By Plinio Maria Solimeo
One day, a long time ago, walking the
streets of Rome, three outstanding men of God bumped into one another.
Friar Dominic of Guzman was recruiting members for the Order of
Preachers, later known as the “Dominicans,” which he had founded.
Brother Francis of Assisi, the Poverello, had 
just
brought together some men to serve what he called Lady Poverty. The
third, Friar Angel, had come from Mount Carmel in Palestine, and was
called to Rome because he was a great preacher.
Illuminated by the Holy Ghost, the three recognized one another, and
during the conversation made many prophecies. Saint Angel, for example,
predicted God would give Saint Francis the stigmata. And Saint Dominic
prophesied, “One day, Brother Angel, the Blessed Mother will give your
Carmelite Order a devotion that will be known as the Brown Scapular, and
to my Order of Preachers a devotion that will be called the Rosary. And
one day she will save the world through the Rosary and the Scapular.”just
brought together some men to serve what he called Lady Poverty. The
third, Friar Angel, had come from Mount Carmel in Palestine, and was
called to Rome because he was a great preacher.On the spot where that meeting took place, a chapel was built which exists in Rome to this day.1
Mother and Splendor of Carmel
It
was on the celebrated Mount Carmel, on the coast of Palestine, that
Saint Elias, the “Prophet of Fire,” saw the little cloud that, in a
period of great drought, was a forerunning sign that a redeeming rain
would fall upon the parched earth.Through a supernatural intuition he figured that the simple cloud, in the form of a human footprint, symbolized that blessed woman, later mentioned by Prophet Isaiah in chapter 7, verse 14 (“Behold a virgin will conceive, and bear a child . . . .”), who would be the Mother of the Redeemer.
From her virginal bosom would come He who, washing with His blood the earth dried out by sin, would open the life of grace for mankind.
According to tradition, the Order of Carmel, of which Mary is the Mother and splendor, was born from the followers of Elias and his successors.
And, in Isaias’ words, “[T]he glory of Libanus is given to it: the beauty of Carmel, and Saron” (Is. 35:2).
From Palestine, the hermits of Mount Carmel moved to Europe, laying down roots in several countries, including England, where Saint Simon Stock lived.
Saint Simon Stock: Noble and Holy
Saint Simon was born in 1165 in the castle of Harford, in Kent, England, thanks to the prayers of pious parents who were both very virtuous and from the highest nobility. Some authors believe they were related to the royal family.
His mother consecrated him to the Blessed Mother before he was born. Before breastfeeding him, in gratitude for her happy delivery and asking special protection for her son, the young mother would offer him to the Virgin Mary and say three Hail Marys on her knees. What a beautiful attitude by such a noble lady!
The boy learned to read at a very tender age. Like his parents, he began to pray the Little Office of Our Lady, and soon also the Psalter. At the age of seven, the young genius started to study fine arts at Oxford College and was so successful that his professors were surprised. At that time he also received his First Communion and consecrated his virginity to the Blessed Mother.
Persecuted by his envious older brother, and heeding an interior voice that gave Saint Simon a desire to leave the world, at the age of twelve he left home and found refuge in a forest where he lived entirely alone for twenty years in prayer and penance.
The Carmelite Order
Our
Lady then manifested to Saint Simon her wish that he join some monks
who were to come to England from Mount Carmel in Palestine, “especially
because those religious had been consecrated to the Mother of God in a
special way.” Simon thus left his solitude and, obeying another order
from Heaven, studied theology and received Holy Orders.He devoted himself to preaching until 1213, when two Carmelite friars finally arrived. He was then able to receive the habit of the Order in Aylesford.
In 1215, as the fame of Saint Simon’s virtues reached the ears of Saint Brocardo, Latin General of the Carmelite Order, he wished to make Simon lieutenant general of the Order. In 1226, Saint Brocardo appointed Saint Simon vicar-general of all Carmelite provinces in Europe.
Saint Simon had to face a real storm unleashed against the Carmelites in Europe, which the devil raised with men supposedly zealous for Church laws. On various pretexts, those men wanted at all cost to suppress the entire Order. But the pope issued a bull declaring the existence of the Carmelite Order to be legitimate and in accordance with the Lateran decrees, and allowed it to continue to establish new houses in Europe.
