Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
First, I invite you to join with Catholics throughout our Archdiocese in praying the novena for purity that can be found as an insert in the bulletin this weekend. There is a great need to rediscover the holy virtue of purity in our lives, and to let it be expressed by our actions through what we say and do (and what we do not say and do!).
July 16 is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel! Each year, this feast day provides us with a great opportunity to thank our good Lord for the many Graces of the Brown Scapular and the abundant love of Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel has for each and every one of us!
First, about the Brown Scapular: to fully partake of the Graces of this unique sacramental, one needs to be enrolled in the Brown Scapular. Thereafter, one only needs to wear the Brown Scapular with loving devotion to our Blessed Mother in order to receive the special love and protection she has promised to those who wear her Brown Scapular. Thus, if you were enrolled many years ago, per-haps just after receiving 1st Holy Communion, and now do not wear a Brown Scapular, all you need to do is to start again wearing the Scapular. If you have never been enrolled, you can ask me or any priest to provide the brief ceremony enrollment for you.
Devotion to the Brown Scapular and the Holy Rosary aids the soul to be open to great Graces to be in union with God! I assure you, the devil hates the Brown Scapular. I encourage anyone who has been enrolled to firmly remain committed to wearing this Sacra-mental all the time. Of course, there are times when one may re-move it for a briefly for some good reason, but with the intention of putting it back on immediately. The Scapular should be worn day and night, including during exercise! You might want a couple extra Scapulars around so that if the one you are using breaks, you have another ready to wear. When a Brown Scapular wears out and can longer be used, it must either be burned (respectfully, ie, not with garbage) or buried (in your back yard or near the foundation of your home is fine). Then you can simply put on a new Scapular and keep on enjoying the love and protection of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! Remember, wearing Brown Scapular is a concrete sign of Mary’s love for you and your love for her. Whenever you remove the Brown Scapular for any reason, I recommend that you give it a gentle kiss or offer a word of love and gratitude to our Blessed Mother. When you think of the Graces that Jesus gives us through the intercession of Mary and how simple it is be under Mary’s protection through this little garment of Grace, little gestures such as these say a great deal about the disposition of our hearts toward Jesus and Mary. I also recommend the same devotion when you put the Brown Scapular back on. It is appropriate to wear the Brown Scapular under one’s clothing. However, it can also be worn as an outer garment.
As a member of the Third Order (Secular) Discalced Carmelites, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a special day for me, and for
some of our parishioners who are in formation in the Pure Heart of St. Joseph Carmel Group in Discernment that meets at St. Michael. I have a particular devotion to the Virgin Mary under this title and a love for Brown Scapular. I still remember the place and the priest who enrolled me in the Brown Scapular. If you have not been en-rolled, I encourage you to do so. This practical devotion will greatly help your soul and benefit other members of your family. It will also help many other people, as your heart will be more open to special Graces from our Lord through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I leave you today with a little more about the Brown Scapular taken from www.ewtn.com: “A Scapular is a garment worn by religious over the shoulders (scapula), and hanging down in front and back, usually to about the bottom of the habit. It developed as a practical garment, protecting the habit during work, and was in time invested with spiritual significance, consecration or dedication to God. By analogy to the Scapulars of religious, there are small Scapulars that are derived from them which represent a particular devotion or spirituality, usually associated with a particular community. Such a Scapular is two pieces of cloth (generally about an inch square), connected by cords and worn over the head. It often has a picture or a particular color, depending on the spirituality it stands for.
The best known and most highly esteemed Scapular, and the one most favored by the Church, and by the Blessed Virgin in many of Her apparitions, is the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. It is adapted from the Scapular of the Carmelite Order and represents a special Consecration to Our Lady under the title of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Those who wear it practice special devotion(s) to Mary. In the past this (additional devotion) was the Little Office of Our Lady, but today this can be commuted by any priest to the Rosary. In addition, the person has a special entrustment of themselves to Mary for their salvation. This, in fact, has been promised to those who faithfully wear the Scapular: "Those who die wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire." This must not be understood superstitiously or magically, but in light of Catholic teaching that perseverance in Faith, Hope and Love are required for salvation. The Scapular is a powerful reminder of this Christian obligation and of Mary's promise to help those consecrated to Her obtain the Grace of final perseverance.” (some excerpts from www.ewtn.com)
Through the intercession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St. Joseph, and our patrons St. Paul and St. Michael, may God bless you, your families and our parishes!
In Christ through Mary,
Fr. Kasel