Must one shower with the Brown Scapular on?

[Domnall]

Now that high school is over and there’s certainly more freedom regarding dress code at college, I’m actively considering wearing the scapular. I know I sound somewhat sacrilegious but this really is an issue for me.

But then even excluding my unwillingness to profess my faith, I still feel that it is more comfortable for me to have my scapular adhered to my skin.

Wait, are you saying that you’d wear your scapular outside of your clothing? I don’t know of anyone who does that.

 

[Domnall]

Well, except Carmelites

 

[porthos11]

Since I don’t shower with my clothes on, no I don’t shower with my scapular.

 

[anonymous1995]

Wait, are you saying that you’d wear your scapular outside of your clothing? I don’t know of anyone who does that.

So that means I am supposed to wear my scapular inside of my clothing? GREAT!

The reason why I’m afraid of wearing the scapular in the past is because I thought it must be worn outside of my uniform or clothing and placed at the centre of my chest!

Now I see!

By the way, anyone who knows if it is fine to replace a worn-out scapular with another wool one? Or is it a must to only replace the cord of the old scapular?

I am always afraid of my sweat wetting the scapular. Does Mary assume that we wet her Scapular with our sweat?

Do we have to regularly dry the scapular?

 

[Mount_Carmel]

Well, except Carmelites

I am 3rd Order Carmelite and have a skin allergy to the wool or the dye used, so it is a case of outside my clothing or a medal. I have no problems at our monthly meetings and special occasions, since I wear the larger ‘Professed’ scapular outside my clothing.

ps. If I ever go to a service in the Vatican I will be sure of wearing my ‘Professed’ scapular - the Swiss Guard and other officials make sure you get a place toward the front of the congregation!

It also worked for me when Saint Thérèse of Lisieux’s relics visited Birmingham’s Catholic Cathedral. Waved into the officials’ car park and then signalled to the front in the cathedral!

 

[Leonhard]

The brown scapular would save you about as much as a picture of oxygen would save a drowning man.

 

[Mount_Carmel]

Leonhard - You don’t really understand what it is about, do you?

Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a provoking house {a rebellious people]: who have eyes to see, and see not: and ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a provoking house. - Ezekiel 12:2

You are right in as far as the scapular will not in itself give/grant grace, protection or salvation, it is, much as any sacramental - just an outward sign. AH, but it is an outward sign of inward faith and Divine grace, and indeed favour.

Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe [Thomas] - to borrow from the New Testament.

 

[Leonhard]

I don’t think you can deny that there’s a lot of superstition sorrounding the brown scapular. The way its typically being sold to me is by Catholics having a discussion about whether or not they are saved, and then it’ll come up “…And you know that the Virgin, promised us that if we die wearing the scapular we won’t be damned.” Said person of course wearing it and taking that as a sign that she is saved.

Nonsense. Utter nonsense. Even if you grant that the original vision was correct, the message was always only about one single scapular, meaning that the person who would take up that mantle, of that historical position, would not fall into damnation. And the one who did do that (at great cost), is now recognized as a saint. Nothing further about salvation, directly or indirectly, is attributed to other scapulars.

Outside of monastic duty, which might require you to wear it. What real difference would there be between wearing the brown scapular, and wearing a wooden cross from your local church?

You could die in bed wearing a scapular, having worn it correctly all your life and still be damned. Do you deny this?

The whole point of my outrage is that this is one of those superstitions that is rife in the Catholic church. Since there’s no way (in Catholicism) to really know whether you’re in the good graces of God, and its at the end of the day beyond some measure of your own control, people start to become supersitious in attempt to control it anyway. Football players who have reached the limit of their talents, get similar anxieties and develop odd rituals in an attempt to feel in control again, even though the outcome of the fights are now beyond their control since they’re all at their peak.

