This is perhaps the most recognizable scapular in the history of the church. with its simple brown form, beautiful embroidery, and the great promise given by Our Lady, it is little wonder why this scapular is the most popular. With the culmination of devotion to our Lady through this scapular reaching its height around the year 1726.
History of the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel:
On July 16th, 1251, in the town of Aylesford, England. Our Lady appeared to a Carmelite hermit by the name of St. Simon Stock. and handed him the brown woolen scapular of the Carmelites, and said “This shall be a privilege for you and all Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall not suffer eternal fire.”
Pope John XXII was later visited by Our Lady and she spoke to him about the brown scapular and those who wear the devotion, this conversation was recorded in one of Pope John XXII’s bulls where she said, “I, the Mother of Grace, shall descend on the Saturday after their death and whomsoever I shall find in purgatory I shall free so that I may lead them to the holy mountain of life everlasting.”
So not only does she promise that those who wear and are devoted to the scapular shall not suffer the fires of hell but that they shall have a shortened purgatory should they still have a debt from their life here on Earth.
While initially, this scapular was not open to the laity, popes beginning during the 16th century began to slowly open up and extend the scapular and the corresponding promises to the laity. A few important notes:
A few important notes:
The church teaches that devotion to this scapular is not a get-out-of-hell-free card and that it requires a changing of your heart, mind, and soul. So you cannot go out and lead a life of sin. Nor does the church teach that confession is no longer necessary with this devotion, in fact, it may be more necessary than ever.
How to Enrol:
- take a brown scapular to a priest and participate in the promise rights. Takes about 15 minutes.
- Receive a brown scapular after the blessing of the Scapular. but your duty does not end there.
The Devotions:
At that point, you are now enrolled and you must now wear the scapular every day until the day you pass from this life it must be worn around your shoulders it may not be pinned down. You cannot do anything to this scapular to bling it up, it must be a simple wool rectangle with no adornments. It is typically to be worn under one’s cloaths like an undergarment, with one rectangle in your front and the other hanging down the back. If however, your scapular should not be under your clothes, then wear it with pride don’t be in a hurry to hide it away but when you get a moment quietly tuck it back under your shirt.
You must observe a promise of chastity according to your life’s station. So if you are unmarried you will observe chastity according to that, and if married observe chastity with an eye to your wedding vows.
You must then practice at least one of these devotions to our lady;
1. you may pray the little office of hours
2. you may with permission from a priest pray a daily rosary.
3. You may fast from meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays along with all other days that the church.
4. Or you may do some other form of devotion.
There is only one time that you should refrain from wearing the scapular and that is while in the shower/bath. Think of it like an undershirt, that you wear day and night. If you want your scapular to last merely place it gently down but put the scapular back on when you are finished bathing.
If you should get your scapular wet, don’t panic. set the scapular on a hard surface with a towel beneath and above it and gently press as much of the water out as you can. Do not ring out the scapular as you will destroy the string holding the two halves together, and your scapular will not last as long.
Note: Should your scapular break and be unusable, as quickly as you can obtain a new one for yourself. But the new scapular does not need a priest to bless it, that is mandatory only for your first scapular. I recommend keeping one extra scapular around so that you do not worry too much if your scapular should break.
Sources:
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/scapular-devotion-5806