When can a person wear a scapular medal in place of a wool scapular. Does it offer the same protection? What about scapular badges and necklaces? This confuses me.
I believe that scapular medals are allowed for those in tropical countries, where the wool would quickly rot. Otherwise, you are supposed to wear the regular wool one. This isn’t Church law or anything as far as I know. Just tradition. However, there have been no miracles attributed to the scapular medal, so if you don’t live in a hot moist country where cloth easily rots, then I recommend the regular wool scapular.
The Brown Scapular is indicative of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Hence the brown color associated with the brown habits worn by the Carmelites. The Scapular must be invested by a priest using the cloth scapular. Any future scapulars do not need to be blessed since the blessing is imparted to the devotee via the investiture. A Scapular Medal must be blessed by a priest and any future medals must also be blessed. There is no special reason to wear the cloth or the medal form other than the wearer’s preference. Somehow wearing the cloth scapular seems to be a better reminder of one’s association with the Carmelites.
Please remember that the Brown Scapular does not “protect” the wearer. That notion is superstition, which is a sin. The protection comes from Our Lady by way of her promise that one who wears the scapular will not perish in hell. That assumes that the wearer is in the state of grace and has been trying to avoid sin.
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