We must understand that medals, scapulars, holy water and any other type of
sacramentals are not amulets for our protection. They are consecrated objects that
indeed help when the wearer has faith and tries to live a life of virtue.
The
Green Scapular
Whenever there is someone
in the family or a friend who is far away from the faith and you want to do something
about it, our Blessed Mother gave us one means of converting them when she
appeared to Sister Justine Bisqueyburu in 1840 carrying " the cloth of
conversion---the Green Scapular".
She said, 'This holy badge of my Immaculate Heart is to be the means of conversion of
souls...' Over a six year period our Lady appeared many times to Sister Justine and
answered her many questions concerning the scapular and its usage.
Our Lady said the Green Scapular needs no special blessing and it doesn't need enrollment as the brown scapular. It may be blessed by any priest. If the person that we want to benefit from this scapular doesn't agree to carry it, it may be placed somewhere in his room.
Everyday one should say the prayer, 'IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, PRAY FOR US NOW AND AT THE HOUR OF OUR DEATH.' If the person for whom the scapular is intended will not say the prayer then the one who gives the scapular must say it in his or her place, everyday.
Or Lady said,"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."
St. Bridget had that confidence in the Blessed Mother. Because of it Our Lady revealed to her, 'that there is no sinner in the world, however much he or she may be at enmity with God, who does not return to Him and recover His grace, if he or she has recourse to me and asks my assistance.
Our Lady's heavenly garment
Our Lady appeared
to St. Simon Stock and promised, "WHOSOEVER DIES WEARING THIS SCAPULAR SHALL NOT
SUFFER ETERNAL FIRE. IT SHALL BE A SIGN OF PEACE AND A SAFEGUARD IN TIMES OF DANGER."
To wear the brown scapular is to trust in Our Lady who has great power of intercession
before her Son.
About the enrolment
Our Lady gave this promise of salvation to all those in the Family of Carmel. One must be
enrolled to obtain this promise.
A priest is the ordinary who enrols members into the Scapular Confraternity.
Endorsement by the Church
Pope Paul VI said in 1965: " ...Ever hold in great esteem the practices and exercises
of the devotion to the Most Blessed Virgin which have been recommended for centuries by
the magisterium of the Church. And among them we judge well to recall especially the
Marian rosary and the religious use of the Scapular of Mt. Carmel."
Always pray that you remain steadfast in your love for Jesus. Remember, at the crucifixion
all the apostles, except John, abandoned Jesus...John remained at the cross with Mary.
St. Alphonsus: "Just as men take pride in having others wear their livery, so the
Most Holy Mary is pleased when her servants wear her scapular as a mark that they have
dedicated themselves to her service and are members of the Family of the Mother of
God."
The Sabbatine privilege
The blessed Virgin of Mt. Carmel has promised to save
those who wear the scapular from the fires of Hell; She will also shorten their stay in
Purgatory if they should pass from this world still owing some temporal debt of
punishment.
This promise is found in a Bull of Pope John XXII. The Blessed Virgin appeared to him and speaking of those who wear the Brown Scapular said: "I, the Mother of grace, shall descend on the Saturday after their death and whomsoever I shall find in Purgatory, I shall free, so that I may lead them to the holy mountain of life everlasting."
The Blessed Virgin assigned certain conditions which must be fulfilled:
Wear the Brown scapular continuously
Observe chastity according to one's state in life.
(married / single)
Recite daily the "Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary." This devotion may be substituted for any of the following:
To observe the fasts of the Church.
To recite five decades of the Holy Rosary
or with the permission of a priest to do a good work.
Note: There is no substitute for the first two conditions:
that is wearing the scapular and observing chastity. Pope Benedict XV, the celebrated
World War I Pontiff granted 500 days indulgence for devoutly kissing your scapular.
INDULGENCE: The remission in whole or in part for the temporal punishment due to sins.
(Remission of time spent in Purgatory.)
The Work of God - Sacramentals
www.theworkofgod.org