Now... Can You Answer These Scapular Questions?

1. How do we know that our Lady made the Scapular Promise?

2. What does the Promise mean?

3. What must we do to be members of our Lady's family of Carmel?

4. What is the sign of membership?

5. How can I get others to wear the Scapular?

6. May non-Catholics wear the Scapular?

7. Besides wearing the Scapular, must I say some special prayers to obtain the Promise?

8. Is the Scapular medal as good as the cloth Scapular?

9. Is the Scapular more valuable than the Rosary or the Miraculous Medal?

10. Is it true that those who die clothed in the Scapular are not only sure of being saved, but are also sure of being freed from Purgatory on the first Saturday after death?

(The answer to #10 is below, and on the back page are the other answers.)

Sabbatine privilege

According to a Carmelite tradition, our Lady appeared to Pope John XXII, in the early fourteenth century.  She recommended to him the Carmelite Order, and granted them an indulgence from heaven, in which all we who are enrolled in the brown scapular may participate. This miraculous promise has been preached by the Carmelites for centuries, and was approved after investigation by the Roman Inquisition, in the form below:

"Christian people may piously believe in the help which the souls of brothers and members, who have departed this life in charity, have worn throughout life the scapular, have ever observed chastity, have recited the -Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, or,  if they cannot read, have observed the fast days of the Church, and have abstained from flesh meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays (except when Christmas falls on such days), may derive after death - especially on Saturdays, the day consecrated by the Church to the Blessed Virgin - through the unceasing  intercession of Mary, her pious petitions, her merits, and her special protection."

-Decree of the Roman Inquisition on January 20, 1613. 20, 1613.

The obligation to read the Little Office and to abstain from meat may on important grounds be changed for other pious works, by any confessor.

Editorial

The feast of our Lady of Mt. Carmel is July 16.  Suffice it for me to encourage every one to be enrolled in the brown scapular, to wear the brown scapular, and to share the scapular devotion with your neighbours. There is no opposition between the Rosary and the Scapular, rather, together these devotions honour the Mother of God.

United to you in devotion to the Blessed Virgin, I am,

Fr. E. Herkel

St. Simon Stock and the Scapular

This holy man, St. Simon, was born in England, in the County of Kent, in 1165. His parents were of the nobility, and from his earliest infancy he was endowed with many extraordinary graces; when he was 12 years of age he withdrew into solitude, where he lived for twenty years in the trunk of an hollow oak, which served him for an oratory, a bed and cell. His food was only herbs and roots, and sometimes bread, which a dog brought him, especially on festival days. With water from a rivulet close by he quenched his thirst.

Prayer and perpetual exercise of celestial mediation were his sole occupations, and Simon received many supernatural graces from God, and especially he enjoyed the familiar conversation of the Blessed Virgin, who appearing one day to him, told him, that shortly some religious men, who were under her protection, were to come from Palestine to England, and that he should embrace their institute.

The prediction of the sacred Virgin was verified in the year 1212, when Sir Richard Grey and Sir John Viscoy returning from Palestine with the English fleet, that was sent thither to succor the Christians against the Saracens, they brought with them from Mount Carmel, two religious men, Rhodolphus and Yno. Simon admonished by the Blessed Virgin went and cast himself at the feet of these fathers, who immediately admitted him amongst them.

The life of the new monk was so exemplary and holy that all looked upon him not as one of earth, but as an angel of heaven. After he had made his solemn vows, his superior sent him to Oxford to study theology, but however eminent he was by his learning he could only be induced to receive the minor orders. Inflamed with the same fire which had consumed the illustrious Prophet Elias, he wholly devoted himself to missionary labour, and was so successful that the whole island became animated with new fervor; numerous and wonderful were the conversions which followed his sermons; extraordinary the miracles which were wrought by this servant of God. He changed water into wine.

In 1245, the Latin Carmelite General Alanus having died, Simon was by common consent and unanimous vote elected General of the whole Order in the place of the deceased. This took place in Aisleford, England. He did much to propagate the Order in England and governed it with singular ability. St Simon also succeeded perfectly in promoting in his Order an ardent devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1265, when visiting the Convents of his Order, in France, he ended his happy days in the city of Bordeaux on the 16th of May.

