Brown Scapular Tattoo

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Ok so first off this is not a thread about whether tattoos are allowed or not. I’ve done the masters in theology and I’ve lived at an abbey for 4 years I’ve studied this aspect from a lot of different angles and in my opinion tattoos are allowed as a “reasonable” form of self expression.

Now to my actual question. I’m now out in the world and dont have a reliable source of information and I’m hoping you can help. I’m 23 years old and was inducted into the brown scapular way back at a summer camp. I’ve been wearing them in tons of different materials or types. But the problem is I have developed a phsycosomatic problem with things around my neck. I cant keep it on for more then a few hours at best. I break out, claw at it, generally not pretty.

All of this leads me back to tattoos. I have been doing research and thinking about getting a scapular tattooed onto me. My first inclination is that if you blessed the person with the tattoo then they become the scapular and that just brings all kinds of weird stuff into the mix that I just dont want to sort through so that idea was out. But, that brings me to my counter. What if you blessed the ink’s like you do for Icon work and then “merely” inked the Sacramental onto yourself. But after much research I cant seem to find an answer. Can you point me in the right direction? Thank you for your time

God Bless

-K
 
This is not so much an answer to your question, as an alternative approach: The key symbolism of the scapular is that it is supposed to be an article of clothing, something we ‘put on’–and that is why so many texts on the scapular strongly discourage wearing the medal in its place.

So, another direction to go might be to wear a scapular that isn’t “something around your neck”, but made closer to the monastic scapluar (just far shorter). Instead of strings holding the front and back together, have full fabric “straps”, as large as 3 inches or so. Wearing such a scapular shouldn’t feel any different, as far as your neck is concerned, to wearing a t-shirt, and you’d get the full symbolism of the scapular as an article of clothing to boot.
 
One of the requirements for a scapular is that it be made of wool. There is a very specific exception for the use of a scapular medal but without a similar papal pronouncement, I don’t think a tattoo could substitute. 🙂

That being said, even though I don’t usually like even the idea of tattoos, a scapular one sounds kind of cool.
 
I used to wear a Scapular and had a similar problem with “things around my neck”… I didn’t research my solution so am uncertain if it was a good idea, but what I did was, I stitched one into the lining of my jacket (and eventually another into a hat I wore nearly all the time).

Interesting idea about having inks for a tat blessed… I’m not a fan of tats but this sounds like an interesting idea.

God bless
 
Myqyl said:
I used to wear a Scapular and had a similar problem with “things around my neck”… I didn’t research my solution so am uncertain if it was a good idea, but what I did was, I stitched one into the lining of my jacket (and eventually another into a hat I wore nearly all the time).

Interesting idea about having inks for a tat blessed… I’m not a fan of tats but this sounds like an interesting idea.

God bless
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I’m fairly certain the brown scapular is supposed to remain its own article put on separately
 
Wearing a scapular is a private devotion. No one who isn’t a Carmelite has to wear one, and the Carmelites don’t wear the small thing we do, but their habits. So there is no reason to go out of your way to wear a scapular.

You can get a tatoo that looks like a scapular if you want (and if you are allowed by the abbey - if they have that authority), but it won’t be a real scapular. It will just be a really cool tatoo. 😃
 
TuAutem said:
symbolism of the scapular is that it is supposed to be an article of clothing, something we ‘put on’–and that is why so many texts on the scapular strongly discourage wearing the medal in its place.
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So my scapular medal is a bad thing? I also get really itchy and rashy with the scapular fabric, plus it doesn’t look so good at work.
 
kdyami said:
Ok so first off this is not a thread about whether tattoos are allowed or not. I’ve done the masters in theology and I’ve lived at an abbey for 4 years I’ve studied this aspect from a lot of different angles and in my opinion tattoos are allowed as a “reasonable” form of self expression.

Now to my actual question. I’m now out in the world and dont have a reliable source of information and I’m hoping you can help. I’m 23 years old and was inducted into the brown scapular way back at a summer camp. I’ve been wearing them in tons of different materials or types. But the problem is I have developed a phsycosomatic problem with things around my neck. I cant keep it on for more then a few hours at best. I break out, claw at it, generally not pretty.

All of this leads me back to tattoos. I have been doing research and thinking about getting a scapular tattooed onto me. My first inclination is that if you blessed the person with the tattoo then they become the scapular and that just brings all kinds of weird stuff into the mix that I just dont want to sort through so that idea was out. But, that brings me to my counter. What if you blessed the ink’s like you do for Icon work and then “merely” inked the Sacramental onto yourself. But after much research I cant seem to find an answer. Can you point me in the right direction? Thank you for your time

God Bless

-K
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The scapular is a sign, or symbol of, Mary’s promises to those who faithfully wear the scapular. A tattoo of a scapular would not thus make a person : “become the scapular”. One would merely be a person with a scapular tattoo. Whether a tattoo would be a valid replacement for the cloth scapular is unlikely, unless of course it was also impossible to wear the scapular medal which is a valid (but limited) replacement for the cloth scapular. One wouldneed to consult one’s parish priest for clarification - or a member (nun, priest, brother) of The Carmelite Order.
Be this as it may, I feel that Our Lady would be delighted “off the record” if one did have a scapular tattoo.
"According to Church tradition, there are three conditions necessary to participate in this Privilege and share in the other spiritual benefits of the Scapular:
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catholic-church.org/apcarmel/scapular.htm

  1. *]wear the Brown Scapular,
    *]observe chastity according to your state in life,
    *]and pray the Rosary"
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  1. Many did have problems wearing the actual small brown scapular and so in 1910, The Holy Office approved the scapular medal as a substitute. See my previous post and also catholicculture.org/culture/library/most/getchap.cfm?WorkNum=213&ChapNum=31
 
graceandglory said:
So my scapular medal is a bad thing? I also get really itchy and rashy with the scapular fabric, plus it doesn’t look so good at work.
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Not a bad thing, but there’s a clear preference for the cloth one. The medal is to be a substitute when there’s good reason, rather than just an alternate choice. (They don’t want the clothing symbolism to become lost by everyone starting to wear the medal, which is why they present it that way.) Your first reason is a pretty good justification for the medal (the second perhaps less so!).
 
I would urge you not to get the tattoo.

In any case, it would never replace wearing the scapular, as others have noted. Indulgences, graces, etc. are only attached to the cloth scapular or to the medal.

Also, you might one day regret the tattoo, which cannot be removed…
 
No, a tattoo of a Brown Scapular will not take the place of a Brown Scapular.

From the Catechesis and Ritual manual it lists the following.


  1. *]frequent participation in the Mass and reception of Holy Communion
    *]frequent reading of and meditation on the Word of God in Sacred Scripture
    *]the regular praying of at least part of the Liturgy of the Hours
    *]imitation of and devotion to Mary, the woman of faith who hears the Word of God and puts it into practice
    *]the practice of the virtues, notably charity, chastity (according to one’s state of life), and obedience to the will of God

    No where is the rosary a requirement. I guess the rosary could take the place of the LOTH but I would not do so without consultation with a spiritual director.

    I know this was not asked for but for me a tattoo outside of cultural aspects is mutilation of the body. But that is just my opinion.
 
A scapular is by definition a garment. Even the small ones are abbreviated versions, but the key thing is, they are to be made of cloth. Further, they don’t so much hang around the neck as over the shoulders (hence, scapular from scapula=shoulder).

A tattoo can therefore never be a scapular. A tattoo is a tattoo. Even the so-called scapular medal is not a scapular; it is a medal to which the graces of the scapular have been attached.
 
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