Green Scapular

[Redbaron998]

I was recently given a green scapular. It looks on the up and up to me and is offered by several mainstream stores such as EWTN, but wikipedia says it has not been approved by the Churhc. At the same time I have seen several articles about it with Imprimaturs.

So can someone more familiar with it let me know if its on the up and up or if I should stay away from it.

Thanks,
-Red

 

[Dorothy]

I was recently given a green scapular. It looks on the up and up to me and is offered by several mainstream stores such as EWTN, but wikipedia says it has not been approved by the Churhc. At the same time I have seen several articles about it with Imprimaturs.

So can someone more familiar with it let me know if its on the up and up or if I should stay away from it.

Thanks,
-Red

On this site it explains that the Green Scapular was approved by Pope Pius IX in 1863 and again in 1870.

Every time I have asked a priest to bless them I have never heard it said to me that it is not to be used.

An important thing to remember that the prayer printed on the scapular should be said at least once daily, “Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us, now and at the hour of our death.”

 

[Monica4316]

I was recently given a green scapular. It looks on the up and up to me and is offered by several mainstream stores such as EWTN, but wikipedia says it has not been approved by the Churhc. At the same time I have seen several articles about it with Imprimaturs.

So can someone more familiar with it let me know if its on the up and up or if I should stay away from it.

Thanks,
-Red

In my understanding the Green Scapular is approved.

 

[Shin]

It’s a splendid devotion loved by the devout and traditional.

Do not be concerned about random wikipedia people.

There’s a splendid book about it by the Rev. Fr. Marie Edouard Mott, C.M.

The approvals are noted in the book.

“Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

 

[Monica4316]

My grandmother found her faith in God through the green scapular… and she is not even Catholic it works… but the prayer is the important part… it should be said every day

 

[Robertanthony]

Are scapulars sacramentals? How is the Green Scapular different from the Brown Scapular, does each carry a distinct set of promises? Could someone wear both? Would God not give an otherwise good, pious and faithful Catholic such and such grace simply because he’s not using a Scapular? Thanks.

 

[bjenkins]

I am a convert to The faith as of '07. I love the Catholic Faith. I never really prayed regularly until I began saying the rosary. Soon after my conversion, I learned of the Brown Scapular. I am a firm believer in the Scapular, green or brown. I was soon enrolled to wear the brown scapular(as one must be enrolled) by my parish preist. One of the requirements to the promise is that one must say the rosary each day(or other coditions can be used also). The promise is that “whosoever dies wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire”. Wow, I was already saying the rosary, I believed in Her intercession, and I believed in the saints. So the promise given to St. Simon Stock was easy to accept for me. I go nowhere without my scapular. The few times I have forgot to put it back on, I felt naked and unprotected. I truly feel the protection of the Blessed Mother with me as I wear it. Now, that said, I also have a great love for the green scapular. I have four children under 6. When my little baby girl was born in November 2010, I had a green scapular pinned to her onesie as soon as I put my arms around her. Also, my oldest, 6 wears one as she imitates her father and I. My 2 middle have one in their room and I have one in the car. I say the prayer “Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us now and at the hour of our death” for them each night. They say it with me also, but I say over at night in my bed as I pray for them. So, you ask, is the green scapular legit? YES, YES, YES!!! I couldn’t go one day without it, My heart would break if I could never have it again. It has been a huge comfort and it is a Sacramental too! I know there is sacramental grace with the scapular. Always wear it, put it under your pillow at night and when you come to the realization of the absolute truth in the brown scapular, be enrolled as soon as your preist will let you. You will never regret it!
Immaculate heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.

 

[Robertanthony]

What does “being enrolled” consist of? What is the “enrollment” (if such a word exists)?

 

[midori]

I think the Brown, Green, and Red Scapulars are the most common/popular ones, although I think I heard there were something like 17 different scapulars?

The Brown Scapular is a symbol of confraternity-- “an association of Christians who strive for perfection in the spirit of Carmel.”

The Green Scapular is normally associated with conversion. You can either give it to someone to carry and they can say the prayer, or you can put it somewhere around where they are and say the prayer on their behalf. For example, one person I know has it under her mattress for the conversion of her husband.

The Red Scapular is usually associated with an increase of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Since the Green Scapular is just a single piece of cloth, it’s not worn-- it’s carried, or it’s hidden, or whatever. But for there’s also something called the Five-Fold Scapular (made of five different scapulars), which you might read up on.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fivefold_Scapular

Your first scapular of a certain type needs to be blessed. Some of them require enrollment. If you wear out one scapular, you may burn it or bury it to dispose of it, and the blessing transfers to your next one of the same type. Likewise, you only need to be invested once in a particular confraternity.

newadvent.org/cathen/13508b.htm

has a nice summary of both popular and obscure scapulars and their individual responsibilities/privileges.