During the time that St. Simon was General great troubles disturbed the church and many persecutions were raised against the holy Order, some opposing its privileges, others disliking honourable title, which they enjoyed, to be called the Brothers and Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, and St. Simon suffered much for the defense of his Order; but in the midst of these troubles he experienced great fervor of spirit; with many tears he turned to the most glorious Virgin, to whom he had ever recourse in all his necessities, and she as a pious mother never frustrated his expectations. He entreated her that as she had shown herself so favourable to the Order, which had been instituted for so long a time and had been adorned with the title of her holy name, which had been confirmed by the Popes, and illustrated by the lives of so many saints, she would be pleased to grant it some peculiar privilege or sign, by which all would know that she was the chief patroness and special protectress of the Carmelites. He composed many prayers and anthems in honour of the glorious Mother of God, and particularly the following: "Flos Carmeli, Vitis Florigera, Splendor Coeli, Virgo Puerpera, Singularis, Mater Mitis, Sed viri nescia, Carmelitis, Da privilegia, Stella maris. Flower of Carmel, Blossoming vine, Splendor of Heaven, Virgin bearing, Singularly, Meek Mother, Not knowing man, To the Carmelites, Give privileges, O, Star of the Sea."

Saying these prayers with great fervor, he deserved to be heard by the Blessed Virgin. As he was upon his knees in the Oratory, the most glorious Virgin, clad in great splendor, and surrounded with a multitude of blessed saints, and thousands of angels, appeared to him, holding a brown scapular in her hand; she said to him:

"Receive, most beloved son, the Scapular of thy Order, a sign of my confraternity, a privilege both to thee and to all Carmelites, in which he that dieth shall not suffer eternal fire; behold the sign of salvation, a safeguard in danger, a covenant of peace and everlasting alliance."

Having said these words, she left the sacred habit in his hands and vanished. This happened on the 16th day of July, 1251, in the Carmelite convent of Cambridge, which, like that of London, went by the name of the White Friars, so called from the white garment (the imitation of the cloak of Elias) that these religious ordinarily wear. Now the Carmelites wear both, the white cloak of Elias and the brown Scapular of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and well do they wear both garments, remembering their double descent...

Blessed Simon, filled with amazement and the sweetest consolation, transported out of himself by the favour he had received from the Ever Blessed Virgin, made known to his religious and to others the remarkable favour, and commanded that in every Convent of the Order, prayers should be offered to God, to ask Him to confirm and authenticate this singular favour of the Queen of Heaven. In the year 1251 another persecution was excited against our religious by the pastors and curates of the parish churches. But Pope Innocent IV, by four ample briefs confirmed, by apostolical authority, the favour....

The number of the faithful of all ranks, who desired to be enrolled in the Confraternity of Mount Carmel and participate in this treasure, increased every day. The Scapulars were blessed in the churches of the Carmelites and distributed amongst the people, and various authors assure us that no devotion has been more approved of or more generally spread throughout the Christian world than that of the holy Scapular."

- from The Brown Scapular of MountCarmel, by Fr. Pius, O.C.C.

Answers

1. Because (1) the fact of Her appearance to St. Simon has been recorded by reliable historians; (2) miracles have been wrought in confirmation thereof; (3) the Church has propagated the Scapular Devotion for seven centuries so that there is hardly any devotion to Mary that is universal.

2. The Promise means that one will not die in mortal sin if he dies as a member of our Lady's Scapular Family.

3. We must (1) be enrolled in the Confraternity by a duly authorized priest and we must (2) wear the sign of membership.

4. The Brown Scapular which is a small garment made from two rectangular pieces of woven wool joined by cords and WORN OVER BOTH SHOULDERS, one part in front and one part in back. The cords can be of any material, even golden chains; the BROWN pieces of WOVEN WOOL are the essential parts.

5. Usually telling them of Our Lady's Promise will be enough. Almost every Catholic is enrolled in the Scapular after his First Communion and we need only urge such

Catholics to put the Scapular on and to keep it on. However, if we know some Catholics who have not been enrolled, we must get them to see a priest to be enrolled and to then wear the Scapular always.

6. Many, many conversions have been wrought through the wearing of the Scapular. Non-Catholics cannot indeed be enrolled in the Scapular and participate in the good works of the other members of the Confraternity and in the more indulgences, but they can wear the Scapular as a sign of devotion to Mary.

7. No. Our Lady's Promise is attached simply to the wear- ing of the Scapular. Since that is an act which continually renders Her a homage of confidence, love and supplication. The simple wearing of the Scapular is A TRUE DEVOTION to Mary and if we persevere in it we cannot be lost.

8. The Scapular medal was primarily intended for natives in the tropics, as a substitute for the cloth Scapular. Hence, we should not wear it in place of the cloth without good reason.

9. St. Claude de la Colombiere says: "I would reproach myself were I to weaken your confidence in other devotions to Mary, all of which cannot fail to touch Her maternal heart. But if Our Lady is gracious to those who practice other devotions, how much more propitious shall She not be to those who wear Her holy Scapular!"