Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Too often these days two of Mary's great and powerful gifts - the Rosary and the Scapular - are being ignored and, sad to say, even totally neglected...

...At Fatima Our Blessed Mother emphasized the importance of these sacramentals.  In fact, she said:  "I am the lady of the Rosary", and she asked over and over again, that the Rosary be prayed daily and often for the conversion of sinners and world peace.  As to the Brown Scapular, in her final appearance at Fatima, Mary appeared as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, holding the Brown Scapular.

As to the Brown Scapular, during the past seven hundred years the Church as encouraged this devotion, and our pontiffs have placed many indulgences upon its devout use.  Numerous authenticated miracles and favors, both spiritual and temporal, have proved the devotion's validity and emphasized Our Blessed Mother's promise that whoever dies wearing the Brown Scapular will be saved.

Fatima or Moscow?  by Clentine Lenta

Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Help for the Holy Souls

Banner from Blessed Sacrament Church, Paterson, NJ

The brown woolen scapular that Catholics wear is the habit of Our Lady that we are clothed with to show that we have consecrated ourselves to her.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel made a promise that she would personally go down to Purgatory to bring us up to heaven, the first Saturday after our death, if we have faithfully worn her brown scapular as a symbol of our devotion to her.

... the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. It is adapted from the scapular of the Carmelite Order and represents a special Consecration to Our Lady under the title of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Those who wear it practice it a special devotion to Mary. In the past this was the Little Office of Our Lady, but today this can be commuted by any priest to the rosary. In addition, the person has a special entrustment of themselves to Mary for their salvation. This, in fact, has been promised to those who faithfully wear the scapular:  "Those who die wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire." This must not be understood superstitiously or magically, but in light of  Catholic teaching that perseverance in faith, hope and love are required for salvation. The scapular is a powerful reminder of this Christian obligation and of Mary's promise to help those consecrated to her obtain the grace of final perseverance.

Source: EWTN

Our blessed mother also goes into purgatory to free many souls on special days we honor her, such as all Saturdays and all the Marian feast days.  Just imagine how many souls will be freed from the pains of purgatory today!

For those of you who still do not wear the brown scapular, perhaps today is the day you begin.  It is important that you have a priest enroll you or confer you in our Lady's brown scapular.  Any priest is able to do this.  The EWTN link above has more details regarding investiture in the brown scapular.

The Sisters of Carmel in Colorado Springs make beautiful woolen brown scapular by hand.  You can get them for 5.00 each by contacting the sisters at Sisters of Carmel.

Catholic Free Shipping also sells good quality brown scapulars. These brown scapulars have the St. Benedict medal and a crucifix attached. You can get them for 6.95 each.

Please remember those who are very sick or may be in danger of death, by giving them a brown scapular to wear.

Happy Feast Day!

The Brown Scapular - Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Blessed Sacrament Church, Paterson, NJ

The following is from the Pieta prayer booklet.

Mary's Garment

This is Mary's promise made July 16, 1251, to Saint Simon Stock.

On October 13, 1917, at the last apparition at Fatima, Our Blessed Mother appeared dressed as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.  Silently she held out to the world the brown scapular - the sign of personal consecration - the sign of eternal salvation.  Lucy of Fatima explained: 'The Scapular and the Rosary are inseparable.'

The devils revealed to Francis of Yepes, the brother of St. John of the Cross, that three things especially tormented them.
The first is:  The Name of Jesus;
the second is the name of Mary; and
the third, the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

'Take off that habit,' they cried to him, 'which snatches so many souls from us.  All those clothed in it die piously and escape us.'

Your SCAPULAR, then, should take on deep meaning for you.  It is a rich present brought down from heaven by our Lady herself.

"Wear it devoutly and perseveringly,', she says to each soul, 'It is my garment. To be clothed in it means yo are continually thinking of me, and I in turn, am always thinking of you and helping you to secure eternal life.'"

The following is from a little pamphlet I received when I received the Brown Scapulars made by the Sister of Carmel, a Carmelite order that make high quality woolen Brown Scapulars by hand.

Devotion

True devotion to Mary consists in three things:

Veneration
Confidence
and Love.

Without saying to Mary that we venerate her, love her, and trust in her protection, we tell her these things every moment of the day by simply wearing the Scapular.

The Scapular is a Silent Prayer

As Our Lord taught us to say the Our Father, Our Blessed Mother taught us the value of the Scapular.  When we use it as a prayer, Our Lady draws us to the Sacred Heart of Her Divine Son. It is good, therefore to hold the scapular in the hand.

A prayer offered while holding the Scapular is as perfect as a prayer can be.  It is especially in time of temptation that we need the powerful intercession of God's Mother.  The evil spirit is utterly powerless when a Scapular-wearer, besides his silent devotion faces temptation calling upon Mary. "If you had recommended yourself to me, you would not have run not such danger." was Our Lady's gentle reproach to Blessed Alan de la Roche, one of her devoted servants...

