Come Sunday, many
churches in Goa will be celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and
will be distributing the most important element presented by Our Lady of Mount
Carmel, the Brown Scapular. Many Christians in Goa have the habit of reciting
the Rosary while travelling and wearing the Brown Scapular for protection. In
case they meet with a severe accident, they feel blessed to be saved by Mother
Mary. Many parents also put the Brown scapular for young children, often
blessing the scapulars at the christening. The Brown Scapular or ‘Betin’ is
still sold at stalls for church feasts and at the Carmelite Monasteries across
Goa and worn with the same devotion.
The word ‘scapular’ comes from the Latin
‘scapulae’, which means ‘shoulders’ and was originally an overlapping article
of clothing worn over the shoulders by monks at work. It is believed that in
the year 1251, in the town of Aylesford in England, Our Lady appeared to St
Simon Stock, a Carmelite. She handed him a brown woollen 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 was willing to be invested in the
Brown Scapular of the Carmelites and perpetually wear it. True devotion to the
Blessed Virgin Mary consists of three things: veneration, confidence and love.
By simply wearing the Scapular, it is a promise that every moment of the day
one will venerate her, love her and trust in her protection.
Earlier, there used to be a formal installation ceremony to
enrol children into wearing the brown scapular which is now blessed and given
at the time of Baptism. The installation ceremony included children wearing the
scapular and then blessed with Holy Water as the priest recited the prayers.
The Mount Carmel brown scapular is the oldest among eight scapulars that have a
Marian character and were approved by the Church.
The scapular must be 100 percent wool and should not be pinned
or affixed to clothing. It is worn over the head, under one’s clothes, with one
square of wool hanging on the chest and the other on the back. As Jesus Christ
taught to say the Our Father, Blessed Mother taught the value of the scapular.
When used as a prayer, Our Lady draws one to the Sacred Heart of Her Divine
Son.
Fr Anthony D’Souza who is currently at the Carmelite Monastery,
Margao elaborates on the foundation of the Carmelite Monastery in Goa. “The
presence of Carmelites in Old Goa was recorded in 1619 with the foundation of
the Carmelite establishment. The new monastery was built in 1939 and the
present monastery building in Margao was built in 1943. The devotion to Our
Lady of Mount Carmel started in the 12th and 13th century,” says Fr Anthony,
originally from Bicholim.
He further adds, “Those who are attracted to Our Lady of Mount
Carmel are devoted to the brown scapular. The Scapular is not a magical thing,
yet it is an instrument expressing an interior life of faith. It is recognized
by the Church as a sacramental. There are three types of scapulars available at
the Monastery. The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is made of pure
wool, a special plastic cover scapular with nylon cords is prepared by the
Carmelites in the Philippines and the third is a larger scapular with St
Benedict’s medal. The pure wool scapulars are prepared in Londa and should be
discarded when it is worn out while the nylon scapulars can be worn for 1-2
years. Since the scapulars are sacramental, they should be either burnt or
buried in the corner of the garden, a place where no one will step in it. It
will disintegrate in the soil. The same should be done with Holy pictures.”
Parish priest, Fr Alvito Cardozo will celebrate the Feast in St
Francis Xavier Church, Pirna, with the Eucharistic Celebration at 7.15 am
followed by the distribution of the Brown scapulars. “I once came across a person
in Margao who shared his experience of wearing the Brown Scapular. He and his
family were facing a lot of difficulties and someone advised him to wear the
scapular. However, he wore the scapular without blessing it. Once again, he was
informed to bless it and then wear it. After blessing the scapular, he was
immediately healed from a skin rash and itching that was hurting him for a long
time. He also overcame his other difficulties and since then, he has been
distributing the Brown scapular wherever he travels and also shares his
stories. It should be worn with great devotion to Mother Mary as it is her
promise to enter Heaven,” says Fr Alvito.
The feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel will be held at the
Carmelite Monastery, Margao today at 6 pm with the main celebrant, Fr Alexio
Menezes. Parish Priest of St John the Baptist church, Benaulim. Fr Edson
Fernandes, Fr Agnelo Pinheiro. Fr Ashley Alphonso, Fr Tony Fernandes. Fr
Kenneth Teles, Fr Macson Fernandes, Fr Vital Miranda, Fr Aldrin D’Costa and Fr
Albano Fernandes preached the Homily during the Novena.
The scapular is an exterior sign of an interior fidelity to
Christ and trust in His mother’s love and intercession for her children. The
scapular is more than just a sign; it is a Sacramental which fosters a special
relationship with Mary. The scapular was called the ‘Sacrament of the Virgin
Mary’.
Fr Macson Dabre, was earlier with the Carmelite Monastery in
Margao and is now at the Carmelite Monastery, Vasai. In Goa, the Carmelites
have three foundations in Margao, Peddem, Mapusa and Xellim, Canacona and the
Ammos Counselling centre in Mapusa while in Mumbai, the Monasteries are based
in Vasai, Mira Road and Pune.
“According to my personal experience, for anointing of the sick,
I always carried a Brown Scapular in my kit. Whenever I would see someone
struggling between life and death, I would place the blessed scapular either in
their neck or under their pillow. Within a few days, I would be informed that
that person had a peaceful death. It would be like Mother Mary would be by
their side. It is not a magical thing but should be worn understanding and
imbibing the virtues of Mother Mary. Like how a doctor can be recognised with
his/her white coat and stethoscope, similarly, the scapular should show the consecration
to Mother Mary,” says Fr Macson.
He adds, “The scapular should be worn like a dress of Mother
Mary. Mother Mary lived a life of virtues and she was an ordinary woman who was
blessed to be the mother of Jesus Christ. Similarly, when we wear the Scapular,
we should imitate Mother Mary in order to please God and do his will.”
The
Brown Scapular is recognized by the Church as a sacramental which is a sign
that helps us to live a holy life and to increase our devotion.
