR   INVESTURE   CEREMONY

Priest                   :       Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy.

Respondent      :       And grant us Thy Salvation.

Priest                   :       Lord, hear my pray

Respondent      :       And let my cry come unto Thee

Priest                  :       The Lord be with you

Respondent     :        And with your spirit.  

Priest : Lord Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, sanctify by Thy power these scapulars, which for love of Thee and for love of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Thy servants will wear devoutly, so that through the intercession of the same Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and protected against the evil spirit, they persevere until death in Thy grace. Thou who liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen.

 

By the power granted me, I admit thee to the participation of all the spiritual good works, which through the gracious help of Jesus Christ are performed by the religious of Mount Carmel. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, V and of the Holy Ghost. Response : Amen.

Response : Amen.

There are THREE CONDITIONS for the gaining of the SABBATINE PRIVELEGE. They are: