How do people react to your scapular?

[catherine126]

Hello,

I started wearing the brown scapular a few short weeks ago. I really love it, but mostly wear it inside my clothing as a private devotion.

My new boss noticed it and simply said, “Oh, I was meaning to ask you about that.” I simply said, “it’s my scapular,” and fingered it shyly. (I probably should have at least said that it’s a Catholic devotion, but alas.) Then we returned to work-related conversation.

I hope that I was at least a quiet witness to my faith.

I was wondering: do other people comment on your scapulars? If so, how?

 

[Rawb]

“Your tag is showing”

Most people don’t know what it is, and if they do see it just assume it’s a necklace. I’ve never had anybody look at me funny or ask me about it, honestly. If they do, like above, they think it’s the tag of my clothing showing (I used to wear one that was white on one side). I’d just laugh and pull it back down.

 

[utah_rose]

Hello,

I started wearing the brown scapular a few short weeks ago. I really love it, but mostly wear it inside my clothing as a private devotion.

My new boss noticed it and simply said, “Oh, I was meaning to ask you about that.” I simply said, “it’s my scapular,” and fingered it shyly. (I probably should have at least said that it’s a Catholic devotion, but alas.) Then we returned to work-related conversation.

I hope that I was at least a quiet witness to my faith.

I was wondering: do other people comment on your scapulars? If so, how?

I go to water therapy a few times a week in Salt Lake City. The ladies there are very nice but almost all are Mormon. I don’t wear it in the pool or shower so I don’t damage it with chlorine, but a few have asked about it (when I was taking it off or putting it on) and I told them it is a Catholic Devotion to our Blessed Mother and we wear it as piously as their “temple garments”.

These are garments similar to underwear that both men and women wear after they have been married in the temple. They must wear it at all times (except swimming I think) but have seen some men wear those under their swim suits.

They wouldn’t understand it if I said much else because they don’t believe in the Trinity or Mary, so I try and make it simple, but not worn as a superstition because you have to stay in a state of grace AND be praying your Rosary each day.

I’m so glad that as a young girl you are wearing yours also. Mine almost always shows out of my clothing also, and lots of people believe it is some sort of necklace.

 

[utah_rose]

Hello,

I started wearing the brown scapular a few short weeks ago. I really love it, but mostly wear it inside my clothing as a private devotion.

My new boss noticed it and simply said, “Oh, I was meaning to ask you about that.” I simply said, “it’s my scapular,” and fingered it shyly. (I probably should have at least said that it’s a Catholic devotion, but alas.) Then we returned to work-related conversation.

I hope that I was at least a quiet witness to my faith.

I was wondering: do other people comment on your scapulars? If so, how?

I go to water therapy a few times a week in Salt Lake City. The ladies there are very nice but almost all are Mormon. I don’t wear it in the pool or shower so I don’t damage it with chlorine, but a few have asked about it (when I was taking it off or putting it on) and I told them it is a Catholic Devotion to our Blessed Mother and we wear it as piously as their “temple garments”.

These are garments similar to underwear that both men and women wear after they have been married in the temple. They must wear it at all times (except swimming I think) but have seen some men wear those under their swim suits.

They wouldn’t understand it if I said much else because they don’t believe in the Trinity or Mary, so I try and make it simple, but not worn as a superstition because you have to stay in a state of grace AND be praying your Rosary each day.

I’m so glad that as a young girl you are wearing yours also. Mine almost always shows out of my clothing also, and lots of people believe it is some sort of necklace.

 

[Sanctifiable]

I just started to wear the brown scapular and no one has asked about it or seen it but if the question arises I will tell them what it is then tell them to google it. Maybe a detailed explanation will get them curious.

 

[utah_rose]

I just started to wear the brown scapular and no one has asked about it or seen it but if the question arises I will tell them what it is then tell them to google it. Maybe a detailed explanation will get them curious.

Only problem with Googling it (among older people anyway) is some don’t have computers. I’m looking for some easy to read pamphlets on it if I can find any on the internet.

 

[catherine126]

Thanks for your thoughts.

I do think a detailed, doctrinal explanation is too much - after all, we do spend our lives contemplating the mysteries of the Trinity and life of our Blessed Mother - but I do like the very succinct explanation that it is a Catholic devotion to our Blessed Mother. And, of course, I can and should probably mention that there is a fascinating history behind it worth reading about - always point people in the direction of more information!

utah rose, it’s interesting that you mention my youthfulness - I was given the scapular as a gift from a young couple I had literally just met at a Rosary gathering. I am surprised at how much grace has been flowing into my life. I am definitely a young girl who is working hard at the project of growing up into an authentic, mature adult faith…while still remembering Christ’s words to humble ourselves like children

 

[SacredHeart1987]

Hello,

I started wearing the brown scapular a few short weeks ago. I really love it, but mostly wear it inside my clothing as a private devotion.

My new boss noticed it and simply said, “Oh, I was meaning to ask you about that.” I simply said, “it’s my scapular,” and fingered it shyly. (I probably should have at least said that it’s a Catholic devotion, but alas.) Then we returned to work-related conversation.

I hope that I was at least a quiet witness to my faith.

I was wondering: do other people comment on your scapulars? If so, how?

I’ve had this guy at work pull it up from my t-shirt and he looked at it and he laughed and said “why are you worshipping Mary?”

 

[jmcrae]

I’ve had this guy at work pull it up from my t-shirt and he looked at it and he laughed and said “why are you worshipping Mary?”

Wow, that was amazingly rude! Does he always pull stuff out from under your clothes?

I would have just said, “HEY, leave my underwear alone, thank you very much!”

 

[Cat_Herder]

I showed my Fivefold to a Pentecostal friend and, though he listened to my explanation of what it was, I could see the disgust on his face.

 

[HCC]

I have had coworkers ask, “What IS THAT?!!!” Not hostile, just VERY curious and sometimes I just say, “My soul threads.” Which leads to, “No, but WHAT IS THAT?” And then I usually just say, “It’s called a scapular, it’s kind of like wearing a saint medal.” I don’t go into too much detail, not out of embarrassment, it just usually leads to too many questions about the Church and the faith that a lot of people aren’t prepared to hear answers to.

Outside of a group, I would go into a little more detail, particularly if I know the person has a Catholic background, just to kind of get them interested in their faith.

 

[jmcrae]

I’ve actually only had one encounter regarding my scapular, since I normally keep it under my clothes.

I was at a Christmas fair, and there was a lady there who was selling cook books, and I got talking to her about this and that. She mentioned that she had attended a Catholic church at some point, and I said, “Oh, that’s interesting, you know I am a Catholic.” She said, “I doubt that; where is your Brown Scapular?” So I took it out and showed it to her, and she said, “Yes, okay - you are a Catholic, then! There are a great many frauds out there, you know!”

 

[SacredHeart1987]

Wow, that was amazingly rude! Does he always pull stuff out from under your clothes?

I would have just said, “HEY, leave my underwear alone, thank you very much!”

No just that one time, but he use to to harrass me constantly at work. This is at my old job. Hes not even a christian. Hes 24 and acts like hes 16. Well, I guess this is the type of people you have to work with when the majority of the people never went to college. From my experience, people seem to be more immature.