So I can understand why a person with a lot of anxieties “I did pray the hourly prayer, and I did go to confessions and I did pray for forgiveness earnestly after I masturbated, but how I do know if this is enough!!!” will eventually come upon the notion “If I just wear this little thing, and follow these simple rules… well that’s enough isn’t it? The lady said so… sorta…” And then it becomes a little excuse to feel content with your situation. Laziness by any other name.

I mean after all the lady did say that the one dying while wearing the scapular would not fall into damnation… sorta… kinda… if you squint a little, its close enough ain’t it?

I hope you see my point.

 

[Fairwinds]

She was the one who set down the rules of the indulgence to St. Simon Stock! The promise of the Brown Scapular is that those who wear it at the moment of death will not suffer eternal Hell-fire, …

this is a private revelation we’re not obligated to believe, right?

 

[GloriaMaria]

I don’t think you can deny that there’s a lot of superstition sorrounding the brown scapular. The way its typically being sold to me is by Catholics having a discussion about whether or not they are saved, and then it’ll come up “…And you know that the Virgin, promised us that if we die wearing the scapular we won’t be damned.” Said person of course wearing it and taking that as a sign that she is saved.

Nonsense. Utter nonsense. Even if you grant that the original vision was correct, the message was always only about one single scapular, meaning that the person who would take up that mantle, of that historical position, would not fall into damnation. And the one who did do that (at great cost), is now recognized as a saint. Nothing further about salvation, directly or indirectly, is attributed to other scapulars.

Outside of monastic duty, which might require you to wear it. What real difference would there be between wearing the brown scapular, and wearing a wooden cross from your local church?

You could die in bed wearing a scapular, having worn it correctly all your life and still be damned. Do you deny this?

The whole point of my outrage is that this is one of those superstitions that is rife in the Catholic church. Since there’s no way (in Catholicism) to really know whether you’re in the good graces of God, and its at the end of the day beyond some measure of your own control, people start to become supersitious in attempt to control it anyway. Football players who have reached the limit of their talents, get similar anxieties and develop odd rituals in an attempt to feel in control again, even though the outcome of the fights are now beyond their control since they’re all at their peak.

So I can understand why a person with a lot of anxieties “I did pray the hourly prayer, and I did go to confessions and I did pray for forgiveness earnestly after I masturbated, but how I do know if this is enough!!!” will eventually come upon the notion “If I just wear this little thing, and follow these simple rules… well that’s enough isn’t it? The lady said so… sorta…” And then it becomes a little excuse to feel content with your situation. Laziness by any other name.

I mean after all the lady did say that the one dying while wearing the scapular would not fall into damnation… sorta… kinda… if you squint a little, its close enough ain’t it?

I hope you see my point.

This is a very thoughtful post. Since this is the Traditional Catholicism forum, I can say that I noted during my time as a Traditionalist (I am recovering…) that there was, as the Holy Father said in a recent Homily, a Pelagianistic bent. Prayers counted, people laden down with medals and the brown scapular, and speed praying galore (ie: as long as we pray the words of this Novena, Holy Hour, etc…then we`ll get the graces - like a factory).

I think you have a very good point about superstition creeping in. I think what you miss is that there is a devotion to the Mother of God behind the superstition that is genuine. It`s not all fear of damnation there. There are Catholics who follow these devotions more out of love for Our Lady and trust in her intercession than fear of hell.

As to the original post. When I wore one, I never showered with it on. I found it annoying. And I doubt the religious who wore the actual large brown scapular, would have thought to bathe in it. I think a better bet is to do a good examination of conscience at bedtime, be genuinely sorry for the sins you made during the day, and try to do better tomorrow. Make use of the sacraments. Love your neighbour as yourself.

When I became weary of the hypocricy (or maybe it was just ignorance) of the above mentioned Pelagianism, I had to strip it down to: The 10 Commandments, The Two Greatest Commandments, and the Precepts of the Church. I think that is all that is required. Anything extra that helps is a private devotion. Hopefully, Leonhard, you realize that sometimes people add things for whatever reason. These things are not necessary for salvation according to the Church. Unless I missed the memo.