Brown

The Brown Scapular of “Our Lady of ” is associated with the Carmelite Order, and perhaps the most well-known. The title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first were Christian living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries. They built a chapel in the midst of their hermitages which they dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, whom they conceived of in chivalric terms as the "Lady of the place."

The Carmelites see in the Blessed Virgin Mary a perfect model of the interior life of and contemplation to which Carmelites aspire, a model of virtue, as well as the person who was closest in life to Christ. She is seen as the one who faithfully points Christians most surely to Christ, saying to all what she says to the servants at the wedding at Cana, “Do whatever He tells you.” Carmelites look to Mary as both a Spiritual Mother and Sister in Christ.

A 1996 doctrinal statement approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments states:

“Devotion to is bound to the history and spiritual values of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and is expressed through the scapular. Thus, whoever receives the scapular becomes a member of the order and pledges him/herself to live according to its spirituality in accordance with the characteristics of his/her state in life.”

Since the 15th century, popular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has centered on the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel also known as the Brown Scapular, a sacramental associated with promises of Mary's special aid for the salvation of the devoted wearer. Traditionally, Mary is said to have given the Scapular to an early Carmelite named .

 Saint Simon Stock: was an Englishman who lived in the 13th century, an early general of the Carmelite religious order. Little is known about his life with any historical certainty. The Blessed Virgin Mary is traditionally said to have appeared to him and given him the Carmelite habit, the Brown Scapular, with a promise that those who die wearing it will be saved. Thus, popular devotion to Saint Simon Stock is usually associated with devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

What of the famous promise known as the “”?

 The Sabbatine Privilege: derived its name from the apocryphal Papal Bull Sacratissimo uti culmine of John XXII, dated 3 March, 1322, according to which had the pope declared that the Mother of God appeared to him, and most urgently recommended to him the Carmelite Order and its confratres and consorores.

The Sabbatine Privilege consists in the early liberation from , through the special intercession and petition of the Virgin Mary, which she exercises preferentially on the day consecrated to her, Saturday. The promise that Our Lady will intercede and pray for those in Purgatory who, in earthly life:

a. Wore the Scapular in good faith. b. Were chaste according to their state in life. c. Daily recited the Divine Office or, with the permission of one’s Confessor, the Little Office of Our Lady, or the and departed this earthly life in charity.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been related with Purgatory from centuries ago. In some cases, she is shown accompanied with angels and souls wearing Brown , who plead for her mediation. In 1613, the Church forbade such images to be made, due to erroneous doctrine being preached about Scapular privileges (the Sabbatine Privilege).

That privilege appears in mentioned Decree of the Holy Office (1613), and later was inserted in its entirety into the list of the indulgences and privileges of the Confraternity of the Scapular of Mount Carmel. Today, the Carmelite Orders, while encouraging a belief in Mary's general aid and prayerful assistance for their souls beyond death and commending devotion to Mary especially on Saturdays which are dedicated to her, explicitly state in their official catechetical materials that they do not promulgate the Sabbatine Privilege, and are at one with official Church teaching on the matter.

According to the ways in which the Church has intervened at various times to clarify the meaning and privileges of the Brown Scapular: “The scapular is a Marian habit or garment. It is both a sign and pledge. A sign of belonging to Mary; a pledge of her motherly protection, not only in this life but after death. As a sign, it is a conventional sign signifying three elements strictly joined: first, belonging to a religious family particularly devoted to Mary, especially dear to Mary, the Carmelite Order; second, consecration to Mary, devotion to and trust in her Immaculate Heart; third an incitement to become like Mary by imitating her virtues, above all her humility, chastity, and spirit of prayer.”

Any practical Catholic may be enrolled in the Confraternity of our Lady of Mount Carmel by any valid priest in good standing. Just obtain a Brown Scapular, take it to him, have him bless it, and express your desire for enrollment.

An inward understanding of the Consecration:

1. Increase in love of Mary by meditating on her virtues, as pictured for us in the and her Rosary.

2. Cultivate humility of heart, by recalling often that God’s glory, and not your own, is the purpose of your Consecration and aim of life. “Nothing matters, but that we give glory to God.”

3. Grow in the charity of Mary by praying for souls, especially for those present in public places, such as, the street car, bus, shops, or restaurants.

Daily Act of Consecration to the Brown Scapular devotion:

O Mary, Immaculate Queen of Carmel, Mother of God, and my Mother, the wearing of thy holy Scapular signifies that I am entirely yours. Assist me this day, and obtain for me the grace to live faithfully my Scapular Consecration, whereby my heart, my mind, my body, my whole being, is yours without reserve, forever. Amen.