Minus my brown scapular

[Andruschak]

At today’s AA meeting, a young woman was sharing about her fears as she was required to go to court tomorrow, to maybe face some jail time. Or not. Uncertainty can eat away at you. She was a former catholic, had lapsed many years ago, and did not even know what the brown scapular I wore was about.

So I gave her my brown scapular. It has pictures of St. Francis on front and back flaps. I’ve also attached two short cord green scapulars to the front and back flaps. All properly blessed.

She was very grateful to have them as a gift. I am not sure if the blessings, promises, and privilages associated with these scapulars can be transfered this way, especially to one not in a state of grace.

Well, can they?

But I did it anyway. This leaves me without a brown scapular until I can order a new one, probably tomorrrow morning. I hope I don’t die between now and then.

 

[Philothea_2.0]

I don’t know about the brown scapular, but the green one is perfect for what you describe.

 

[Alphonsus_John]

Andru, I like you do the heroic act thing. Like you’ve posted before, I’m quite afraid of my “balance sheet”, so to speak and I haven’t even gotten a brown scapular.

God is infitinetly merciful.You, by giving up something you cherish, which the wearing of promises mercy, especially considering the Act you took, is an action of extreme mercy. God notices.

 

[Belle10]

At today’s AA meeting, a young woman was sharing about her fears as she was required to go to court tomorrow, to maybe face some jail time. Or not. Uncertainty can eat away at you. She was a former catholic, had lapsed many years ago, and did not even know what the brown scapular I wore was about.

So I gave her my brown scapular. It has pictures of St. Francis on front and back flaps. I’ve also attached two short cord green scapulars to the front and back flaps. All properly blessed.

She was very grateful to have them as a gift. I am not sure if the blessings, promises, and privilages associated with these scapulars can be transfered this way, especially to one not in a state of grace.

Well, can they?

But I did it anyway. This leaves me without a brown scapular until I can order a new one, probably tomorrrow morning. I hope I don’t die between now and then.

In sharing with this needy soul, you have done a great act of mercy, which Jesus calls us all to do. (He gave this message again to St. Faustina.)

As far as hoping you don’t die between now and getting another scapular, I can’t tell if you were kidding or not…if you weren’t, I know the “rules” say that you must be wearing the scapular at the time of death, but I think it you are devoted in your heart and soul, you’ll be fine. A physical religious item isn’t going to accompany your soul to the next life, but your love for Jesus and act of mercy toward someone in need will.

PS - good for you being in AA. I’ve dealt with alcoholism in my family, and I commend you for working hard to overcome the evil that it is. I’ll say a prayer for you.

 

[lizaanne]

What a lovely thing to do for her!

Remember to say the Green Scapular Prayer for her now:

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

~Liza

 

[Seminarian_X]

Once you are enrolled in the brown scapular, if you have to put it aside for a time for a necessary reason, the promises still apply, even if you die while not wearing one. Taking a shower in the morning would be a necessary reason. I’d consider giving it to a friend a necessary reason. You are not rejecting the scapular.

Remember, it’s not a magic amulet. It’s a sacramental.

You might want to buy 2 so you’ll have a spare in case someone else needs yours. :tiphat:

 

[TOP]

Once you are enrolled in the brown scapular, if you have to put it aside for a time for a necessary reason, the promises still apply, even if you die while not wearing one. Taking a shower in the morning would be a necessary reason. I’d consider giving it to a friend a necessary reason. You are not rejecting the scapular.

Remember, it’s not a magic amulet. It’s a sacramental.

You might want to buy 2 so you’ll have a spare in case someone else needs yours. :tiphat:

I agree. The blessing applies to you, not the scapular during enrollment. That is why you don’t need to get a new one blessed if enrolled. I’m glad the Lord is putting you in the path of some in need. Tim

 

[lizaanne]

Taking a shower in the morning would be a necessary reason.

Ok - I can’t WAIT to tell my husband this!!! I do so get tired of hugging a soggy scapular in the morning after he’s gotten out of the shower and now his shirt is all wet!

~Liza

 

[JimR-OCDS]

At today’s AA meeting, a young woman was sharing about her fears as she was required to go to court tomorrow, to maybe face some jail time. Or not. Uncertainty can eat away at you. She was a former catholic, had lapsed many years ago, and did not even know what the brown scapular I wore was about.

