BROWN SCAPULAR
Sabbatine Privilege, Blessing and Investiture
"Those who die wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire!"
-Our Lady to St. Simon Stock
The Scapular was presented by Our Lady to St. Simon Stock, the Father General of the Carmelite Order, on July 16, 1251. St. Simon’s story is very interesting. He was an English hermit and lived in the hollow of a tree. He received the name "stock" because he lived in the hollowed trunk or stock of a tree. In time he became a Carmelite and later the Father General of the order. He led the order during a time of struggle. The Carmelites originally were hermits on Mount Carmel, near Nazareth in the Holy Land. When they migrated to Europe, in this case England, some saw great wisdom in no longer being hermits and instead becoming friars who would work among the people. St. Simon guided them through this state of transition. In the year 1251 a most momentous vision took place. St. Simon Stock, newly transplanted to England, prayed earnestly to Our Lady for help. Then: To him appeared the Blessed Virgin with a multitude of angels, holding the Scapular of the order in her blessed hands ...
MARY'S PROMISE TO THOSE WHO WEAR THE SCAPULAR
Our Lady gave St. Simon a scapular for the Carmelites with the following promise, saying : Receive, My beloved son, this habit of thy order: this shall be to thee and to all Carmelites a privilege, that whosoever dies clothed in this shall never suffer eternal fire .... It shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger, and a pledge of peace.
Another important aspect of wearing the Scapular is the Sabbatine Privilege. This concerns a promise made by Our Lady to Pope John XXII. In a papal letter he issued, he recounted a vision that he had had. He stated that the Blessed Virgin had said to him in this vision, concerning those who wear the Brown Scapular: "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.
"ACT OF CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL
O Mary, Queen and Mother of Carmel, I come today to consecrate myself to you, for my whole life is but a small return for the many graces and blessings that have come from God to me through your hands. Since you look with special kindness on those who wear your Scapular, I implore you to strengthen my weakness with your power, to enlighten the darkness of my mind with your wisdom, and to increase in me Faith, Hope and Charity that I may repay each day my debt of humble homage to you.
May your Scapular bring me your special protection in my daily struggle to be faithful to your Divine Son and to you. May it separate me from all that is sinful in life and remind me constantly of my duty to imitate your virtues. From now on, I shall strive to live in God's Presence, and offer all to Jesus through you. Dearest Mother, support me by your never-failing love and lead me to paradise through the merits of Christ and your own intercession. Amen.
THE SABBATINE PRIVILEGE
The Blessed Virgin of Mt. Carmel has promised to save those who wear
the scapular from the fires of hell; She will also shorten their stay
in Purgatory if they should pass from this world still owing some debt
of punishment.
This promise is found in a Bull of Pope John XXII. The Blessed Virgin
appeared to him and, speaking of those who wear the Brown Scapular,
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."
The Blessed Virgin assigned certain conditions which must be
fulfilled:
1) Wear the Brown Scapular continuously.
2) Observe chastity according to one's state in life.
(Married/single)
3) Recite daily the "Little Office of the Blessed Virgin."
Or, A) To observe the fasts of the Church together with abstaining
from meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Or, B) With permission of a Priest to say five decades of Our
Lady's Most Holy Rosary.
Or, C) With permission of a Priest to substitute some other good
work.
Note: You cannot substitute for the first two conditions: wearing
the scapular; and, observing chastity.
Pope Benedict XV, the celebrated World War I Pontiff, granted 500 days
indulgence for devoutly kissing your scapular.
[Indulgence: The remission in whole or in part for the temporal
punishment due to sins; Remission of time spent in Purgatory.]
SCAPULAR ENROLLMENT
According to a statement made by the Carmelite Fathers, at the
National Scapular Center, every Priest now has the right to invest the
Faithful in the Brown Scapular, and to substitute the Rosary in lieu
of the "Little Office".
THE SCAPULAR MUST BE 100% WOOL WITHOUT PLASTIC CASING AND SHOULD NOT
BE PINNED OR AFFIXED TO CLOTHING. PICTURES ARE NOT NECESSARY.
PROCEDURE FOR THE BLESSING AND INVESTITURE
THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL
(Latin)
Priest - Ostende nobis, domine misericordiam tuam.
Respondent - Et salutare tuum da nobis.
P - Domine, exaudi orationem meum.
R - Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
P - Dominus vobiscum.
R - Et cum spiritu tuo.
P - Oremus. Domine Jesu Christe, humani generis Salvator, hunc
habitum, quem propter tuum tuaeque Genitricis Virginis Mariae de Monte
Carmelo, Amorem servus tuus devote est delaturus, dextera tua
sancti+fica, tu eadem Genitrice tua intercedente, ab hoste maligno
defensus in tua gratia usque ad mortem perseveret: Qui vivis et
regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
THE PRIEST DOES THE ASPERSION AND INVESTS PERSONS SAYING:
P - Accipite hunc, habitum benedictum precantes sanctissima Virginem,
ut ejus meritis illum perferatis sine macula, et vos ab omni
adversitate defendat, atque advitam perducat aeternam. Amen.
AFTER INVESTITURE THE PRIEST CONTINUES WITH THE PRAYERS:
P - Ego, ex potestate mihi concessa, recipio vos ad participationem,
omnium bonorum spiritualium, qua, cooperante misericordia Jesu
Christi, a Religiosa de Monte Carmelo peraguntur. In Nomine Patris +
et Filii + et Spiritus Sancti. + Amen.
Benedicat + vos Conditor caeli at terrae, Deus omnipotens, qui vos
cooptare dignatus est in Confraternitatem Beatae Mariae Virginis de
Monte Carmelo: quam exoramus, ut in hore obitus vestri conterat caput
serpentis antiqui, atque palmam et coronam sempiternae hereditatis
tandem consequamini Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
R - Amen.
(English)
Priest - Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy.
Respondent - And grant us Thy salvation.
P - Lord, hear my prayer.
R - And let my cry come unto Thee.
P - The Lord be with you.
R - And with your Spirit.
P - 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 Mont 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.
THE PRIEST DOES THE ASPERSION AND INVESTS PERSONS SAYING:
P - Receive this blessed scapular and beseech the Blessed Virgin that
through Her merits, you may wear it without stain. May it defend you
against all adversity and accompany you to eternal life. Amen.
AFTER INVESTITURE THE PRIEST CONTINUES WITH THE PRAYERS:
P - I, by the power vested in me, admit you to participate in all the
spiritual benefits obtained through the mercy of Jesus Christ by the
Religious Order of Mont Carmel.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
May God Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and earth, bless you, He who
has deigned to join you to the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin of
Mont Carmel; we beseech Her to crush the head of the ancient serpent
so that you may enter into possession of your eternal heritage through
Christ our Lord.
R - Amen.
THE ROSARY AND THE SCAPULAR ARE INSEPARABLE. PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY.
