Scapular Nightmares

[Darran]

Hey guys. I know there is a similar thread to this on the forums, but since it was so old I thought it would be best to make a new one. Basically, the night before last night I had a terrible…what you could say nightmare during my sleep. It was more like a debate with the devil about Mary, it’s quite hard to describe but it caused me to suffer quite a bit. Something similar last night also.

I had read from the old thread, that a number of people recieved terrible nightmares who wore the scapular but weren’t invested in it. I’m invested in mine since Saturday by a local priest with a short form of the enrollment that some nuns sent me. I am just questioning now whether the short form (it was simply a few sentances read by the priest with no responses) was perfectly legitimate.

I’m certainly not going to take the scapular off, it’s powerful enough for the devil to warrant attacking me for wearing it! But I’m just afraid of it becomming a nightly thing. I had to miss 7am Lenten Mass today for being too tired, perhaps that’s the intention. Could anybody recommend I do anything?

 

[Theotim]

Is it the same ritual as here (end of page)?
sistersofcarmel.com/brown-scapular-information.php
It is short but there are some responses. I think it’s best to ask the priest who’s blessed you.

As far as I know there’s nothing wrong in wearing the scapular even if you aren’t invested. Or maybe you have these nightmares because satan is furious that you are specially protected by Havenly Mother now?

 

[Leon_Bloy]

Is it the same ritual as here (end of page)?
[Or maybe you have these nightmares because satan is furious that you are specially protected by Havenly Mother now?](Or maybe you have these nightmares because satan is furious that you are specially protected by Havenly Mother now?)

This could be. Or maybe you are just having anxieties for whatever particular reason. The important thing is don’t worry. Ask God to protect you from all anxious or distressing thoughts before bed, and perhaps pray the rosary as you go to sleep (it’s OK to fall asleep while you pray it - Venerable Fr. Alfred Pampalon even recommended this to people.)

You might also sprinkle some holy water on your bed before going to sleep.

But God bless you, and don’t worry!

Congrats on the scapular enrollment. About the validity, if the priest said “I enroll you in the scapular…” or words to that effect, I am sure it’s valid, personally.

 

[Darran]

Thanks very much!

The short form that was used was the one on this page. I’m sure it’s silly for me to doubt that I was enrolled properly to be honest, just that from the old thread it seemed to be common for people who weren’t enrolled to have nightmares, just one of those strange things!

ocd.pcn.net/scap_en.htm

I know what you mean about anxieties, I usually very rarely have nightmares but it seemed to be an entirely different thing than just a bad dream. The past couple of nights it has been right when I was in a deep, deep, sleep. I can’t remember anything visual to call it a dream, just an intense attack from something that wants me to deny Mary. Even as far as to say “pray just to God then if you have to, just don’t pray to Mary you idolater”. I woke up both times so confused that I didn’t know where I was at first.

The actual feeling of pain I can’t discribe as similar to any emotional pain. There was only one other time when I experienced something like that before, and it was after I spoke to someone who was about to commit suicide. It’s definately the devil.

I’ll do as you say and bless my bedroom. To hell with him! I’m not taking off this scapular if it threatened to kill me. I’ll do that now, please keep me in your prayers.

 

[MS_SURVEYOR]

Short form for giving the Scapular

Receive this Scapular, a sign of your special relationship with Mary the Mother of Jesus, whom you pledge to imitate. May it be a reminder to you of your dignity as a Christian, in serving others and imitating Mary. Wear it as a sign of her protection and of belonging to the family of Carmel, voluntarily doing the will of God and devoting yourself to building a world true to his plan of community, justice and peace.

Procedure for Blessing and Investiture

Priest - Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy.
Respondent - And grant us Thy salvation.
P - Lord, hear my prayer.
R - And let my cry come unto Thee.
P - The Lord be with you.
R - And with your Spirit.
P - Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, sanctify + by Thy power these scapulars, which for love of Thee and for love of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Thy servants will wear devoutly, so that through the intercession of the same Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and protected against the evil spirit, they persevere until death in Thy grace. Thou who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

**THE PRIEST SPRINKLES WITH HOLY WATER THE SCAPULAR AND THE PERSON(S) BEING ENROLLED. HE THEN INVESTS HIM (THEM), SAYING:
**
P - Receive this blessed scapular and beseech the Blessed Virgin that through Her merits, you may wear it without stain. May it defend you against all adversity and accompany you to eternal life. Amen.