So I gave her my brown scapular. It has pictures of St. Francis on front and back flaps. I’ve also attached two short cord green scapulars to the front and back flaps. All properly blessed.

She was very grateful to have them as a gift. I am not sure if the blessings, promises, and privileges associated with these scapulars can be transfered this way, especially to one not in a state of grace.

Well, can they?

But I did it anyway. This leaves me without a brown scapular until I can order a new one, probably tomorrrow morning. I hope I don’t die between now and then.

The blessings, promises and privileges, are for the devotion, not for merely having these objects, which is all they are, without faith. However, it may be the door that opens this women to faith.

What you did, will give you more grace and blessings, than if you wore 10 scapulars around your neck.

Compassion and mercy, are beyond religious observances.

Get another scapular, but remember, its your love for God and neighbor which actually have merit, not the act of wearing the scapular alone. Wear the Scapular, because you love Jesus, and the Blessed Mother.

Jim

 

[Joyful_1]

I agree. The blessing applies to you, not the scapular during enrollment. That is why you don’t need to get a new one blessed if enrolled. I’m glad the Lord is putting you in the path of some in need. Tim

This is why I think my priest did it wrong. He just blessed it like a regular religious article. I wasn’t ‘enrolled’. I am wearing a blessed scapular - but I haven’t been invested. I am going to see another priest to have it done properly as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this priest lives a half hour away and my dad won’t let me make a special trip for this. He doesn’t see any urgency and it may be a month before he has a good reason to take me there.

Pray for me that it is soon because I also want to ask this priest to be my spiritual director.

God Bless
Joyful_1

 

[TOP]

This is why I think my priest did it wrong. He just blessed it like a regular religious article. I wasn’t ‘enrolled’. I am wearing a blessed scapular - but I haven’t been invested. I am going to see another priest to have it done properly as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this priest lives a half hour away and my dad won’t let me make a special trip for this. He doesn’t see any urgency and it may be a month before he has a good reason to take me there.

Pray for me that it is soon because I also want to ask this priest to be my spiritual director.

God Bless
Joyful_1

memorare.com/mary/scapularbrown.html

 

[Joyful_1]

memorare.com/mary/scapularbrown.html

Thank you TOP. I have that prayer on a little booklet that came with my scapular. I even brought it with me to mass when I went to be invested, but Fr. was in a hurry to have dinner with some of his friends from his old parish. I had some questions, too, about the Little Office and stuff, but I could tell he didn’t have time. He didn’t really know what the Little Office was. He said he would put me in touch with some lay Carmelites he knew.

I know this other priest is very knowlegable about Marian devotions so he will do it properly. He is a very holy man.

 

[jmm08]

I am not sure if the blessings, promises, and privileges associated with these scapulars can be transferred this way, especially to one not in a state of grace.

Andruschak, your intentions and your obvious self-sacrifice will likely mean something to the young woman whether or not they are technically correct. Your prayers for her will help much as well.

Since you met at the AA meeting, and since she has a court date, it is likely that she has some remorse, regret and perhaps is penitent. I don’t think we can easily say that she is not in a state of grace especially if she lacks good Catholic teaching. Perhaps she was at AA of her own free will because she wants to do better. The AA program will have her looking for God at some point, right?

But like you, I’m fairly new in the Catholic faith. It’s just that I don’t think we can easily determine whether others are or are not in a state of grace.

jmm08

 

[MarieVeronica]

She was a former catholic…

Just so you know… there is no such thing as a “former catholic”. Once a person is baptized as a Catholic… they are a Catholic forever. For all eternity… whether they practice their faith, or not.

In regard to the scapular which you generously gave your friend… of course the blessings will benefit her, too. I can relate to this, on a personal basis. It was through the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel… that I was brought back to the Catholic Faith. Our Blessed Mother reached out to me… in the depths of my misery and sin, and brought me back… through the wearing of her Brown Scapular (I began to wear it, PRIOR to my return to the Church).

Until you can get your scapular replaced… I would say simply… to trust in Jesus. He has given you (and all of us) a wonderful friend… a Guardian Angel, to watch over us. Our Angels are just one more proof of Our Merciful Lord’s great love for us all.

God bless.