For Non-Catholics

Our Lady's Motherhood is not limited to Catholics:  it is extended to all men.  Many miracles of conversion have been wrought in favor of good non-Catholics who have been induced to practice the Scapular devotion.

Pope Benedict XV granted an indulgence of 500 days EACH TIME the Scapular is kissed. NOTE:  nowadays we earn partial indulgence.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Old statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel recently restored
Blessed Sacrament Church, Paterson, NJ

Flos Carmeli

This is the prayer of St. Simon Stock, to whom the Scapular devotion with its promise
was given. It has for seven centuries been called a prayer to the Blessed Mother
which has never been known to fail in obtaining her powerful help.

O beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful Vine,
Splendor of Heaven, holy and singular, who
brought forth the Son of God, still ever remaining
a Pure Virgin, assist me in this necessity.

O Star of the Sea, help and protect me!
Show me that thou art my Mother.

O Mary, Conceived without sin,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Mother and Ornament of Carmel, Pray for us!
Virgin, Flower of Carmel, Pray for us!
Patroness of all who wear the Scapular, Pray for us!
Hope of all who die wearing the Scapular, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Friend of the Sacred Heart, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Chaste Spouse of Mary, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Our Patron, Pray for us!
O sweet Heart of Mary, be my Salvation!
 

Prayer source.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

These photos are of the statue and banner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel found at Blessed Sacrament Church, Paterson, New Jersey.  The Italian Catholics have a huge devotion to our lady under this title.  Tonight was the last night of their novena of Masses and prayers in preparation for tomorrow's feast day.  The celebration will include Holy Mass, a procession and then a big Italian dinner.

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.

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 substitutes the medal out of vanity, or out of fear of making an 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 reservations 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 honoring Jesus' Mother.

"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."

- Our Lady

From Garment of Grace

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Photo taken at Blessed Sacrament Church, Paterson, NJ
The following was shared by Sue Cifelli:

Spirit of Carmel: The Brown Scapular - Meaning and Miracles

"Whosoever dies wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire." -words of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Simon Stock

As the middle of the thirteenth century approached, the Carmelite Order found itself at a critical moment of its history. The Turks had re-invaded the Holy Land, making it necessary for the monks on Mt. Carmel to spread westward into Europe. However, difficulty in adapting to European living, disagreement within the Order, and the plague greatly diminished their numbers and demoralized the remaining members. In the midst of these circumstances, the General Chapter of 1247 elected Simon Stock Father General of the Carmelite Order. Realizing the dire state of his community, he had recourse to Mary.

“Flower of Carmel, Blossoming Vine, Splendor of Heaven, Mother Divine, none like unto Thee, Mother of our King. To thy children of Carmel, favors grant ever, Star of the Sea,” he prayed.

On July 16, 1251, Mary appeared to him surrounded by angels and holding in her hands the brown scapular of the Carmelite habit. “This shall be a privilege for you and for all Carmelites: whoever dies clothed in this shall not suffer eternal fire, rather, he shall be saved,” she promised.

With the help of Our Lady and under the leadership of Simon Stock, the Carmelite Order began to flourish. Mary would not abandon her sons and brothers. For the Carmelite Order, this was the confirmation of the special relationship it had had with Mary since its beginning.

Since the first monks ascended Mount Carmel during the time of the Crusades, Carmelite devotion to Mary has been marked by love, imitation, and dependence. As followers of Christ, the Carmelites knew that they were called to love and honor Mary in the same way that Jesus had during His life on earth. At the same time, their life of chastity, poverty, obedience, silence, and prayer was an almost perfect imitation of the life of Mary. In their imitation of her, Mary became for these monks the Queen and Flower of Carmel.

Represented by twelve stars at the top of the Carmelite Coat of Arms, the virtues and love of God of the Immaculata were the Order’s sole treasure. Depending not on himself, but on the love and mercy of His Queen, the Carmelite received through the hands of Mary the grace and strength necessary to practice the virtues and accomplish the works that brought her honor.

Soon, others heard of the wonderful promise of Our Lady and wanted a share in these graces as well. The Church thus extended the promise to anyone who would wear the brown scapular. The scapular, a narrow, apron-like piece of cloth, that hung over the shoulders so as to fall evenly in the front and back, was already part of the Carmelite habit. For the purpose of wider devotion, small scapulars developed which today consist of two pieces of brown cloth joined together by string, cloth, or cord and are worn over the shoulders.

