In the year 1251 Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock, an Englishman and Prior of Carmelite Order. She handed him a brown woolen scapular and said, “This shall be a privilege for you and all Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall not suffer eternal fire.” In time, the Church extended this magnificent privilege to all the laity who are willing to be invested in the Brown Scapular of the Carmelites and who perpetually wear it.
The Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel has promised to save those who wear the scapular from the fires of hell and to shorten their stay in purgatory if they should pass from this world still owing some debt of punishment.This promise is found in a Bull of Pope John XXII. The Blessed Virgin appeared to him and, speaking of those who wear the Brown Scapular, said, “I, the Mother of Grace, shall descend on the Saturday after their death and whomsoever I shall find in purgatory I shall free so that I may lead them to the holy mountain of life everlasting.”
Unlike typical sacramentals, scapulars are not merely blessed, but need to be invested/imposed by a priest to enroll the faithful.Any Catholic priest may invest a baptized Catholic with the Brown Scapular. Lay people are unable to bless a Scapular
On Sunday, July 18th 2021 after the 12:30pm Sung Mass at St Winefride’s there will be an enrolment for those wishing to avail of this powerful sacramental. Scapulars will be available on the date.