Investiture in the brown scapular

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Elmawa

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Hello,
I asked my local priest to invest me in the brown scapular, I brought it in today to have this done and all he did was say a blessing over it. So now it’s at least blessed, but am I invested? I thought the rite for investiture is a bit more complicated than that? I’ve read some things online and in pamphlets that I’ve picked up, most of those seem to have their own version of how one is to become invested and what the requirements are for afterwards.

So, what I’m ultimately wondering is, does anyone know if simply getting the scapular blessed is sufficient or should I approach my priest again and ask him to perform the rite? I feel a little embarrassed about the latter because I feel like I’m correcting him or telling him he did it wrong, and I don’t really want to doubt him. If I have to do that I may just seek out another priest I think because when I asked my priest here I got the impression it’s not something he gets asked a lot, and there might be one nearby who has done this more often.

Also, I’ve seen people citing this site
catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1086
a lot in answers about the brown scapular enrollment, but this one gives a rather elaborate process which I know my diocese has never offered to the best of my knowledge.

Thank you!
 
Great question. I am subscribing to this thread in hopes of a definitive answer. Thanks for raising the question. I have been considering doing the same thing.
 
I am thinking about investiture in the brown scapular, but I am unclear as to the requirements. Do you have to read all the hours in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin or just say Prime and Compline? Is this an actual requirement? I keep seeing conflicting information as to requirements. Does anyone have accurate information? Thanks
 
lakotak said:
I am thinking about investiture in the brown scapular, but I am unclear as to the requirements. Do you have to read all the hours in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin or just say Prime and Compline? Is this an actual requirement? I keep seeing conflicting information as to requirements. Does anyone have accurate information? Thanks
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This is the process.
freebrownscapular.com/files/BRWN-SCAP.pdf
 
esieffe said:
This is the process.
freebrownscapular.com/files/BRWN-SCAP.pdf
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Thank you for this information. However, I am still unclear as to the “Little Office” requirement. I know that with the LOTH a lot of people say just the morning and evening prayers for various reasons. If you say the “Little Office” do all the hours have to be said during the day, or just morning and evening is ok. I would like to do the hours, but not sure I could do all of them if them if this is what is required.
 
lakotak said:
Thank you for this information. However, I am still unclear as to the “Little Office” requirement. I know that with the LOTH a lot of people say just the morning and evening prayers for various reasons. If you say the “Little Office” do all the hours have to be said during the day, or just morning and evening is ok. I would like to do the hours, but not sure I could do all of them if them if this is what is required.
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You can ask your priest to substitute a daily rosary in place of the Little Office. That’s what I and my husband and children did. The priest who enrolls you has the authority to allow this substitution. But you need to ask, it isn’t automatic.

Refer to the document that esieffe linked to in this thread. It is in the 3rd sentence from the bottom on page 2. From what I understand, this is a very common substitution. I have family and friends who wear the brown scapular and none of us pray the Little Office.
 
lakotak said:
Thank you for this information. However, I am still unclear as to the “Little Office” requirement. I know that with the LOTH a lot of people say just the morning and evening prayers for various reasons. If you say the “Little Office” do all the hours have to be said during the day, or just morning and evening is ok. I would like to do the hours, but not sure I could do all of them if them if this is what is required.
Click to expand...
The original rule was ALL the hours of the Little Office. It takes less than 15 minutes to recite the longer offices (Matins, Lauds and Vespers) and the ‘little Hours’ of Prime, Terce, Sext and None, take less than 10 minutes to say.

Actually the Hours should be said within their 3 hour slots: Matins - Midnight to 3AM, Lauds - 3AM to 6AM, Prime - 6AM to 9AM, Terce - 9AM to Noon, Sext - Noon to 3PM, None - 3PM to 6PM, Vespers – 6PM to 9PM, and Compline - 9PM to Midnight.

You can combine Matins and Lauds, and have the option anticipating them, meaning you can say them anytime after 2PM on the day before. I have combined Vespers and Compline some evenings as well.

If you do choose to do the Little Office, there are three good versions out there – the Baronius, Angelus Press, and the 1946 Lelen. I would not recommend the CBP version.
 
No, your priest did not properly invest you in the Brown Scapular.

You only need to pray the Little Office (or the Rosary as a substitute) if you want to receive the Sabbatine Privilege (The Blessed Virgin Mary will descend to Purgatory on the first Saturday after your death and bring you to Heaven). If you want to simply wear the Scapular for the promise of deliverance from hell then you don’t need to do either (but you should say the Rosary every day).

You can find the Little Office on Divinum Officium. In the last set of options, select “Parvum B.M.V” and after it has redirected you, choose the hour you wish to pray.
 
Michael85 said:
No, your priest did not properly invest you in the Brown Scapular.

You only need to pray the Little Office (or the Rosary as a substitute) if you want to receive the Sabbatine Privilege (The Blessed Virgin Mary will descend to Purgatory on the first Saturday after your death and bring you to Heaven). If you want to simply wear the Scapular for the promise of deliverance from hell then you don’t need to do either (but you should say the Rosary every day).

