Brown Scapular Help

[Novus]

One of the obligatons of the brown scapular is to pray the Little Office of the BVM. I already pray the Daily Office and was wondering if the Little Office was a simplification of the Daily Office, instituted to make it easier for the laity? In other words, if I already pray the one, do I also have to pray the other?

Also, I’ve seen many brown scapulars with images of saints on them. Does this actually dedicate the scapular to someone other than Our Lady? I know that scapular may be “decorated with pictures or designs”, but is this a little bit too much of a spirituality mix-and-match.

Thank you for any help.

 

[LilyM]

One of the obligatons of the brown scapular is to pray the Little Office of the BVM. I already pray the Daily Office and was wondering if the Little Office was a simplification of the Daily Office, instituted to make it easier for the laity? In other words, if I already pray the one, do I also have to pray the other?

Also, I’ve seen many brown scapulars with images of saints on them. Does this actually dedicate the scapular to someone other than Our Lady? I know that scapular may be “decorated with pictures or designs”, but is this a little bit too much of a spirituality mix-and-match.

Thank you for any help.

I’d talk to your priest about it. I know that you can have the Little Office obligation transferred into an obligation to pray 5 decades of the Rosary daily (might be useful if you already do this anyway - or want a good motivation to start!)

Otherwise, having prayed both at different times, it does indeed appear that the Little Office is a simplification of LOTH/Divine Office. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re interchangeable in this instance. So do seek advice.

As for other pictures - the regular Brown Scapular often has a picture of St Simon Stock (who began the devotion) on it anyways, so if you already have a devotion to some other saint it’s probably better to have them than St Simon, worthy though he is.

Besides which, what’s wrong with having devotions to other Saints alongside our devotion to the Blessed Mother? I think of each one as a new and different weapon in my arsenal. They don’t conflict with each other, they complement each other :yup:

 

[Della]

One of the obligatons of the brown scapular is to pray the Little Office of the BVM. I already pray the Daily Office and was wondering if the Little Office was a simplification of the Daily Office, instituted to make it easier for the laity? In other words, if I already pray the one, do I also have to pray the other?

If you are praying the Daily Office, you are meeting the obligation. The Little Office, which was indeed created as a simplified from of the Office, is fine, but not necessary.

Also, I’ve seen many brown scapulars with images of saints on them. Does this actually dedicate the scapular to someone other than Our Lady? I know that scapular may be “decorated with pictures or designs”, but is this a little bit too much of a spirituality mix-and-match.

Thank you for any help.

You are right. The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the habit of the Carmelite Order, and so needs no decorations. People decorate them, though as a reminder of the Scapular Promise and other Carmelite spiritualities, but they are not necessary on the scapular. Anyone may make a scapular out of any kind of dark brown cloth and have it blessed and wear it.

 

[Joysong]

Hello Novus,

I am a secular Carmelite, and we are invested with the brown scapular at our installation in the novitiate. However, we are not required to say the Little Office, but undertake the duty to pray in unison with the Church the LOTH.

Yes, I used to pray the Little Office, and loved it very much. Many of the psalms therein became fixed in my memory. When I joined Carmel and switched to the LOTH, the translation was somewhat different, and I was really sad to use the new translation, which did not seem to flow as well. *

I would not pray both of them, if I were you, unless you do so out of devotion and have the extra time. You are indeed fulfilling your duty if you pray the LOTH.

Carole*

 

[MTD]

One of the obligatons of the brown scapular is to pray the Little Office of the BVM.

There is no obligation to pray the Little Office or even the rosary. What you may be thinking of is the Sabbatine Privilege, which you can read about at the bottom of this page.

Maria

 

[wolfweb]

This last weekend, I attened a retreat with Fr. John Apostoli. At the end of the converence, he offered to set aside time to bless brown scapulars and “invest” the wearers into the Confraternity of Our Lady of the Brown Scapular. I had been thinking of doing this for some time, but had not really researched it. I was invested and now wear the scapular.

Fr. Apostoli said absolutely nothing about any specific obligations, nor did he address the proper way to wear the scapular, etc… I don’t think he would have invested the 14 people into the Confraternity without telling us that there were obligations that must be met. Please clarify this issue for me, and also address the proper way to wear the scapular. Must it be warn hanging from the shoulders, or can it be pinned inside clothing? Can it be removed at bedtime ( I toss in bed so much, I’d strangle on the cords!) Also is there a good book that explains the wearing of the scapular.