Q on Scapulars

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EzraJacob

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I have had a brown scapular for about two months. I never washed it, or wore it in the shower and so it turned pink. I do not know how, but yes, it turned pink.

Anyway, I just got back from the St. Jude religious shop here in Philly, and bought a Scapular. I do not know what it is called but it is much bigger then the brown scapular, and on one side it has a picture of Jesus and says, Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. And on other cloth it is a picture of the Blessed Virgin holding the infant Jesus and has words saying Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us. Now I am wondering, is this just another version of the Brown Scapular, and so I should say the morning offering prayer, that I say for it? This one did not come with any mini pamphlet talking about it. So, is it the same kind or not?

Another question, is it time to retire my old one, since it turned pink? I bought two of the new on and so I can keep it clean. But when I was trying to clean my old one, the pink stayed and the picture and words rubbed away. And if so, what do I do with it? Is it fine to cut it and take the Miraculous medal off?
 
EzraJacob said:
I have had a brown scapular for about two months. I never washed it, or wore it in the shower and so it turned pink. I do not know how, but yes, it turned pink.

Anyway, I just got back from the St. Jude religious shop here in Philly, and bought a Scapular. I do not know what it is called but it is much bigger then the brown scapular, and on one side it has a picture of Jesus and says, Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. And on other cloth it is a picture of the Blessed Virgin holding the infant Jesus and has words saying Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us. **Now I am wondering, is this just another version of the Brown Scapular, and so I should say the morning offering prayer, that I say for it? This one did not come with any mini pamphlet talking about it. So, is it the same kind or not? **

Another question,** is it time to retire my old one, since it turned pink?** I bought two of the new on and so I can keep it clean. But when I was trying to clean my old one, the pink stayed and the picture and words rubbed away. And if so, what do I do with it? Is it fine to cut it and take the Miraculous medal off?
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I fear I may have rambled on, I am sorry 😊 So I bolded the questions, in hopes that someone will answer me, without having to read all the ramblings (and not be turned off because of the ramblings)
 
EzraJacob said:
I fear I may have rambled on, I am sorry 😊 So I bolded the questions, in hopes that someone will answer me, without having to read all the ramblings (and not be turned off because of the ramblings)
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Since you mentioned that there was a picture of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on it, then it is a Brown Scapular. I have a Brown Scapular that has an embroidered cross on front and back, and that is it. In fact if the Scapular was just two pieces of brown cloth with no pictures or embroidery on it, it is still an authentic Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and can be blessed and used to enroll someone.

I have seen some Brown Scapulars have the picture of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on one side, and the picture of a saint on the other side. Just remember that the Brown Scapular is the miniature habit of the Carmelites, who have a long piece of brown material in the front and the back of their habit, joined at the shoulders.
 
EzraJacob said:
I have had a brown scapular for about two months. I never washed it, or wore it in the shower and so it turned pink. I do not know how, but yes, it turned pink.

Anyway, I just got back from the St. Jude religious shop here in Philly, and bought a Scapular. I do not know what it is called but it is much bigger then the brown scapular, and on one side it has a picture of Jesus and says, Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. And on other cloth it is a picture of the Blessed Virgin holding the infant Jesus and has words saying Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us. Now I am wondering, is this just another version of the Brown Scapular, and so I should say the morning offering prayer, that I say for it? This one did not come with any mini pamphlet talking about it. So, is it the same kind or not?

Another question, is it time to retire my old one, since it turned pink? I bought two of the new on and so I can keep it clean. But when I was trying to clean my old one, the pink stayed and the picture and words rubbed away. And if so, what do I do with it? Is it fine to cut it and take the Miraculous medal off?
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You should have stopped by, St Jude Shop is right near my house! 🙂

Try to buy the ones sealed in plastic, they last longer, btw. I’ve seen them with chains instead of ribbons, too.
 
Dorothy said:
Since you mentioned that there was a picture of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on it, then it is a Brown Scapular. I have a Brown Scapular that has an embroidered cross on front and back, and that is it. In fact if the Scapular was just two pieces of brown cloth with no pictures or embroidery on it, it is still an authentic Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and can be blessed and used to enroll someone.
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Now, may I just ask, what it means to enroll someone?

My first scapular was given to me by a priest at my church. Does that mean I am enrolled?
 
EzraJacob said:
Now, may I just ask, what it means to enroll someone?

My first scapular was given to me by a priest at my church. Does that mean I am enrolled?
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When he gave it to you if he blessed it, and said a prayer placing it over your head then you were invested in the Brown Scapular.

There is also an enrollment in a Confraternity which is not necessary.

Here is a link containing updated information from both branches of the Carmelite Order on the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

carmelitanacollection.com/catechesis.html

If you scroll about 1/3 of the way down you will see a bolded question asking “Who may invest people with the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel?”