You can find the Little Office on Divinum Officium. In the last set of options, select “Parvum B.M.V” and after it has redirected you, choose the hour you wish to pray.
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From the official Catechesis on the Brown Scapular issued jointly by the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance and the Discalced Carmelite orders:

Quote:
What is the official status of the Sabbatine Privilege?
Historical research has shown that the alleged fourteenth-century appearance of the Blessed Mother to Pope John XXII is without historical foundation. As a matter of fact, in the year 1613 the Holy See determined that the decree establishing the “Sabbatine Privilege” was unfounded and the Church admonished the Carmelite Order not to preach this doctrine. Unfortunately, the Order did not always comply with this directive of the Holy See.
At the time the Carmelites were instructed to stop mentioning the “Sabbatine Privilege” the Holy See acknowledged that the faithful may devoutly believe that the Blessed Virgin Mary by her continuous intercession, merciful prayers, merits, and special protection will assist the souls of deceased brothers and sisters and members of the confraternity, especially on Saturday, the day which the church dedicates to the Blessed Virgin.
Consistent with the Catholic tradition, such favors associated with the wearing of the Brown Scapular would be meaningless without the wearers living and dying in the state of grace, observing chastity according to their state in life, and living a life of prayer and penitence. The promises traditionally tied to the scapular offer us what the Second Vatican Council says about the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary: “By her maternal love, Mary cares for the brothers and sisters of her Son, who still make their earthly journey surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until they are led to their happy fatherland.
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Magdalen2013 said:
The original rule was ALL the hours of the Little Office. It takes less than 15 minutes to recite the longer offices (Matins, Lauds and Vespers) and the ‘little Hours’ of Prime, Terce, Sext and None, take less than 10 minutes to say.

Actually the Hours should be said within their 3 hour slots: Matins - Midnight to 3AM, Lauds - 3AM to 6AM, Prime - 6AM to 9AM, Terce - 9AM to Noon, Sext - Noon to 3PM, None - 3PM to 6PM, Vespers – 6PM to 9PM, and Compline - 9PM to Midnight.

You can combine Matins and Lauds, and have the option anticipating them, meaning you can say them anytime after 2PM on the day before. I have combined Vespers and Compline some evenings as well.

If you do choose to do the Little Office, there are three good versions out there – the Baronius, Angelus Press, and the 1946 Lelen. I would not recommend the CBP version.
Click to expand...
Thank you for all your information. It has been very helpful. Also, I have a copy, that was my mother’s, of Our Lady’s Daily Hours from St. Anthony Guild Press.
 
Michael85 said:
No, your priest did not properly invest you in the Brown Scapular.

You only need to pray the Little Office (or the Rosary as a substitute) if you want to receive the Sabbatine Privilege (The Blessed Virgin Mary will descend to Purgatory on the first Saturday after your death and bring you to Heaven). If you want to simply wear the Scapular for the promise of deliverance from hell then you don’t need to do either (but you should say the Rosary every day).

You can find the Little Office on Divinum Officium. In the last set of options, select “Parvum B.M.V” and after it has redirected you, choose the hour you wish to pray.
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The Sabbatine Privilege was debunked in 1613. All Carmelites were ordered by the Pope to not promote it.
 
And the requirement for the Little Office or its commutation is also no longer in force. From the same document:

What is this Carmelite spirituality that one must practice in order to have an affiliation with the Carmelite Order?

The spirituality of the Carmelite Order is one of the preeminent spiritual traditions of the Catholic Church. It is difficult to reduce this spirituality to a few sentences. One who wears the scapular should certainly reflect upon the teachings of the great Carmelite saints, three of whom are doctors of the Church.

A few basic introductory principles of Carmelite spirituality would be

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.

Which is what I, a scapular wearer do. I don’t worry about the Little Office or the Rosary. I pray the Liturgy of the Hours, at least, morning and evening prayer, to the best of my ability.
 
lakotak said:
Thank you for this information. However, I am still unclear as to the “Little Office” requirement. I know that with the LOTH a lot of people say just the morning and evening prayers for various reasons. If you say the “Little Office” do all the hours have to be said during the day, or just morning and evening is ok. I would like to do the hours, but not sure I could do all of them if them if this is what is required.
Click to expand...
You can say the hours whenever you want, but it is best said during the hours that correspond to the hours being prayed.
 
porthos11 said:
And the requirement for the Little Office or its commutation is also no longer in force. From the same document:

What is this Carmelite spirituality that one must practice in order to have an affiliation with the Carmelite Order?

The spirituality of the Carmelite Order is one of the preeminent spiritual traditions of the Catholic Church. It is difficult to reduce this spirituality to a few sentences. One who wears the scapular should certainly reflect upon the teachings of the great Carmelite saints, three of whom are doctors of the Church.

A few basic introductory principles of Carmelite spirituality would be

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.

Which is what I, a scapular wearer do. I don’t worry about the Little Office or the Rosary. I pray the Liturgy of the Hours, at least, morning and evening prayer, to the best of my ability.
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Is there a third order community near where you live?
 
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