In 1237, Saint Simon participated in the General Chapter of the Order in the Holy Land. In 1245, in a new chapter, he was elected the sixth prior-general of the Carmelites.
The Great Promise: You Will Not Go Into the Fire of Hell
If the papal bull had momentarily placated the wrath of the enemies of Carmel, it did not stop it completely. After a period of calm, the persecution started again with more intensity.
Devoid of human aid, Saint Simon resorted to the Blessed Mother with all the sadness of his heart, asking her to help his beleaguered Order and to send a sign of her alliance with it.
In the morning of July 16, 1251, he was begging in earnest the Mother of Carmel for her protection, reciting a beautiful prayer he had composed, Flos Carmeli.2 As he reported to his secretary and confessor, Father Peter Swayngton, suddenly,
the Virgin appeared
to me with a great retinue, and, having the habit of the Order in her
hand, told me, “Receive, My beloved son, this habit of thy order: this
shall be to thee and to all Carmelites a privilege, that whosoever dies
clothed in this shall never suffer eternal fire . . . . It shall be a
sign of salvation, a protection in danger, and a pledge of peace.
Whoever dies clothed in this Scapular will not suffer eternal fire.”3
That most special grace was immediately distributed in places where
the Carmelites were established and confirmed by many miracles to such
an extent that the enemies of the Brothers of the Most Holy Virgin of
Mount Carmel were silenced.Saint Simon attained old age and extremely high holiness, working many miracles, and also receiving the gift of tongues. He surrendered his soul to God on May 16, 1265.
The Sabbatine Privilege: Free of Purgatory on the First Saturday After Death
In addition to this special grace of eternal salvation, connected with the Scapular, Our Lady gave another, which became known as the Sabbatine Privilege. The following century, on March 3, 1322, she appeared to Pope John XXII, communicating to those who wear her scapular, “As a tender mother, I will descend into Purgatory on the Saturday after their death and will deliver them and bring them to the holy mountain, into the happy sojourn of life everlasting.”4
What are, then, the specific promises of Our Lady?
1. Whoever dies clothed with the Scapular, will not suffer the fire of Hell.
What did Our Lady mean with these words? First, on making this promise, Mary does not mean that a person who dies in mortal sin will be saved. Death in mortal sin and condemnation are the same thing. Mary’s promise undoubtedly translates into these words, “Whoever dies clothed in this Scapular, will not die in mortal sin.” To make that clear, the Church often adds the word “piously” to the pledge, “He who dies piously will not suffer the fire of Hell.”5
2. Our Lady will free from Purgatory the person wearing her Scapular on the first Saturday after his or her death.
Although this privilege is often interpreted literally, that is, the person will be freed from Purgatory on the first Saturday after his or her death, “everything that the Church has officially stated on several occasions to explain these words, is that those who fulfill the conditions of the Sabbatine Privilege, through the intercession of Our Lady, will be freed from Purgatory shortly after death, and especially on Saturday.”6
In
any case, if we are faithful in observing the words of the Blessed
Mother, she will be much more faithful in observing her own, as shown in
the following example:
During the preaching of some missions, a
young man who was touched by grace decided to quit his life of sin and
receive the Scapular. Some time later he lapsed again into disorderly
passions and became even worse. Nevertheless, he kept wearing the holy
Scapular.
Being the mother that she is, the Most
Holy Virgin struck him down with a serious illness. During his illness
the young man dreamed that he found himself before the most just
tribunal of God, Who condemned him to eternal damnation for his perfidy
and his wretched life.
In vain did the hapless young man argue with the Supreme Judge that he was wearing the Scapular of His Holy Mother.
“And where are the customs that match this Scapular?” God asked him.
Not knowing what to answer, the unfortunate young man turned to Our Lady.
“I cannot undo what my Son has done,” she answered.
“But, Madam!” The young man exclaimed, “I will change!”
“Do you promise?”
“Yes.”
“Live then.”
At that point the patient awakened
frightened to death by what he had seen and heard, and resolved
thenceforth to wear Mary’s Scapular with greater seriousness. Indeed, he
was healed and joined the Order of Premonstratensians. And after an
edifying life, he surrendered his soul to God, as the chronicles of the
Order narrate.7
Is the Scapular related to Fatima in any way?
