Brown Scapular Questions

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EMFrost

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I found out my four-way cross could possibly count as a brown scapular medal due to the image the of Mary of Mount Carmel on the back. Does anyone know if this is true?
And if it is, what does the practice of wearing a brown scapular entail?
I know I need to be invested first, but what happens after being invested? Are there certain prayers you need to say?

I’m not at all familiar with scapulars, but I don’t take my four-way cross off and if it is in fact a scapular medal I would like to learn and practice accordingly.
 
Your 4-way medal doesn’t qualify as a scapular. A scapular medal must have an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on one side, Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the other, that’s all. A medal scapular can only be worn for a very good reason—the cloth makes some people itch. Cloth is the preferred method.
 
Thanks for the helpful information about brown scapulars, Fred.

Thanks for letting me know Asia and I don’t mean to question you, but how do you know? Can you show me where you learned that? Another told me they have been invested using their four-way as the scapular medal. It does have other medals infused with it, but it still has Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the back and the Sacred Heart on the front. They’re both on the topmost part of the cross too… indicating they represent the same medal infused in the cross… Oh my gosh, I think this really is the brown scapular medal not just the Sacred Heart- are you sure it’s not?

I got my four-way from my MaMa but she died not long after. For years I’ve been trying to figure out the full significance of each part of each medal in it as I’m sure she would have taught me. I’ve always wondered why there was a second image of Mary behind the Sacred Heart…
 
From my understanding, you do have the scapular medal of Mary with is the conterpart of the brown scapular. By that I mean, one of the popes said that the medal may be used in place of the brown scapular in certain areas of the world which is is hot or maybe rainy. And in these places the brown scapular would get soggy and maybe mildew. But it any case it would be difficult to maintain a piece of cloth rather than a medal. So he allowed this medal to take the place of the cloth brown scapular.

However, the cloth is not a medal, but only a plain piece of brown cloth with nothing on it, altho it is allowed to have pictures or crosses on it.

The brown cloth is the brown cloth the carmelites wear as sort of a mantilla, that falls down the front and back. And so the medal really does not fit this idea at all, but the brown cloth scapular does somewhat fit this usage. But the pope did allow the medal to be substituted for the brown cloth scapular in some parts of the world. But some still use the medal anyway.

I have the same four way medal you are describing with the our Lady of Mount Carmel on the top and the miraculous medal on the bottom.

I use the miraculous medal in prayer sometimes. If I have a really bad bout with the devil in a temptation, I will hold the medal and ask our Lady that she give me the Great grace that she promised those who would honor her medal. I ask for the great grace and then I trust her to keep her word to me and go about my buisness, and it hasn’t failed me as far as I can recollect. And this is for any kind of temptation. But I do use it and pray with it.

I hope I won’t be presumptious when I say this, but I feel many don’t use their miraculous medal to their best advantage. I think they feel as long as they just wear it, they will do just fine.

But the front of the medal shows Mary as our Lady of Grace, with her hands extended downward, and rays of light coming from her hands. And Mary said that those rays are graces which were given because they were ASKED for. And that some of the rings on her fingers were not giving off light or graces because the graces were not ASKED for. So from this, to effectively use the medal, ASK her for specific GREAT graces and she will grant them upon the promise of her own words. And she said, we must trust her to get them for us. And why would anyone not trust the mother of God?

So you also have the great treasure of the miraculous medal with you as well.

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.
 
The Brown Scapular is a sign of consecration. Once invested it will be worn every day for the rest of ones life. It is not a toy and not to be trifled with. That said it is a wonderful and amazing sacramental and any who desires to live a consecrated life to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel seeks a good thing. If you do desire this than you should think about doing it the right way. Anything worth doing is worth doing properly. Trust me when I say that the way it makes you feel when you put on and wear a genuine scapular is very different from the way it feels wearing a medal. All sacramentals are good and filled with grace but there is just something amazing about wearing that Brown Scapular. It’s not magic though. It doesn’t give you powers or anything. And if one uses it improperly it will be removed somehow.

Peace and blessings fellow Christian -

Zachary
 
Thanks for explaining Vianneyizer! Even if my four-way didn’t count as one, I’m still very curious about scapulars and the consecration they involve. But do you think it would be wrong for me to use my medal? I do know where I could get a cloth one, at the same I do very much live in humidity, heat, and wet. That cloth would not last long…

Thank you so much for explaining the Mount Carmel medal, scapular, and Miraculous medal Fred! It was not presumptuous at all for you to do so. I freely admit I know relatively little about scapulars. I really don’t know too much about the miraculous medal either.

I did not realize how much is involved with this cross and it’s been around my neck the entire time. Wow.
 
