brown scapular

[pennyh]

I have a question I hope someone can answer and back up with some sort of documentation. Several of my friends and myself have plastic/wooden brown scapulars that we wear. One of my other friends said that because they are not wool they do not have the same effect and that Our Lady of Mt Carmel stated they had to be wool. Myself and others have skin reactions to wool. I need to know definitevely if the scapular can be made of different material. Personal opinions aside as we have those already, I need to be able to see it written somewhere one way or the other. Thanks so much for any help you can give.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Here’s the full text of the document Pope Saint Pius X issued authorizing the use of the scapular medal:

"For the future all the faithful already inscribed or who shall be inscribed in one or other of the real Scapulars approved by the Holy See (excepting those which are proper to the Third Orders) by what is known as regular enrollment may, instead of the cloth scapulars, one or several, wear on their persons, either round the neck or otherwise, provided it be in a becoming manner, a single medal of metal, through which, by the observance of laws laid down for each scapular, they shall be enabled to share in and gain all the spiritual favors (not excepting what is known as the Sabbatine Privilege of the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel), and all the privileges attached to each.

“The right side of this medal must show the image of Our Most Holy Redeemer, Jesus Christ, showing His Sacred Heart, and the obverse that of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. It must be blessed with a separate blessing for each of the scapulars in which the person has been enrolled and for which the wearer wishes it to suffice. Finally, these separate blessings may be given by a single sign of the cross , whether in the act of enrollment or later at the convenience of those enrolled, it matters not how long after the enrollment or in what order they may have taken place; the blessing may be given by a priest other than the one who made the enrollment, as long as he possesses the faculty, ordinary, or delegated, of blessing the different scapulars- the limitations, clauses, and conditions attached to the faculty he uses still holding their force. All things to the contrary, even those calling for special mention, notwithstanding” (Holy Office, Rome, December 16, 1910).

Since 1910 and the regulation of the Holy Office of 16 December of that year (Acta Apost. Sedis, III, 22 sq.) it is permitted to wear, instead of one or more of the small scapulars a single medal of metal. This medal must have on one side a representation of Jesus Christ with His Most Sacred Heart and on the other an image of the Mother of God.

All persons who have been validly invested with a blessed woollen scapular may replace such by this medal. The medal MUST be blessed by a priest possessing the faculty to bless and invest with the scapular or scapulars which the medal is to replace. The faculties to bless these medals are subject to the same conditions and limitations as the faculties to bless and invest with the corresponding scapulars. If the medal is to be worn instead of a number of different scapulars, it must receive the blessing that would be attached to each of them, i. e. as many blessings as the number of scapulars it replaces.

For each blessing a sign of the Cross suffices. This medal must also be worn constantly, either about the neck or in some other seemly manner, and with it may be attained all the indulgences and privileges of the small scapulars without exception. Only the small (not the large) scapulars may be validly replaced by such medals.

 

[Linda_Marie]

How can we find out if our parish priest has the faculty to bless a scapular or invest a medal in its place? I live in an isolated place and we are very blessed to have 2 priests in residence. The centre of the diocese is about 500 miles away so getting there for special needs is difficult.

 

[msproule]

pennyh:

One of my other friends said that because they are not wool they do not have the same effect and that Our Lady of Mt Carmel stated they had to be wool. Myself and others have skin reactions to wool.

There are woolen scapulars with both the front and back panels enclosed within a plastic sleeve. This prevents the wool from contacting the skin.

If you choose to wear the traditional scapular as opposed to the medal, I would suggest you try one of this type.

 

[dumspirospero]

Your friend was right…the Scapular is supposed to be made out of wool…however, if you are allergic to wool, you can put the scapular into some type of plastic to keep it from irritating your skin…or you can wear the Scapular medal…but you can not be enrolled into the Confraternity of Mt. Carmel (Brown Scapular) with the Medal Scapular…you must be enrolled with the brown wool Scapular…once you are enrolled, it is for life and you don’t have to be enrolled again…you could go through 50 brown wool scapulars in your life and none of them would require a blessing or anything…unless you choose to have it blessed. But…every time you get a new medal, it must be blessed.

 

[dumspirospero]

Most priest have the ability to enroll people into the Brown Scapular…In my diocese, it used to be commonplace for all of those receiving Confirmation to receive enrollment into the Brown Scapular…that is not the case anymore…but from what I have read, nearly every priest is able to do this…Call the various parishes in your diocese and find out if they can do this…it doesn’t take long…I was enrolled myself and it took about 15 minutes…the hard part is getting access to the priest. I am fortunate…my parish has Brown Scapular enrollment on the first Saturday of every month following the 8:00 AM Mass.
Linda Marie:

How can we find out if our parish priest has the faculty to bless a scapular or invest a medal in its place? I live in an isolated place and we are very blessed to have 2 priests in residence. The centre of the diocese is about 500 miles away so getting there for special needs is difficult.