 

[midori]

What does “being enrolled” consist of? What is the “enrollment” (if such a word exists)?

It’s a short ceremony. It goes like this:

Priest: Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy.
All: And grant us Thy salvation.
**Priest: **O Lord, hear my prayer.
All: And let my cry come unto Thee.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with thy spirit.
Priest: Let us pray:
O Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of mankind, by Thy right hand sanctify + these Scapulars (this Scapular) which Thy servants will devoutly wear for the love of Thee and of Thy Mother; the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel; so that, by her intercession, they may be protected from the wickedness of the enemy and persevere in Thy grace until death; Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

The priest now sprinkles the Scapular with Holy Water, after which he places the Scapular on each one saying:

Receive this blessed Scapular and ask the Most Holy Virgin that, by her merits, it may be worn with no stain of sin and may protect you from all harm and bring you into everlasting life. Amen.

After placing the Scapular on each person, the priest continues:
By the power granted to me, I admit you to a share in all the spiritual works performed with the merciful help of Jesus Christ, by the religious of Mount Carmel, in the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen
May Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, bless + you whom He has been pleased to receive into the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. We beg her to crush the head of the ancient serpent in the hour of your death, and, in the end, to obtain for you a palm and the crown of your everlasting inheritance. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

The priest now sprinkles those enrolled with Holy Water.

–edit-- That’s for the Brown Scapular, of course. There’s no confraternity associated with the Green Scapular, so there’s no enrollment necessary.

 

[Robertanthony]

Thank you so much midori_! And bjenkins for a wonderful testimony.

 

[Dorothy]

Are scapulars sacramentals? How is the Green Scapular different from the Brown Scapular, does each carry a distinct set of promises? Could someone wear both? Would God not give an otherwise good, pious and faithful Catholic such and such grace simply because he’s not using a Scapular? Thanks.

Yes, scapulars are sacramentals.

The Green Scapular is different from the Brown Scapular, as the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is associated with the order of the Carmelites, and imitates the habit of Carmel by having one panel in the front, and one in the back. The person who is enrolled in the Brown Scapular affiliates him/herself with the order and has a strong devotion to Our Blessed Mother and prayer.

The Green Scapular, strictly speaking, is a badge, not a habit, and it is my understanding that it is for healing of body and/or soul. It is not associated with a particular religious order. Most important, is to say the prayer on the Green Scapular at least once daily, and to have confidence in the intercession of Our Blessed Mother. It can be used to benefit others who need our prayers. I have given blessed Green Scapulars to those who are open to receiving them and told them to put it in their wallet, which they did. I have also placed a Green Scapular under the mattress where my husband slept, and after many prayers and years he came back to the faith.

This doesn’t mean that God doesn’t hear our prayers without the help of sacramentals, but we do respect the blessed objects that they are, and they are great reminders of what is expected of us. In the Catholic Church we can use our five senses in a way that lifts our minds and hearts to the Lord. (incense, holy water, rosaries, crucifixes, medals, etc.).

And since there are people of different personalities and gifts, they are attracted to different sacramentals.
We have such a great treasury in our Church! All the help we need! We just need to respond with the right disposition, trust and confidence in the Lord, and to not use sacramentals in a superstitious way.

 

[Shin]

It appears there’s some biased editor of the wikipedia article preventing any correct information about the Green Scapular being placed there, as the history of the page shows.

It reminds me of how they trashed St. John Bosco’s entry too.

 

[Monica4316]

It appears there’s some biased editor of the wikipedia article preventing any correct information about the Green Scapular being placed there, as the history of the page shows.

It reminds me of how they trashed St. John Bosco’s entry too.

hmm I might just edit that

 

[TrueLight]

I was given a green scapular and told to put it under my daughter’s pillow. I haven’t done anything with it yet.

Any comments/admonitions/confirmations/experiences?

 

[ClayPots47]

I was recently given a green scapular. It looks on the up and up to me and is offered by several mainstream stores such as EWTN, but wikipedia says it has not been approved by the Churhc. At the same time I have seen several articles about it with Imprimaturs.

So can someone more familiar with it let me know if its on the up and up or if I should stay away from it.

Thanks,
-Red

The Wikepedia article does not say the scapular is not approved, it says “The Society of the Green Scapular is not a confraternity approved by the Catholic Church.” You are not required to be enrolled in [%between%]("http://www.greenscapular.com/"The Society of the Green Scapula), it is sufficient to simply have it blessed and say the prayer on it. The Wikipedia page doesn’t make this clear. The Society is also not the official source for obtaining one, the Daughters of Charity are, as the sacramental was given to them. The whole Wikipedia page is mostly incorrect.

