CANADA
Discalced Carmelite Secular Order Canada OCDS
Discalced Carmelite Secular Order Canada OCDS
Discalced Carmelite Secular Order Canada OCDS
Discalced Carmelite Secular Order Canada OCDS
OCDS
OCDS
OCDS
OCDS
OCDS
OCDS
The Brown Scapular
“Whosoever dies clothed in this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.”
- Words of Our Lady to St Simon Stock
The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is best understood in the context of our Catholic faith. It offers us a rich spiritual tradition that honours Mary as the first and foremost of her Son’s disciples. This scapular is an outward sign of the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our sister, mother and queen. It offers an effective symbol of Mary’s protection to the Order of Carmel as they strive to fulfill their vocation as defined by the Carmelite Rule of Saint Albert: “to live in allegiance to Jesus Christ.”
While Christ alone has redeemed us, the Blessed Virgin Mary has shown her patronage over the Order of Carmel from its earliest days. This patronage and protection came to be symbolized in the Scapular, the essential part of the Carmelite Habit.
History
According to tradition, Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock on July 16, 1251. At that time, the Order faced significant persecution, and St. Simon, then Prior General of the Order, had prayed to Our Lady for special protection. On that date in Aylesford, England, she invested him with a Brown Scapular, symbolizing being clothed with Mary’s graces and devotion to Christ. She promised that anyone who remains faithful to the Carmelite vocation until death will be granted the grace of final perseverance.
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Private revelation can neither add to nor detract from the Church’s deposit of faith. Therefore, the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel echoes the promise of Divine Revelation: “The one who holds out to the end is the one who will see salvation” (Matt. 24:13), and “Remain faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). The Brown Scapular reminds its wearers of the saving grace Christ gained on the cross for all: “All you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves in him” (Gal. 3:27). There is no salvation for anyone other than that won by Christ.
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The Church clearly teaches that all grace, including that of final perseverance, is won for us by the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord. Simply wearing the Brown Scapular does not confer that same result.
Description of the Brown Scapular
The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the common habit of all branches of the Carmelite Family and a sign of unity within that family. For religious members of the Order, it consists of two long, undecorated panels of brown cloth joined at the shoulders, falling one to the front and one to the back. For the Secular Order in English-speaking Canada, it takes the form of two smaller (approximately 16” x 16”) undecorated panels of brown cloth joined at the shoulders by two bands of the same material, worn over normal street clothing. This is worn at community meetings and at ceremonies attended by members as a community, with specific permission from the local bishop. For everyday personal use, it consists of two undecorated small panels of dark brown cloth (approximately 2” x 3”) joined by two long ribbons, worn under clothing.
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Simply wearing the scapular without accepting the responsibilities attached to it would reduce this precious habit to the status of a charm or good-luck piece.
The Spiritual Meaning of the Scapular
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The scapular finds its roots in the tradition of the Order, which has seen in it a sign of Mary’s motherly protection. It carries a centuries-old spiritual meaning approved by the Order and the Catholic Church. It stands for a commitment to follow Jesus, like Mary, the perfect model of all Christ’s disciples.
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The Blessed Virgin teaches us:
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To be open to God and His will, as shown in the events of our lives;
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To listen to the Word of God in the Bible and in life, to believe in it, and to put its demands into practice;
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To pray at all times as a way of discovering God’s presence in all that happens around us;
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To be involved with people, being attentive to their needs.
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The Brown Scapular:
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Represents a commitment to follow Jesus, like Mary, the perfect model of all Christ’s disciples. This commitment originates in baptism, by which we become children of God;
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Represents our commitment to the Community of Carmel;
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Calls us to live out the ideal of our religious family, i.e., intimate friendship with God in prayer;
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Reminds us of the example of the saints of Carmel, with whom we establish a close bond as brothers and sisters;
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Expresses our belief that we will meet God in eternal life, aided by Mary’s intercession and prayer.
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The Brown Scapular IS NOT:
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A magical charm to protect you;
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An automatic guarantee of salvation;
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An excuse for not living up to the obligations of Carmel.
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The Brown Scapular IS:
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A sign approved by the Church for over seven centuries;
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Represents the decision to follow Jesus, like Mary:
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Open to God and His will;
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Guided by faith, hope, and love;
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Close to the needs of people;
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Praying at all times;
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Discovering God’s presence in all that happens around us.
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The “Sabbatine Privilege”
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Use of the Brown Scapular spread quickly to laypeople who were not members of the Carmelite Order. Tradition held that Mary had specifically said, “Whoever dies wearing this Scapular will be saved.” Later, it was widely believed that the Virgin would deliver from Purgatory, on the first Saturday after death, Carmelites and people associated with them who observed chastity according to their state, recited prayers, and wore the habit of Carmel (i.e., the Brown Scapular). This is the so-called Sabbatine Privilege. It was alleged that Our Lady had appeared to Pope John XXII in the fourteenth century, giving this promise.
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Historical research has shown that this alleged appearance lacks historical foundation. In 1613, the Holy See determined that the decree establishing the “Sabbatine Privilege” was unfounded, and the Church instructed the Carmelite Order not to preach this doctrine.
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However, the Brown Scapular itself remains an approved sacramental in the Catholic Church, and its use is encouraged as a sign of devotion to Mary and commitment to a Christian life. The rejection of the Sabbatine Privilege’s historical basis did not diminish the scapular’s spiritual significance, but it clarified that promise is not part of the Church’s official teaching.
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