AFTER INVESTITURE THE PRIEST CONTINUES WITH THE PRAYERS:

P - I, by the power vested in me, admit you to participate in all the spiritual benefits obtained through the mercy of Jesus Christ by the Religious Order of Mount Carmel. In the name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. + Amen.

May God Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and earth, bless + you, He who has deigned to join you to the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel; we beseech Her to crush the head of the ancient serpent so that you may enter into possession of your eternal heritage through Christ our Lord.
R - Amen.

THE PRIEST THEN SPRINKLES AGAIN WITH HOLY WATER THE PERSON(S) ENROLLED.

Quite a difference between the 2 would you not say? I gave you the last one once before. I had the scapular blessed at first. I was having problems still. Once I got invested using the long form Satan was out of there!

I can see Satan trying to get that Scapular off before before you get invested fully. Do I think you got invested with the short form? No! Does it say anything about investment?

 

[Darran]

Quite a difference between the 2 would you not say? I gave you the last one once before. I had the scapular blessed at first. I was having problems still. Once I got invested using the long form Satan was out of there!

I can see Satan trying to get that Scapular off before before you get invested fully. Do I think you got invested with the short form? No! Does it say anything about investment?

There is quite a difference. Thanks for the links you had sent me before, but I had looked in so many different places to get information on who could enroll me, the enrollment itself I didn’t give so much attention to. The Carmelite sisters nearby (about 45 miles) sent me the short form in leaflet. I did think it was a little short, but I figured they would know better than me.

Well, I’ve blessed my room with holy water. Shall I have a talk about it with my priest? It just seems strange, could the nuns be that poorly informed?

 

[MS_SURVEYOR]

Bless them. They did their best. My priest didn’t know any better. Many call the Brown Scapular Old School. Times have changed. And times have changed. But the words of Jesus, and Mary have not changed. Satan would want us to forget about such things. Praying the Rosary. Being invested in the Brown Scapular. Such simple devotions that carry so much power. So many have lost sight of the blessing of old. But the promises have not changed. If I had not felt the difference between the blessing, and the investiture, I would not be witnessing about it.

 

[Darran]

Bless them. They did their best. My priest didn’t know any better. Many call the Brown Scapular Old School. Times have changed. And times have changed. But the words of Jesus, and Mary have not changed. Satan would want us to forget about such things. Praying the Rosary. Being invested in the Brown Scapular. Such simple devotions that carry so much power. So many have lost sight of the blessing of old. But the promises have not changed. If I had not felt the difference between the blessing, and the investiture, I would not be witnessing about it.

You know, I think you’re right. I’ll try to see if I can have a chat with him about it tomorrow. In the meantime, I slept like an absolute baby last night after the holy water.

 

[Darran]

Just to update this, even though I hadn’t had the same attacks as before I blessed my bed with Holy Water, I still had occsional bother and missed out on a lot of sleep. I’ve now been fully enrolled in the scapular for a couple of weeks, and all is now perfectly fine.

The short form of the enrollment really does make a difference, perhaps I should tell those sisters about this!

 

[MS_SURVEYOR]

Just to update this, even though I hadn’t had the same attacks as before I blessed my bed with Holy Water, I still had occsional bother and missed out on a lot of sleep. I’ve now been fully enrolled in the scapular for a couple of weeks, and all is now perfectly fine.

The short form of the enrollment really does make a difference, perhaps I should tell those sisters about this!

Yes you should. Not that they did any thing wrong. It’s more like if you can’t fix it if you don’t know it’s broke.

Darran,

I was there not long ago. Oh the graces that come with the Brown Scapular. My Mother Mary, Thank You!