 

[MS_SURVEYOR]

The Green Scapular! I have one! Had it blessed. Carried it in my Rosary pouch with my Rosary for a good while. After getting my first Brown Scapular I placed it under my mattress for protection of evil spirits while sleeping. I ware a Brown Scapular always. WOW! What power of protection! It’s not just the wool cloth. It’s what it stands for.

Brown Scapular

Mary is always with me!

No.1

A Scapular miracle often retold occurred on a passenger ship enroute from London to South Australia in 1845. “The King of the Ocean” had embarked in favorable weather and had proceeded on its southern course with no difficulties until it reached a notoriously turbulent part of the Indian Ocean. There, with little warning, a tornado descended upon the waters and severely damaged the ship’s sails and rigging. Tremendous waves enveloped the vessel, evoking cries of despair and pleas for mercy from those on board. One of the passengers, a Protestant Minister named James Fisher, with his wife, his two children and other passengers, climbed to the deck from the quarters below and began to pray for mercy and assistance. The raging storm, nevertheless, continued to batter the helpless barque. Then a crew member, an Irish sailor named John McAuliffe, calmly removed his scapular from his neck and making the sign of the cross with it, cast it into the sea. When but a short time had elapsed the furious tempest was calmed. Finally, a small wave splashed onto the boat and deposited the Scapular almost at the feet of the astonished sailor. Even more astonished was the Protestant Minister who was the only one who noticed the entire incident. Immediately he questioned the sailor about his little pieces of brown cloth and after a short explanation, the Reverend Mr. Fisher resolved to take the powerful Virgin of Carmel for his patroness and to accept the only Faith that acknowledges her miraculous protection, the Holy Catholic Faith. When they had safely arrived at Sydney, Australia, Mr. Fisher and his family were received into the Church and thereupon became fervent Catholics.

No.2

*Saint Bonaventure, the holy Franciscan and Doctor of the Church, reminds us that “Men do not fear a hostile and powerful army as much as the powers of Hell fear the name and protection of Mary.” If, as we have seen, Mary’s heavenly garment is an extraordinary physical safeguard, what must be the spiritual protection afforded by the holy scapular? A story involving Saint John Marie Vianney stands as an exemplar of the marvelous effects the Scapular has on aiding us in our invisible warfare with hell.

It is related that a young woman who was preparing to enter religious life made her general confession to the holy Cure of Ars. As with so many of the Cure’s penitents, this girl was surprised to find that the saint clearly knew certain hidden details about her past life. A portion of their conversation is as revealing to us as it was to her.

“You remember, my child, a certain ball which you attended a short time ago?”

“Yes, Father.”

“You met a young man there, a stranger, elegant in appearance and of distinguished bearing, who at once became the hero of the fete? And you wished he would invite you to dance? You were vexed and jealous when he preferred others to you?”

“You are certainly right, Father.”

“Do you recollect that when he left the assembly you thought you saw, as he walked, two small bluish flames beneath his feet but you persuaded yourself that it was an optical illusion?”

“I remember it perfectly.”

“Well, my child, that youth was a demon. Those with whom he danced were in a state of serious sin! And do you know why he failed to ask you? It was owing to the Scapular which you did well not to lay aside and which your devotion to Mary impelled you to wear as your safeguard.”

Not enough can be said concerning the advantages of this spiritual armour which so perfectly shields us from the wiles of the wicked one. The fact to remember is how intimately identified we become with the Immaculate Mother of God when we place ourselves under her blessed mantle. We become, as it were, Mary’s personal possessions and her interest in our spiritual welfare is all that is needed to send the demons fleeing in confusion.*

 

[MS_SURVEYOR]

*The Brown Scapular
A gift of love so powerful that it is a major instrument used in God’s mercy to deliver souls—even ones with just a shadow of faith—from the fires of hell. A gift of love that Our Lady, herself, says is “a sign of salvation, a protection in danger, and a pledge of peace.” This gift of Our Lady’s love, the Brown Scapular, she gave to St. Simon Stock and the world on July 16, 1251, contains the beautiful promise, “Whosoever dies clothed in this habit shall not suffer the fires of hell.”

It has been said, “Satan perceived what a great multitude of souls the Scapular was going to snatch from him, he groaned with rage and swore to avenge himself on this recent, other most terrible blow that the Immaculate had just given him. In his fury he declared war to the death on this sacred Habit, especially attacking the unusual privilege which it is endowed…” Such must have been the case when the devils once cried out to Francis de Yepes, brother of St. John of the Cross, “Take off that habit which snatches so many souls from us. All those clothed in it die piously and escape us.” Holy men as St. Robert Bellarmine and Pope Benedict XIV confirm Our Lady’s promise to be truly so. They explain this promise to mean that anyone dying in Mary’s family will receive from Her, at the hour of death, either the grace of perseverance in the state of grace or the grace of final contrition. Pope Benedict XV asserts that the Scapular is a gift that goes into eternity. Addressing the seminarians of Rome one July 16th, Pope Benedict XV said: “Let all of you have a common language and a common armor: the language, the sentences of the Gospel; the common armor, the Scapular of the Virgin of Carmel, which you all ought to wear and which enjoys the singular privilege of protection even after death.”