Yes. After the last appearance of Our Lady at Cova da Iria, the seers saw three different scenes. In the first, the Mother of God appeared as Our Lady of the Rosary, standing by Saint Joseph and holding the Child Jesus on her lap. Then, she appeared as Our Lady of Sorrows, by the painful Christ on His way to Calvary. And finally, she appeared in glory, crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth, as Our Lady of Carmel, with the Scapular in her hand.
“Why do you think Our Lady appeared with the Scapular in that last vision?” Lucia was asked in 1950.
“That’s because Our Lady wants everyone to wear the Scapular,” she replied.
“And this is why the Rosary and the Scapular, the oldest, most privileged, universal and valuable Marian sacramentals are more important today than in any past period in history.”8
Origin and Historical Evolution of the Scapular
Both
the Scapular (from the Latin scapulae, shoulders), and the monastic
habit and liturgical vestments developed from lay clothing.Over time, the monastic Scapular evolved until the twelfth century when it attained its present form, becoming an integral part of almost all monastic habits, including the Carmelite one. But it did not have the meaning that it later acquired, as we shall see.
With the development of the First Orders (monks or friars), there arose the Second Orders (nuns), and then the Third Orders or Oblates, formed by single or married lay people living with their families.
Members of the Third Orders were bound to the First Orders by vows or promises according to their state, and participated in the spiritual benefits of the Order.
These Third Order members received a simpler religious habit, which they wore every day or, more commonly, only on Sundays and religious feast days.
Later came the Confraternities for lay people unable to join the Third Orders.
According to Father María Simón Besalduch, the Confraternity of Our Lady of Carmel is as old as the Scapular.
The Scapular Protects a Young Lady from the Devil
A young lady went to confession to the Cure of Ars, Saint John Vianney.
Before she began her confession, Saint John Vianney said to her, “Remember a few days ago in the ballroom a good-looking young man who danced with all the girls but you? And you felt ashamed? And remember you saw sparks coming off his feet when he left? Know that it was the devil in human form, and the only reason he didn’t dance with you is because you were wearing the Scapular. Thank the Blessed Mother for that.”
Notes:
1. Cf. John Haffert, Maria na sua promessa do Escapulário (Edições Carmelo, Aveiro, Portugal, 1967), 265–266. [back to text]
2. In Latin, that beautiful prayer says, “Flos Carmeli, Vitis florigera, Splendor Coeli, Virgo puerpera, Singularis; Mater mitis, sede viri nescia. Carmelitis da privilegia, Stella maris!” (Flower of Carmel, blossoming vine, Splendor of Heaven, incomparable and singular Virgin! O loving and ever virgin Mother, give Carmelites the privileges of thy protection, of Star of the Sea!). [back to text]3. Monsignor Paul Guérin, Les Petits Bollandistes (Bloud et Barral, Paris, 1882), 592. [back to text]4. Father Simón Ma. Besalduch, OCD, Enciclopedia del Escapulario del Carmen (Luis Gili Editor, Librería Católica Internacional, Barcelona, 1931), 243-293. [back to text]5. John Haffert, supra note 1, at 34. [back to text]
6. Id. at 112. [back to text]
7. Father Simón Ma. Besalduch, OCD, supra note 4, at 167. [back to text]
8. John Haffert, supra note 1, at 269, 272. [back to text]
The
title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel can be traced back to the hermits
living on Mount Carmel in Israel during the Old Testament. This ancient
community prayed for the advent of the Virgin-Mother through whom
salvation was promised to mankind. In Hebrew, “Carmel” means “garden”.
In ancient times this mountain was celebrated for its lush, verdant, and
flowery beauty.
Legend
has it that when seriously ill as a child, his mother took him to St.
Francis of Assisi. As the saint prayed over him, he was shown the
infant's future spiritual greatness and exclaimed, “O, buona ventura!” O
good fortune!”
At
thirty-five Bonaventure was chosen General of the Franciscans, and
restored peace in the place of disturbances generated by internal
dissensions. While some friars were for an inflexible severity, others
were for a more relaxed rule. The saint steered the wise road of
balance, reforming and restoring the spirit of his order and writing a
life of St. Francis. It is said that St. Thomas Aquinas once entered
Bonaventure’s cell while he was writing this biography and found him in
ecstasy, “Let’s leave a saint to write about a saint,” said the Angelic
Doctor.
