How did we get the Brown Scapular?
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In 1251 the Blessed Virgin Mary handed Saint Simon Stock the brown woolen scapular and she spoke these words to him:
This shall be a privilege for you and all Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall not suffer eternal fire … It shall be a sign of
salvation, a protection in danger, and a pledge of peace.
In time, the Church extended this privilege to all the laity who are willing to be invested in the Brown Scapular of the Carmelites, and who perpetually wear it.
The Brown Scapular is our armor, our shield of protection against the evil we are about to face – and the Rosary is our weapon. Through these two gifts from Mary, we will defeat Satan.
The Scapular even extends to Purgatory. In 1322, Our Lady appeared to Pope John XXII and said: You will be the next Vicar of Christ, and when you become the Pope, it is my wish that you make the Sabbatine Privilege known. Through this privilege we can be released from Purgatory on the First Saturday after death.
It has been told that a soul from Purgatory was asked by a Sister: What is the average stay of the majority of the souls in Purgatory? The Poor Soul answered: From 30 to 40 years! Can you see the importance of making Our Lady’s Privilege known – especially if you consider that these flames are the same as the fires of Hell!
You will understand why the devil works against those who promote the Scapular when you hear the story of Venerable Francis Ypes. One day his Scapular fell off. As he replaced it, the devil howled, Take off the habit which snatches so many souls from us! Then and there Francis made the devil admit that there are three things which the demons are most afraid of:
the Holy Name of Jesus,
the Holy Name of Mary,
and the Holy Scapular of Carmel.