 

[MS_SURVEYOR]

*It is also said that the devil will raise up a cloud of doubt about Our Lady’s Scapular. By saying such things as it is only two pieces of wool attached to a cord, how can such a thing have any significance in this modern world? The devil and his agents seek to take away this gift from you. To this, it can be said when the Church makes use of Her authority, through it’s intercessory prayers, and invokes the benediction of Almighty God, Scapulars become sacred objects of divine favors. Further, these prayers of the Church have great strength, for they are united to the prayers of Our Lord Jesus Christ and of all the saints. Holy Mother Church by Her authority, declares this to be so.

But the devil doesn’t stop there, he then attacks the authority of Holy Mother Church Herself. No matter what he may whisper in one’s ear, the Church is sanctioned by Almighty God to impart it graces on sacramentals. Our Lord, Himself, our teacher, gave us examples to follow. Using clay to anoint a man’s eyes, saliva to cure a man’s eyes, and blessing loaves and fishes, and young children as well. He gave this power to the Apostles as casting out demons and all kinds of evil. Furthermore, these practices of God working through and giving his blessings through objects goes back to the Old Testament where the Jewish priests blessed the people every day. “Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed.” (Ps. 1-7.)

By piously wearing the Scapular, we are continually thinking of Mary, at least intention, thus it becomes our prayer, and we are truly her children. Pope Pius XII stated, “The Scapular is a sign of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” Blessed Claude de la Colombiere said, Because all the forms of our love for the Blessed Virgin, all its various modes of expression cannot be equally pleasing to Her, and therefore do not assist us in the same degree to Heaven, I say without a moment’s hesitation that the Brown Scapular is the most favored of all."

As Holy Mother Church states, the Brown wool Scapular brings upon the wearer quite a heavenly shower of graces.

The pious wearing of the Brown Scapular:

* brings the promise of eternal salvation
* is a constant reminder in times of danger and temptation that Mary is watching over you and cares very much about you and what might happen to you.
* helps teach one about the truths of religion.
* excites good thoughts and increases devotion.
* obtains favors from God through the prayers of the Church offered for those who make use of them, and through the devotion they inspire.
* brings many actual graces upon the wearer.
* helps bring forgiveness of venial sins, by being a true aid to true contrition. Exciting good thoughts and inspiring devotion and greater love of God as well as greater sorrow for sin, this devotion and sorrow bring grace, and grace forgiveness of venial sins.
* helps bring remission of temporal punishment.
* helps bring health of body and material blessings.
* does not confer sanctifying grace immediately, but helps dispose one to its reception.
* brings protection from evil spirits. We can wear the habit of Our Lady with great hope that it will preserve us from evil, it will provide protection against the devil, who goes about seeking souls to devour. The Scapular really is a badge of courage, protection against the evil one.

By wearing the Scapular piously we dedicate our lives to Jesus through Mary. She is the mediatrix of all graces bringing us always ever closer to Jesus. The Scapular is Our Lady’s compass guiding us in the right direction. For a man in the middle of a jungle, does well to have a compass; so we Our Lady’s children in this sometimes all too crazy world of ours—do well to have the Scapular to clothe us with direction in life. The Scapular is a heavenly life preserver. For a man in the middle of the ocean amongst all the crashing of the waves, the fierce tempest, the severe elements, would be foolish and put himself in great danger, not to have a life preserver. So, we, too, children of Mary, would seem foolish to go against the crashing waves of this world, the flow of this age of error, the whirlpool of evil influences, and the raging tempest of the devil, without Heaven’s life preserve, the Brown Scapular.

In closing, we recall the words of Pope Leo XI who on the occasion of his papal investiture when the Scapular was accidentally removed from him said: “Leave me Mary, lest Mary leave me!”*

 

[Dorothy]

I was given a green scapular and told to put it under my daughter’s pillow. I haven’t done anything with it yet.

Any comments/admonitions/confirmations/experiences?

When my husband was alive and very distanced from the Church, I put a blessed Green Scapular under our mattress and prayed a lot for him over the years. One day we were turning the mattress together, and he spotted the scapular and was very upset, knowing it was a sacramental that I put there. I said nothing and stayed calm.

Fast forward a few years (and many more prayers!) and two years before his death he started to become interested in the Church, since he had been diagnosed with cancer several years before that.

Four months before his death he went to confession and was so joyous when he came out! Three days before his death the priest came to our home with the Eucharist and gave him the last rites. He died happy and peaceful in our home a few days later, surrounded by our eight children who were able to fly in and make it on time for this event.