Tekakwitha,
baptized Kateri, “The Lily of the Mohawks” was born in 1656 near the
town of Auriesville, New York, the daughter of a Mohawk warrior, and a
captured, Christian Algonquin woman, Tagaskouita.
Lucia
writes, “Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be
under the earth. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human
form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished
bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by
the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds
of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in a huge fire,
without weight or equilibrium, and amid shrieks and groans of pain and
despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons
could be distinguished by their terrifying and repulsive likeness to
frightful and unknown animals, all black and transparent. This vision
lasted but an instant. How can we ever be grateful enough to our kind
heavenly Mother, who had already prepared us by promising, in the first
Apparition, to take us to heaven. Otherwise, I think we would have died
of fear and terror.”
Clelia
Mary Rachel was born in the small northern town of Budrie in Italy on
February 13, 1847. Her parents, Joseph Barbieri and Hyacinthia Nanetti,
were a pious couple who lived a very modest life. Joseph Barbieri died
in 1855, when Clelia was only nine years old; and soon after, the
intelligent young girl had to find work to help support her family.
Going
on his way, John entered the monastery of St. Miniato where he knelt
before a crucifix. As he prayed, the crucifix miraculously bowed his
head in thanks for John’s act of generosity. Struck to the heart,
Gualbert sought the abbot, asked to be given the religious habit, and
was ultimately accepted.
O
Beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, splendor of heaven,
holy and singular, who brought forth the Son of God, still ever
remaining a pure virgin, assist us in our necessity! O Star of the Sea,
help and protect us! 
Sent
to Rome for his education, Benedict abhorred the licentiousness of his
companions in the city and secretly left Rome. He found his way to the
village of Enfide, where, far from the din, he realized that he was
called to a life of solitude.
There
he was joined by many who began a community in nearby caves. Given land
by Prince Syaslav, the monks built a wooden monastery and church
dedicated to the Dormition of Mary. Handing over the direction of the
community to one Barlaam, Antony went on to found another monastery in
Chernigov.
Augustine
Zhao Rong, is one of a group of 120 Catholics, among many more who were
martyred between the years 1648 and 1930 in China.
Withburga
was the youngest of the four daughters of King Onna of East Anglia, a
devout Christian ruler. All of his daughters and one son are canonized.
Though
not much is known about St. Palladius, we first hear his name mentioned
by St. Prosper of Aquitaine in his Chronicles as a deacon who insisted
with Rome for help against the Pelagian heresy then rampant in Britain.
In
1950 in Saint Peter’s Square in Rome, a crowd of 250,000 people
gathered for the canonization of a twelve-year-old girl, Maria Goretti,
who died resisting an attempted rape.
Elizabeth
of Portugal known as “The Holy Queen” was born Isabel of Aragon in
Zaragoza, Spain, the daughter of King Pedro III of Aragon and Queen
Constanza of Naples. She was named after her great aunt, St. Elizabeth
of Hungary.
In the end, Dinis died a most repentant man. In one of his poems he left his ultimate tribute to his ultimate queen:
Thomas,
one of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s twelve apostles, was probably a Galilean
Jew, and apparently not a fisherman. The Scriptures are silent as to
how or when the Lord attached him to His first apostolic college.
In
the conflicts over investitures between Henry IV and Pope St. Gregory
VII, which ended in excommunication for the Emperor, the noble cleric
was caught between two masters. However, Otto navigated the prickly
situation admirably upholding the sovereign in all he could, but
refusing to approve his schism and his other crimes, laboring to bring
him to repentance and submission.
He
received a doctorate in theology from Lullian University in Palma de
Mallorca, where he also occupied the Dons Scotus chair of philosophy. He
was also known as a great preacher.
Fr.
Junipero founded his first mission, that of San Diego, in 1769, which
almost had to be quit due to a shortage of food. Vowing to stay with the
local people, he began a novena to Saint Joseph. On March 19, the
scheduled day for departure, the relief ship arrived.
Friar
Junipero’s life was one long battle with the elements, the terrain, the
cold and hunger, with unsympathetic commanders, and even danger of
death from non-Christian natives. But he fed his unquenchable zeal with a
life of prayer, often in the hours from midnight to dawn. He brought
the Native Americans the gift of the Catholic Faith, the gift of a
better quality of life and won their love in the process.