To wear the Scapular is to enter with all Carmelites into a special relationship with Our Lady. Arnold Bostius, a 15th century Carmelite, summed up the Scapular devotion with these words:

All Carmelites, encouraged by the dignity of the honor and the graces of Mary, rejoice to wear this gift of Our Lady night and day as an impenetrable shield. It reminds them that they always consider the holy life of Mary as their model, that they must engrave her image, along with her Son’s, on the shield of their faith, and that they must place all their trust in the all-powerful protection of this sovereign queen who is always ready to come to their aid. Happy are they who affectionately receive the gifts of Mary in the embrace of reciprocal spiritual love. They can look at this habit and joyfully remember the special love their most loving benefactor bestows on them, and thus know that they have been selected by her for so great an inheritance. (Patronatu, 1479).

The Scapular is a Sacramental

The Brown Scapular is a sacramental of the Catholic Church. A sacramental is, by definition, “a sacred sign which bears resemblance to the sacraments, and by means of which spiritual effects are signified and obtained through the prayers of the Church.” (CCC 1667). In the case of the scapular, the sacred sign is the scapular itself and the spiritual effect is the protection of one’s souls through the prayers of Mary, as she promised in the vision to St. Simon Stock.

Blessed Claude De La Colombiere said, “I wanted to know if Mary really and truly interested herself in me. And in the scapular she has given me the most tangible assurance; I have only to open my eyes. She has attached her protection to this Scapular: ‘whoever dies clothed in this shall not suffer eternal fire?’” (Sermon Pour Les Fete du Scapuliare: Oevers. Lyon, 1701)

R.P. Laselve, O.F.M also stated, “In the same way that Jesus wished that something visible would reveal in the Sacraments the invisible effects of His grace, so also has Mary wished that the more particular protection which she accords to all those who serve Her with fidelity would be marked by an exterior sign, the Scapular.” (Haeffert, John Mathias. Mary in her Scapular Promise. Sea Isle City, N.J. 1942).

The Sabbatine Privilege

The Sabbatine Privilege is a special promise extended to all who wear the scapular and are enrolled in the scapular. The privilege was approved by Pope John XXII, and was later confirmed by Pope Gregory XIII, Pope Clement VII, and Pope St. Pius V. The privilege states that those souls who keep the necessary requirements of the privilege will be released from purgatory by Our Lady the Saturday after they die. The requirements are: 1.The scapular must be worn and the wearer must be enrolled in the scapular. 2. Chastity to one's state in life must be observed. 3. One must fast from meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays. 4. You must recite the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin or the rosary everyday.

Miracles associated with the scapular

Throughout the centuries since the scapular promise was made to St. Simon Stock, countless miracles and conversions have been credited to the scapular. The following are just a few examples.

In May 1957, in Westenboden, Germany, an entire row of houses had caught fire. The inhabitants of one of the houses fixed a scapular to the front door of their home. Five hours later, 22 homes on the block had burnt to the ground. Yet amidst the destruction, the home with the scapular attached to it stood unharmed. This miracle was witnessed by hundreds of people.

Three holy men devoted to the scapular, Pope Bl. Gregory X, St. Alphonsus Liguori, and St. John Bosco, all died wearing the scapular. When their graves were opened years later, the bodies and vestments had decayed but their scapulars remained perfectly intact.

In November of 1955, a plane carrying 27 passengers crashed in Guatemala. All the passengers died except for one young girl. She related that when the plane was going down, she clutched her scapular and cried out to Our Lady for help. She was burnt and her clothes were tattered and burnt as well, but the girl was overall unharmed and her scapular free from any burns. (stories were taken from Garment of Grace by the Slaves of the Immaculata. Vienna , OH; 1991)

Source

The Brown Scapular and Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Picture courtesy of Mary Pages

Blessed Virgin Mary to Saint Dominic, "One Day through the Rosary and Scapular, I will save the World."

"Whosoever dies clothed in this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire."

This is Mary's Promise made July 16, 1251 to Saint Simon Stock.

The devils revealed to Francis of Yepes, the brother of St. John of the Cross, that three things especially tormented them.

1. the Name of Jesus

2. the Name of Mary

3. the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. "Take off that habit," they cried to him, "which snatches so many souls from us. All those clothed in it die piously and escape us. From the Pieta Prayer Booklet

Prayer or Novena of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

O Beautiful flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, splendor of heave, holy and singular, who brought forth the Son of God, still ever remaining a pure virgin, assist me in mynecessity! (pause and mention petitions).

In you I find consolation when afflicted, protection when persecuted, strength when burdened

with trails, and light in doubt and darkness. Dear Lady, I firmly believe that you can grant me the grace I implore.

My dearest Mary, be pleased to accept this act of prefect resignation to the decrees of your adorable heart, which I sincerely desire to be fulfilled in and by me and all God's creatures forever.

Amen