EMFrost said:
Thanks for explaining Vianneyizer! Even if my four-way didn’t count as one, I’m still very curious about scapulars and the consecration they involve. But do you think it would be wrong for me to use my medal? I do know where I could get a cloth one, at the same I do very much live in humidity, heat, and wet. That cloth would not last long…

Thank you so much for explaining the Mount Carmel medal, scapular, and Miraculous medal Fred! It was not presumptuous at all for you to do so. I freely admit I know relatively little about scapulars. I really don’t know too much about the miraculous medal either.

I did not realize how much is involved with this cross and it’s been around my neck the entire time. Wow.
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It is my opinion that, while you might be able to use your medal as a Brown Scapular, perhaps it would be best to allow your medal to be a completely separate and unique sacramental in and of itself. When I was invested in the Brown Scapular I had my MM rosary and my St. John Vianney medal blessed at the same time but a separate ceremony. Now all three sacramentals are with me at all times and they all imbue and represent a different part of my spiritual life. This is me though, some people care very little for sacramentals. To me they are wonderful!! I am happy for you. I am happy when anyone desires to join the Confraternity of The Brown Scapular - we are a distinct family or fellowship within the Faith.

May God lead your heart and Our Lady caress your soul -

Zachary
 
EMFrost said:
Thanks for letting me know Asia and I don’t mean to question you, but how do you know? Can you show me where you learned that? Another told me they have been invested using their four-way as the scapular medal. It does have other medals infused with it, but it still has Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the back and the Sacred Heart on the front. They’re both on the topmost part of the cross too… indicating they represent the same medal infused in the cross… Oh my gosh, I think this really is the brown scapular medal not just the Sacred Heart- are you sure it’s not?
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I’m a Lay Carmelite in first year of formation. I’m sorry, EMFrost, I’m pressed for time tonight. I’ll find the information for you in the morning.

God bless you.
 
Hi EMFrost,
"A priest or authorized person enrolls people in the Brown Scapular only once. The Scapular can be replaced afterwards by a medal, which has on one side the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and on the other; the image of Mary. " This is the offical statement on the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel issued by the Carmelite Order, both the Ancient Observance ( O. Carm) and the Discalced Carmelites (O.C.D.).
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More here:

Carmelite Catechesis

God bless you.
 
I used to have many sacramentals like you described Vianneyizer, but I actually had to retire the medal of my patron saint as well as a small prayer reminder for a friend who died. My four-way tore them up and every other medal I try to wear. Luckily me and my patron Saint are close and it is hard to forget a friend. Now I just have the four-way and my rosary ring (I’m not good at praying the rosary regularly- just clarifying- that’s why I have the reminder)

I don’t mean to be so fixated on my four-way, but I do know the whole point of the four-way is to have several of these sacramentals in one. At the same time, if there are certain prayers or practices that go with the different medals infused in the four-way, the fact of the matter is- I don’t know them and haven’t been doing them. I’m trying to change that.
Do ya’ll know what the Sacred Heart with Our Lady of Mount Carmel medal is for other than the scapular?

If I go through with the scapular I will do the cloth first as is prescribed, thank you so much for that clarification and background Asia! And who knows maybe that little cloth will survive a good while more than I think.
God be with you in your formation!
 
I went to the www.FreeBrownScapular.com There, under Q & A, it said that once you are vestured in the Brown Scapular Confraternity, you can replace a torn or unwearable scapular with another. However, it specifically states that a metal scapular is not to be worn as a replacement for a cloth one. 06/01/14
 
Tressa926 said:
I went to the www.FreeBrownScapular.com There, under Q & A, it said that once you are vestured in the Brown Scapular Confraternity, you can replace a torn or unwearable scapular with another. However, it specifically states that a metal scapular is not to be worn as a replacement for a cloth one. 06/01/14
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The Scapular medal can be worn in place of the cloth scapular for good reason but is not the preferred form—precisely because the sacramental link—the visible link—with the cloth panels of the Carmelite habit has been lost.
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Official word from the Carmelites from here:

A Catechesis on the Brown Scapular
 
There must be a special, specific reason that you are unable to wear the wool scapular, like an allergy to wool. Wearing the metal as a convenience rather than the wool would not be such a reason.
 
Tressa926 said:
There must be a special, specific reason that you are unable to wear the wool scapular, like an allergy to wool. Wearing the metal as a convenience rather than the wool would not be such a reason.
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Yes, that’s what the quote from the Catethesis says.
 
Question. Wearing the Scapular has no benefit if you do not enroll in the confraternity and have the rite done by a Priest, is that correct?
 
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