There can also be found at this site a much fuller explanation of the Brown Scapular, its orgins, Carmelite spirituality, etc.
 
Dorothy said:
When he gave it to you if he blessed it, and said a prayer placing it over your head then you were invested in the Brown Scapular.

There is also an enrollment in a Confraternity which is not necessary.

Here is a link containing updated information from both branches of the Carmelite Order on the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

carmelitanacollection.com/catechesis.html

If you scroll about 1/3 of the way down you will see a bolded question asking “Who may invest people with the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel?”

There can also be found at this site a much fuller explanation of the Brown Scapular, its orgins, Carmelite spirituality, etc.
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I do not remember him holding it over me, but he did pray while laying hands on my head. I know he was praying something about being consecrated to the Blessed Virgin. He was not talking very loud and I have hearing problems. And I faintly remember him telling me I can say the Rosary everyday in place of the little office, even though I didn’t understand what he ment at the time.

Thank you for the website
 
Yes, thank you very much for the link!

I have had my questions answered 🙂
If a person wears the scapular, but has no formal association to the Order, does that person still gain the benefits associated with the scapular?
A person who wears the scapular and practices the spirituality of the Carmelite Order has an affiliation, loose as it may be, to the Carmelite family and so shares in the graces traditionally associated with the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. However, simply to wear the scapular without accepting the responsibilities attached to it would be to reduce this precious sacramental to the status of a charm or good-luck piece.
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Is it necessary to enroll people in the Scapular Confraternity for them to share in the spiritual benefits attached to the scapular?
No, those who wear the scapular out of devotion, practice the Order’s spirituality, yet who have no formal association to the Order share in a spiritual affiliation to the Carmelite Order. It gives them the assurances of the graces pertinent to this sacramental. Indiscriminate enrollment in the Scapular Confraternity or other such associations weakens the purpose and mission of those associations and should be avoided.
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Of course, one does not have to be a member of the Confraternity to wear the Brown Scapular—any member of the faithful can wear it, and to the extent that it expresses an authentic devotion to the Mother of God, any member of the faithful can expect to share in the graces and benefits to which such sacramentals dispose us.
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This is good. Because I worried that If I was not enrolled, then I should not be wearing the scapular. But I am faithful and have an authentic devotion to the Mother of God. I do my best to model myself after her, and I always pray for her intercession. 🙂
 
EzraJacob said:
I do not remember him holding it over me, but he did pray while laying hands on my head. I know he was praying something about being consecrated to the Blessed Virgin. He was not talking very loud and I have hearing problems. And I faintly remember him telling me I can say the Rosary everyday in place of the little office, even though I didn’t understand what he ment at the time.

Thank you for the website
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Okay, that sounds like he invested you in the scapular!

He mentioned saying the Rosary, because there used to be the requirement to say the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin daily. Permission was given to substitute the Rosary for the Office.
 
Dorothy said:
Okay, that sounds like he invested you in the scapular!

He mentioned saying the Rosary, because there used to be the requirement to say the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin daily. Permission was given to substitute the Rosary for the Office.
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Yes, this is what I am thinking. It just did not mean much to me at the time because I did not even know what a scapular was. I thought he was just praying for me period.

But I have read the one link and realized that even if I wasn’t enrolled it is still fine because I am very faithful in my devotion to the Blessed Virgin and always say the morning prayer and the rosary.

I also realized that he was a priest and did give me the scapular and so I am pretty sure he enrolled me. lol

Either way, the scapular has done great wonders for my faith and devotion.
 
I still have one more question. If I am to retire my old scapular, due to being pink and yellowish and falling apart, is it permissible to but it to take the miraculous medal off, or should I just bury it whole?
 
EzraJacob said:
I still have one more question. If I am to retire my old scapular, due to being pink and yellowish and falling apart, is it permissible to but it to take the miraculous medal off, or should I just bury it whole?
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I don’t see any reason to bury the medal with the scapular, since it hasn’t been disfigured in any way.

I like to keep blessed medals around the house because they are sacramentals and remind me of the Lord whenever I glance at them. (shelves, windowsills, drawers.)
 
FCEGM said:
There’s no need to wear the scapular when you shower. 🙂
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I know you do not need to, but in order to keep my new one clean, and not turn pink and yellowish, I am going to. Just when I get out, put my other new one on and allow this one to dry, and switch it up everytime I take a shower.
 
No, you do not have to be confirmed to be invested in the scapular.

I am a senior citizen, and most of us remember being automatically invested at our First Holy Communion.

We lined up at the altar rail and the priest put scapulars over us and said a prayer. Unfortunately, no one told me all about what it meant, and it went in my desk drawer at home. It wasn’t until years later that I learned about it! 🙂
 
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