Scapular/Holy Medal Question?

[jeanne71350]

Well, I usually wear a plastic scapular like this:

inhisname.com/images/scapular/MS261brownscap.jpg

and a saint Joan of Arc medal on a chain. I’d hate to give either of them up, because they have been blessed and touched to a relic of St. Faustina, but they get tangled so easily!

Is there any way that I could put my scapular on a chain?

-Jeanne

 

[Shin]

Well, I usually wear a plastic scapular like this:

inhisname.com/images/scapular/MS261brownscap.jpg

and a saint Joan of Arc medal on a chain. I’d hate to give either of them up, because they have been blessed and touched to a relic of St. Faustina, but they get tangled so easily!

Is there any way that I could put my scapular on a chain?

-Jeanne

I suggest you put the medal on the scapular string instead.

 

[Leopard]

I suggest you put the medal on the scapular string instead.

Instead of putting the medal on a scapular string, I suggest that you sew it directly to whichever leaf of the scapular you intend to wear in front. Medals on scapular strings will abrade them and cause them to break sooner than would normally occur. I presume that since this scapular is a third-class relic you want to wear it as long as possible. This will also prevent the medal from getting lost in the event that a string does break.

 

[jeanne71350]

Instead of putting the medal on a scapular string, I suggest that you sew it directly to whichever leaf of the scapular you intend to wear in front. Medals on scapular strings will abrade them and cause them to break sooner than would normally occur. I presume that since this scapular is a third-class relic you want to wear it as long as possible. This will also prevent the medal from getting lost in the event that a string does break.

It’s not a traditional scapular. It’s more or less a piece of thread with two little plastic images of Jesus and the Blessed Mother.

inhisname.com/product.php?product=4038

I had my Joan of Arc medal on a cord before, and it broke and I lost it for awhile and recently found it. I’d like to keep it on a chain, but I don’t want to stop wearing my scapluar!
-Jeanne

 

[Leopard]

It’s not a traditional scapular. It’s more or less a piece of thread with two little plastic images of Jesus and the Blessed Mother.

inhisname.com/product.php?product=4038

I had my Joan of Arc medal on a cord before, and it broke and I lost it for awhile and recently found it. I’d like to keep it on a chain, but I don’t want to stop wearing my scapluar!
-Jeanne

Okay, I see. Then yes, you can put the medal on the string as Shin suggested. But I would still watch out for the string abrading. And yes, you can put the scapular on a chain, but I don’t know how you could do do that without knotting up the cord such that it could not be worn as a scapular anymore.

I would recommend you get a new good-quality cloth brown scapular and sew the medal to that so that you could wear the scapular and one of your St. Faustina relics, and just keep the original scapular/relic in your jewelry box or wherever else you keep important things that it may not be practical to wear all the time.

 

[jeanne71350]

Okay, I see. Then yes, you can put the medal on the string as Shin suggested. But I would still watch out for the string abrading. And yes, you can put the scapular on a chain, but I don’t know how you could do do that without knotting up the cord such that it could not be worn as a scapular anymore.

I would recommend you get a new good-quality cloth brown scapular and sew the medal to that so that you could wear the scapular and one of your St. Faustina relics, and just keep the original scapular/relic in your jewelry box or wherever else you keep important things that it may not be practical to wear all the time.

Well, my Joan of Arc is a relic too, so I still get the same benefits by wearing that on a chain. Next time I stop at my Catholic Supply store, I’ll look for a new scapular. Thanks

-Jeanne

 

[Shin]

Hmm… I’ve long thought we needed more durable scapulars out there.

 

[Leopard]

Hmm… I’ve long thought we needed more durable scapulars out there.

Me too. That’s why I reinforce mine and replace the strings with cloth ribbon. I have one that I’ve been using for over 15 years so far. The embroidered images have all faded off, though.

 

[Shin]

Me too. That’s why I reinforce mine and replace the strings with cloth ribbon. I have one that I’ve been using for over 15 years so far. The embroidered images have all faded off, though.

That sounds like a good call. Even embroidered images will wear, yes, even if in plastic.

I was thinking that if one bought three of them and reinforced them with fabric glue, or some such thing… hmm… But the fabric glue might not work on the straps and leave them limp…

OTOH it might make a good seal for any embroidery at least on the scapular itself.

Well it’s a craft project to puzzle it out. I wish some enterprising nuns would take it up and start a ‘durable scapular’ sideline.

There aren’t many variations on the main scapulars out there on the net, at least that are simple to find. Oh you’ll find a lot of brown with different paper images sewn on that wear out in a few days, but in regards to durability they are pretty much the same.

If they were a little larger, so that they stayed in place and were more durable I would not mind, but I do not know what the specifications are, and if they limit the size, how precise, etc. for each. The preferred material is wool, which I of course prefer too, but I think that the specifications have loosened even allow for else. Right now there seems to be a standard size and that is it, but whether that is the specifications talking I do not know.

The orders set the standards of course.

If there’s enough leeway, a slightly larger and thicker scapular, with stronger cording would be much appreciated by many I am sure.

The weak way some sacramentals are made nowadays is rather troublesome actually.

 

[Leopard]

That sounds like a good call. Even embroidered images will wear, yes, even if in plastic.

I was thinking that if one bought three of them and reinforced them with fabric glue, or some such thing… hmm… But the fabric glue might not work on the straps and leave them limp…

OTOH it might make a good seal for any embroidery at least on the scapular itself.

Well it’s a craft project to puzzle it out. I wish some enterprising nuns would take it up and start a ‘durable scapular’ sideline.

There aren’t many variations on the main scapulars out there on the net, at least that are simple to find. Oh you’ll find a lot of brown with different paper images sewn on that wear out in a few days, but in regards to durability they are pretty much the same.

If they were a little larger, so that they stayed in place and were more durable I would not mind, but I do not know what the specifications are, and if they limit the size, how precise, etc. for each. The preferred material is wool, which I of course prefer too, but I think that the specifications have loosened even allow for else. Right now there seems to be a standard size and that is it, but whether that is the specifications talking I do not know.

The orders set the standards of course.

If there’s enough leeway, a slightly larger and thicker scapular, with stronger cording would be much appreciated by many I am sure.

The weak way some sacramentals are made nowadays is rather troublesome actually.

I don’t use glue. I start with a high-quality wool scapular such as these:

rosescapular.com/scaporder.htm

These are pretty durable as manufactured, and will probably give you a few years of wear as is. First I replace the strings with fabric ribbon of the kind used to make spaghetti-straps on women’s clothing. I generally use shorter lengths of ribbon than the original strings, just long enough to fit over my head. plus about an inch. The shorter ribbons help keep the scapular from twisting and tangling. I sew the ribbons to the leafs with button thread or carpet thread, which is stronger than general use thread. You will need a strong, sharp needle and a thimble because you will be pushing it through very thick layers of cloth. I finish by doing a button stitch around the edges of the leafs with button thread or carpet thread. It takes about an hour to do this, but you won’t need to do this very often. The result is practically indestructible.