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Show 4- ; ' Some Tacts Jibout tbc Scapular (Catholic Union and Times.) Can you tell me something about the origin of the scapular? The scapular, derived from the Latin word scap-ularc, scap-ularc, shoulder cloth, was originally a light gown thrown over the habit oi the Benedictine monks for the purpose of protecting the habit', during work in the fields. (Rule of St. Benedict,'55). Later it became itself a habit or religious garment, consisting consist-ing in two strips of cloth hanging from the shoulders shoul-ders to the ground in front and rear. .Confraternities .Confraterni-ties founded by religious orders received the scapular scapu-lar as a sign of affiliation and participation in the good works and pious exercises of the respective orders. Thus originated 'the imall K-apulars worn by laymen, viz.: 1. The white scapular, adorned with a cross whoso horizontal beam is, of blue colon while the perpendicular beam is of red color. It belongs to the confraternity of the Most Holy' Trinity and was introduced by the founders of the order of the same name. 2. The brown scapular of the confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or the Carmelite scapular. scap-ular. 3. The black scapular of the confraternity of Our Lady of the Seven Dolors, erected by the founders of the Scrvitc Order. To these three older scapulars two others havo been added in more recent re-cent times. : . 4. The blue scapular of the Immaculate Conception. Con-ception. I 5. The red or Passion scapular, full title: The red scapular of the suffering of the lost Sacred Heart of Jesus, and of the most loving and sympathizing sympa-thizing heart of the Blessed and Immaculate Virgin Mary. It has on one side the images of Christ crucified cru-cified and of the instruments of His passion; on the other the images of tic most holy hearts of Jesus Je-sus and Mary. The blue and The red scapulars arc not connected with confraternities. All these scapulars scapu-lars consist of two square pieces 'of woolen stuff connected with two narrow ribbons., .The scapular which is most .widely, known and used among lhe Catholic people is the brown scapular scapu-lar of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, popularly called the Confraternity of the Scapular. It has a feast of its own." "the Feast of the Scapular." celebrated in the whole Church. LeO XIII granted for this feast a special plenary indulgence in-dulgence to be gained by all who celebrate the feast by receiving the sacramenfs. Probably the origin, certainly the spread of this confraternity, is due to a promise which the blessed Simon Stock, the sixth general of the Carmelite Order, is said to have received from the Blessed Virgin in a vision which took place July 1, 1251. She handed to him the scapular as a sign of her protection and a pledge of salvation for those who would wear tho scapulsr in the hour of their death, provided they would make themselves worthy of her protection through good works during their lifetime. Hence those have no right to expect the promised salvation who rely merely on the wearing of tho scapular, whilst other-, other-, wise Ihey lead a sinful life, as Pope Benedict XIV has wisely remarked. The blessed Simon Stock himself, him-self, whilst announcing the promise to -hi Carmelite Carmel-ite brethren, admonished them to render themselves WOl'lllV flf ihil rrivir Kv n 1! "Wlitf -- x - . j fs " miuiuuo Hit.. ir luiov the many papal letters mentioning the privileges of the Carmelites cannot be taken as positive proof of the heavenly origin 6f these promises, they make it lawful to announce this and other privileges promised by tho Blessed. Virgin, and to encourage the faithful to wear the scapular with confidence in the intercession and the merits bf tho Heavcnly Motber, in order to obtain the promised graces. A French work, now in its fourth edition ("Recueil destruction sur la devotion au St. Scapulaire do X". Dame du Mont Carmel, par le F. Brocard), gives many instances of remarkable deliveries from spiritual spiri-tual and bodily dangers, conversions and even miracles mir-acles wrought in favor of personswho made devout use of the scapular. There is no superstition to be feared for those who. use the scapular in the spirit of its founders, according to the prescription of the Church and for the aims for which it is officially of-ficially blessed bv the Chu-eh, a blessing which imparts im-parts to it the character of a sacramental. What are the conditions to obtain the 'indulgences connected with the scapulars? In view of the good works practiced in the different dif-ferent confraternities mentioned above, and in view of the solidly Catholic and popular devotions connected con-nected with the scapulars, especially the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the sacred hearts' of Jesus and His Blessed Mother, the Church has granted rich indulgences to the' members of the confraternities and to the wearers of the scapular, i. :,.T enumerate them would be' out of place here. An , excellent prayer book called "The Xew Raccolit;." contains all the desired infonnation,. -! call Una book, which should be in the hands of all well-instructed well-instructed Catholics, excellent :-(1) because all the prayers contained in it arc directly authorized by the. Church; (2) because it quotes for every indulgence in-dulgence the official and authentic Roman document. docu-ment. It must be also remembered that on account of the Communion of Saints, membership iii a confraternity con-fraternity makes the members participate in the impetratious and satisfactions of the other members. mem-bers. Besides, according to the bull of Clement f VI T, "Encloinenti of August 12, 1"30," the meru-I meru-I hers of the Carmelite confraternity "have n share in all the prayers, masses and good works of the wholo Carmelite Order. To obtain these graces the following conditions must be fulfilled : 1. One must be invested with the respective scapular or received into the confraternity by a priest who has the requisite power. 2. To have a scapular of the prescribed; color and form and authority to wear if. During the, time the. scapular is not worn, the indulgences, etc., cannot be .gained. If tho first blessed scapular is torn or lost, it can be supplemented by a new one without any further blessing or new enrollment, enroll-ment, unless the scapular has been laid aside in contempt. con-tempt. Several scapulars of different colors can be suspended from one string, but they must remain distinguishable. 3. Where the scapular is connected with a confraternity, con-fraternity, the name of the member must be recorded re-corded in the member list by the priest who has the respective powers. Who lias tho right to invest with the scapular or to receive members into the respective confraternities? confraterni-ties? 1. The, Trinitarians have the right to invest with the white scapular. 2. The Carmelites, with the brown scapular. 3. The Servites with the black scapular. A. The Theatines, with the blue scapular. j. The Lazarists, with the red scapular. Tho general superiors of tho respective orders or "'Hgregations can grant the right to any other religious of secular priests. |