I guess you could say I am a “lapsed Catholic.” My wife is episcopalian and we baptized our dauther in that church. I have tried to belong to that church and be active, but my soul is empty. I go to Mass, maybe once a month, before it was weekly. I want to come back home, but I don’t want to drive a wedge into my already fragile marriage. My wife has prejudice towards the Church. She views that the Church is inflexible and she prefers the flexible acceptance of the Anglican Communion. I am at a loss as to what to do. Has anyone else gone through this? Of course, prayers are welcome for both of us too.
Mary has offered us her help if we would accept it. She gave us the green scapular.
It is her gift to us for help in these situations.
In 1840, the Blessed Mother entrusted the Green Scapular of her Immaculate Heart to
Sister Justine Bisqueyburu, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
How to use it.
Wear or carry the green scapular. To help your wife, place it in her vicinity (i.e. her room, wallet, purse, or all over; lamp, house,car, chair, bed).
Say the prayer, “Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.”
This prayer should be said for yourself and again for your wife every day.
The Scapulars should be blessed.
Have the strongest possible trust in Mary’s promise.
Mary’s own words were:
“The GREATEST graces come from using the scapular but these graces come
in direct proportion to the degree of CONFIDENCE IN ME which the user has.”
The user is you.
Confidence means that you trust Mary will keep her promises. (How could she not do so?)
It just means you do your part and she will do hers. It is important to remember that you are doing what Mary wants, that is why she gave it to us. It’s her gift and she is the mother of God. She certainly has enough going for her that she can easily take care of this. If you do your part and pray the prayer, she will do her part.
Promises of Mary:
… Conversion of those who do not have the faith <<<===========
… Reconciliation to the Church for those who have lost/strayed from the faith
… Assurance of a happy death
… Strengthening of the faith for those already in the Church
… Protection from Satan for those who wear or promote the scapular
She didn’t say when, just that she promised it would happen.
“Great graces are often attached to what seems trifling.” St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=544742&page=3
My father, a fallen-away Catholic, passed away several years ago. When he first became ill and was hospitalized, one of the Vincentian priest pinned a Green Scapular to his pillow. I know my mother was especially worried about his salvation, as he had not awakened following emergency surgery. He did awaken many days later, and that same Vincentian asked if he wished to receive the sacraments. He was on a ventilator, so he could not speak, but he could indicate “yes” or “no”, so the priest simply asked if he was sorry for any and all sins he committed, then he was given Extreme Unction. This was 2 years to the day of my auto accident, August 3rd. He died 2 days later, on the Feast of Our Lady of the Snows on August 5th. There is a promise attached to the Green Scapular that Our Lady will obtain the conversion of those who have fallen away from the True Faith. I’m convinced she did so with my father, the day of his death was clearly Providential.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=620449
(From an atheist)
How did you come to embrace Catholicism?
Strangely enough, it was the Blessed Virgin Mary. That friend of mine had sneakily
snuck in a scapular under my mattress. I didn’t know until about 1 year into my
conversion. I imagine that she had something to do with it. I think it was the
green scapular.
