Carmelite Spiritual Center 8433 Bailey Road * Darien, I 6 Lite is Worth Living DEVOTION TO OUR LADY OF THE BROVM SCAPULAR a Fr. Kevin Shanley, 0.carm. Sone 70 years ago & young Poltah boy nened Kero Wojtyla was enrolled in the Brown Seapular of Our Lady of Mt. Garme1 on the occasion of bis Pirst ommnton. To this day, as Pope John Paul II, he stsi2 wears the Broun Soapuler. Many other Cetholte boys and girla around the world sere enrolied in the sane way, and onthe occasion of the 750th Anniversary of the Brown Seaptler tts most prominent wearer is excepted to write about hts iire-zong Marien porotton tn the content of christian Viving. And a8 « ‘nenbor of the Carmelite Third Order, Pope John Paul IZ ts expected to Join with Camelites around the globe to nonor this age-old devotion. origins in Israel Htotortan Fr. John Welch, 0.Carm., traoes the ontsing of the Carmelite Order back to Mi. Carmel 1a Israel during the late 12th Contury A.D. Tt 1s a place sacred to the nenory of Elijah, the great prophet of the Book of Kings tm the 026 Testarent filled with great seal for the God of Tarael.Fr. Kevin/ BROW SCAPULAR ANMIVERSARY/ 2 At the end of the Grusades to free the Holy Land tron sera¥f rue, the Carmedites were forced to leave their saored place. Sone migrated with fnglish crusaders to 8 place cetiea Aylesford in Bngland near Canterbury. Prom thet earliest days, the Camelites foeused on devotion to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Ht. Came. fn account written in the late Lkth Gentuny Sella of aa appearance ab Aylesford of Our Lady to St. Sion Stock whe wag elected prior general of the Cammelites much earlier tn 1Z5k.. According to pious tradition, Gur Lady held the seapuler, even then part of the caneiteersatie, in nex hand and said that the one who dies wearing 1% woud be saved. he Senpular toda i au Bho SESRREET ETS impossible to vertry tne historical race of this event, «more contenporary anprosch to devotion to the Brown Scapular understands thet it, ts an expression of devotion to Mary, a sign of ner protection and care, and « type of affiitation to the Carmelite onder. In adéition, tt sso signifies a willingness on the part of the wearer to Inttete Mery in her prayerful submission to God's plan of salvation, It also offers # rich, spirituel tradition hat honors Mary as the fret and forencst of her Son's disciples. he Scapular 18 an outward sign of the protection of the Blessed Vingin ary, and an offective symbol of Mary's protection to the Carmelite Order.Br. Kevin/ BROWN SCAPULAR ANNIVERSARY/ 3 Carmelite Spirituality. Carmelite Spirituality remains one of the outstending religtous traditions of the Gathelte Church. among tts baste principles, as exemplified by three of tts greatest saints, John of the Gross, Teresa of fivile and Therese of Listoux, would be for Scapular wearers: 1) Frequent participation in the Mass and Conmnion; 2) Frequent reading of and meditation on Sertptures 3) The regular praying of at least part of the Liturgy of the Kours (the Church's official prayer); i,) Inttation of end devotion to the Blessed Mother as the woman of Faith who hears the Yord of God and practices it; and, 5) The practice of the virtues, especially Christian charity, chastity eccoraing to one's state in life, and obedience to the will of Ged. usual Wotions of the Scapular : At the height of the popnlarity of the Brown Scapular in the yeare prior to Vatican IT, sone people actually treated it as something of a magical cherm that not only would grant that ite wearer would not go to hell, but even that it could override any just punishment awaiting © sinner in the afterlife. It was even bandied about by some that Mery would guarantee that those whe wore the Brown Scapular would get into heaven no matter how they lived on earth.Pr. Kevin/ BROWM SCAPULAR ANVIVERSARY/ Sueh thinking, of couse, was contrary to the role of Jeans Christ who 1s the saviour of all, Certainly very would never do something that would be contrary to what her Divine Son would do. She is not s parallel way to heaven, and is certainly not going to sneak people into evernity. Cunvent Iindenstandings er as Lt was decades ago, Although not nearly es pops the Scapular 48 second only to the rosary as part of the devotion to Mary on the part of many. Over the years, lay people joined groups connected to the Carmelites and recetved the Scapular. 4s its popularity grew, for practice reasons, kbs ize lessened 80 that in our ouprent tines the normal Seamalar for lay peo! 1a reduosd to two postage-stem-sizee cards sewn onto brown ud@ien fabeie connected by ribbons. Thus the Scapular may be worn over the shoulders in « soneuhet snconspictous manner. The cards or panels dtaplay @ picture of Our tady of Me. Carmel on she front, and usually on she back @ depiction of the Sacred iieart, om St. Simon Stok, oF the Soapu2er Promise. ‘he anctont tradition of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel told St. Simon Stock that anyone wearing the Scapular woulé not go toW611 truly mkes sense 12 the wearer reaiizes that Lhe or she is called to strive with one's whole life to Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ,Fr. Kevin/ BROW SCAPULAR ANNIVERSARE/ 5 Wosring tho Brown Scapular ts, tndeed, an acknowledgment of the protection and love of the Blessed Mother. It ts also a pledge on the part of the wearer to imitate her as the exemplar of Christian discipleship. Tt ta hoped by many Carmelites and others that during this 750th Anniversary of the Brawn Seapular of Our Lady of Ne. Garmel that ite authentic devotion and theology will remain part of the spirituelity of both religions and laity in the Church and elsewhere. (Pr, Kevin Shanley is staff member at the Carmelite Spirituel Center in Yarten, TL.) 2306