Questions about the Brown Scapular

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striker_eureka9

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Pax Christi!

I just bought a brown scapular and it seemed a little different from my previous scapular.
  • The promise (whoever wears this shall not suffer) is not written at the other side of the cloth… is it okay?
  • The image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel doesn’t look like wool but is sewed in a brown wool… is it also okay?
  • The lace part doesn’t look like wool too…
Can someone tell me if I should buy another scapular? Thanks and God bless you all.
 
Assuming you bought it from a Catholic store, it sounds fine to me. I’ve seen them with no writing whatsoever, with or without images, etc. As with any sacramental, you should get it blessed. If there is an issue with its validity as a scapular the priest or deacon will know.
 
  1. Brown Scapulars just need to be two squares of plain brown cloth permanently attached to two cords for wearing with one square in front and one in back. There is no need to put any decoration or picture or the Promises on them. You can wear a totally plain one. The ones that do have pictures have all different kinds of pictures - various saints, etc. - it’s not always the promise and the picture of Our Lady handing the scapular.
  2. Brown Scapulars are no longer required to be wool.
The official Scapular catchesis from the Carmelite Order is here if you want to check what i just said

http://www.meditationsfromcarmel.com/content/scapular-catechesis
 
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Not all scapulars look alike, there are many variations. Perhaps bring it to your priest at your next confession or when you stand in line to shake his hand after Mass. You could show it to him and get his approval, that could ease your mind 🙂

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us!
 
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How is it “silly” to believe in wearing a visible sign of your love for Our Lady? Because that’s what it is. Good Catholics don’t wear it saying, “Oh, if I have this magic necklace on, then Mary will protect me from Hell”.

If I wore a necklace with a little photo of my mom, would it be silly?
Scapular is the same thing.

P.S. St. John Vianney had a strong devotion to St. Philomena and received help. So the help was coming from somebody when he called, even if her real name maybe wasn’t Philomena.
 
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MikeInVA said:
As with any sacramental, you should get it blessed
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My understanding is that once you are enrolled with the brown scapular, you do not need to have each scapular blessed. I replace mine fairly frequently (my kids love to play with it while I hold them) and I have never gotten any blessed after the first. They’ve also looked different as the makers have been different.

When the old ones wear out I dispose of them like other sacramentals, burial or burning.
 
clarkgamble1 said:
There are too many things that Catholics believe in that appear silly in the 21st century.
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What is so special about the 21st century that religious devotions seem particularly silly in this age?

Is our century particularly enlightened that we have no need for devotional practices that we have had for well over 1000 years?

What is so special about the 21st century?
 
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It’s a little sad that you think some of our beliefs are silly. The things you used to do seem very wise to me, honouring saints and Jesus certainly seems wiser than most of the things people do in this 21st century that you imply is wiser than the past. As for eating meat on Fridays, well a tiny little sacrifice for the God who gave His only son for you so that you might live forever in paradise, should you choose to be humble enough to repent and follow Him. Oh and by the way, the Friday abstinence has not disappeared you are still required to abstain from something, ie sacrifice something for Jesus, it just doesnt have to be meat (in your country) but it should most certainly be something. And in a little newsflash, you should in fact be regularly giving up things for God, because you want to…not because you have to or cos you may go to hell, but because you love God. Oh and the brown scapular to honour your Mother, that she in turn protects you, we should be so blessed.
 
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One man’s “silly” is another man’s sincerely held personal devotion. On CAF we are to speak respectfully of other people’s beliefs even if we disagree with them.
 
(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
  1. Brown Scapulars just need to be two squares of plain brown cloth permanently attached to two cords for wearing with one square in front and one in back. There is no need to put any decoration or picture or the Promises on them. You can wear a totally plain one. The ones that do have pictures have all different kinds of pictures - various saints, etc. - it’s not always the promise and the picture of Our Lady handing the scapular.
  2. Brown Scapulars are no longer required to be wool.
The official Scapular catchesis from the Carmelite Order is here if you want to check what i just said

Scapular Catechesis | Meditations from Carmel
Click to expand...
This is the authoritative resource for information about the Brown Scapular.
 
This topic has been discussed at length here on CAF. This group has no canonical status. They are not in communion with Rome. Feel free to use the search function of the forum to find the extended discussion.

The fact that the information on their website contradicts the official documents regarding the Brown Scapular ought to raise red flags.
 
Of course, you (or anyone else) can contact the Diocese of Colorado Springs and ask if they are affiliated or at least in the directory. If you have further questions.

It is difficult because they have such a large presence online and their website pops up among the first results for the Brown Scapular.

However, @Tis_Bearself has provided the correct and authoritative information regarding the Scapular.
 
yes,i agree with you ,i never knew of such sites,before may be they still follow pre-Vatican and disregard the Pope or Catholic present teaching
 
I know you don’t to be readmitted to the confraternity, but I’ve always had them blessed. Thanks!
 
You can have new ones blessed if you want, but they are the one sacramental where you don’t have to bless new ones because after the first one, the blessing transfers to any replacement one you wear.
 
The scapular shouldn’t be used like a superstitious trinket, which will get you into paradise if you die while wearing it.

The devotion behind the scapular is what is required.

Jim
 
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