On July 16, 1251, St. Simon Stock pleaded Our Lady for help in solving a problem of the Carmelite Order, of which he was Prior General. While he was praying, Our Lady appeared, holding the Scapular in her hands and said these comforting words: "My dearest son, receive the Scapular of your Order, a special sign of my fraternal friendship, a privilege for you and all Carmelites. Those who die with this Scapular will not suffer the fire of Hell. It is a sign of salvation, protection in danger, and an alliance of peace forever.
The Church took up the Scapular and made it one of the most widespread devotions among God's people.
It is true that Our Lady did not put any condition on making her promise. She simply affirms: "Whoever dies with the Scapular will not suffer the fire of hell". However, to benefit from this privilege, it is necessary to use the Scapular with the right intention. In this case, if at the hour of death the person is in a state of sin, Our Lady will provide, in some way, for him to repent and receive the sacraments. This is where the mercy of the Mother of God is truly unfathomable!
Some examples eloquently attest to this truth
Traveling by car in the company of a bishop, the author of this article saw a woman enter the road distractedly and be run over by a huge truck whose driver did not have time to stop. The bishop had the car stopped, got out quickly, gave sacramental absolution and administered the anointing of the sick to the dying woman. Then he commented with emotion: "She was wearing the Scapular of Mount Carmel. It was really Our Lady who provided that a bishop was passing by, right at this moment!"
A different case - narrated by Bishop Marcos Barbosa in the play "The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel" - occurred in England. At the hour of death, a gentleman known for his great impiety, instead of asking God for forgiveness of his sins, blasphemed saying: "I want hell and the devil! Those present, horrified, called St. Simon Stock, who took the Scapular and spread it over the blasphemer. He immediately repented and asked for the sacraments. According to an ancient and pious tradition, the Blessed Virgin, appearing to Pope John XXII, promised to free from Purgatory, on the first Saturday after death, all those who would devoutly wear the Scapular. This is the so-called "Sabbath privilege". To benefit from it, it is necessary to maintain chastity according to one's state, to recite the Little Office of the Immaculate Conception or to pray a rosary every day.
Moreover, every time a devotee kisses the Scapular with piety, making a request to the Blessed Virgin, he receives a partial indulgence, that is, the remission of a part of the penalties he had to serve in Purgatory.
Whoever wears the Scapular can also benefit from a plenary indulgence (remission of all penalties in Purgatory) on the day he receives it, on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16; of St. Elijah, July 20; of St. Therese, October 1; of the Carmelite Saints, November 14; of St. John of the Cross, December 14; of St. Simon Stock, May 16.
Protection in the Dangers of Daily Life
Our Lady, the best of all mothers, wants for her devout children not only spiritual but also temporal benefits. Thus, whoever wears her Scapular receives from her a special protection in the dangers of daily life.
There are innumerable examples of this devotion of the Virgin Mary to her children. Bishop Marcos Barbosa, in the above-mentioned work, narrates two quite interesting ones.
In Santo André (Brazil), a five year old girl fell into a 20 meter deep well. An hour later, she was found floating on the water, with the Scapular around her neck. The family naturally attributed the event to the protection of the Mother of Carmel.
In São Paulo, a 15 year-old young man, while riding his bicycle along a railway track, was hit by the train. The whole train passed by and he stood up unharmed, kissing his Scapular, and exclaiming: "I only had time to shout: 'Our Lady of Mount Carmel!' It was She who saved me!"
Sign of alliance with Our Lady
The Scapular is a sign of Our Lady's covenant and expresses our consecration to her. Its use is a powerful means of invigorating those who live in a state of grace and of converting sinners.
God does not leave without reward any benefit done to a needy person, even a simple piece of bread given to a destitute person. Imagine, then, how He will reward anyone who helps in the salvation of a soul!
Be you, therefore, also a zealous propagator of the holy Scapular! Our Lady will reward you with all kinds of graces and favors already on earth; and even more in Heaven.
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How to receive and use the Scapular
1 - Any priest has the power to bless and impose the Scapular.
2 - This blessing and imposition are valid for life, therefore, it is enough to receive it once.
3 - When the Scapular is worn out, it is enough to replace it with a new one.
4 - Even if someone is unhappy enough to stop using it for a while, he can simply resume using it, no other blessing is necessary.
5 - Once received, it should always be worn, preferably on the neck, on all occasions, even while the person is sleeping.
6 - In cases of extreme need, such as the sick in hospitals, if the Scapular is taken away, the faithful do not lose the benefits of the promise to Our Lady.
7 - In cases of danger of death, even a lay person can impose the Scapular. It is enough to recite a prayer to Our Lady and to place on the person a scapular already blessed by some priest.
8 - Pope St. Pius X authorized the substitution of the Scapular with a medallion bearing on one side the Sacred Heart of Jesus and on the other an image of Our Lady. But the reception must be done with the cloth scapular.
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