Brown Scapular?

[waanju]

So, when I was in gradeschool, one of my classmates gave a brown scapular to everyone. I wore it for a while, but I don’t remember if I was actually enrolled or if I just got the scapular and started wearing it.
Fast forward- my brother goes to a Carmelite school, and he received a couple of scapulars from a teacher (I’m not sure if he was enrolled or not… he wears it only off and on). He gave one to me… and I want to wear it. I’ve kind of worn it on and off, but I want to wear it as a sacramental, so I’m not sure if I should until I KNOW I’ve been enrolled. I’ve sort of ignored Our Lady for a while, but my devotion to her is growing and I feel as if this is right for me to do.

My question is this: should I ask a priest to be enrolled, or shouldn’t I (since it may have happened years ago)? Should I just start wearing it?

 

[Blessed_is_He]

I think most people just wear it. I don’t think many know about the enrolment.

 

[clintondyches]

So, when I was in gradeschool, one of my classmates gave a brown scapular to everyone. I wore it for a while, but I don’t remember if I was actually enrolled or if I just got the scapular and started wearing it.
Fast forward- my brother goes to a Carmelite school, and he received a couple of scapulars from a teacher (I’m not sure if he was enrolled or not… he wears it only off and on). He gave one to me… and I want to wear it. I’ve kind of worn it on and off, but I want to wear it as a sacramental, so I’m not sure if I should until I KNOW I’ve been enrolled. I’ve sort of ignored Our Lady for a while, but my devotion to her is growing and I feel as if this is right for me to do.

My question is this: should I ask a priest to be enrolled, or shouldn’t I (since it may have happened years ago)? Should I just start wearing it?

Any priest can give you the blessing and investiture of the Brown Scapular - the blessing is usually included whenever you purchase a new one. Once invested, you need not be invested again - just burn or bury your smelly, old, broken-down scapular and buy another! I was invested in around 1982, I believe, by a blind priest at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Georgia, and I’ve been wearing one ever since. Bl. John Paul II (soon to be St. John Paul II!) insisted on wearing his scapular when he was being operated on after being shot. I’ve worn mine whenever I’ve had any surgeries, too - if it needs to be moved to the side (when having heart surgery, for example) the surgeons have just ‘worked around it’!

If you’re ‘not sure,’ just ask a priest for the blessing and investiture - it’s not as if you’re asking to be re-Baptized!

God bless you,

Clinton

 

[waanju]

Okay, thanks.
Above, it was mentioned that most people don’t bother with enrollment. I know that any priest can do the blessing, but I’m wondering if it’s something most priests will know how to do. I’m a bit shy and I think it would be SUPREMELY awkward if I asked a priest to enroll me and he didn’t know what to say.

(I know that sounds silly…)

 

[Ad_Orientem]

It’s not a big deal, just bring a copy of the ritual* with you. It takes like five minutes. It would be courteous to arrange it with the priest or his secretary in advance.

Since the feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel is coming up on the 16th, the priest might be willing to do a public ceremony after Mass or something, in case others are interested (but someone would have to provide enough scapulars to have on hand). Or you could find a Carmelite monastery and attend their Mass on the 16th. Often enrollments are done on that day. Or you could just ask a friar there to do it.

*You can copy the ritual from this webpage (among others), paste it into a word processor, and print it out.

 

[rivera01]

This coming Tuesday, a small group of friends and I are going to be enrolled in the Brown Scapular at a Mass that a priest we know is going to say for this occasion . My friends have also been preparing for their Total Consecration to Mary, the consecration will be on the same Tuesday night (double ). I’m not doing the consecration because I’m already consecrated and my time for renewing my vow wouldn’t be until October 7.