There are hundreds of Catholic devotions. You can’t practice them all — and you shouldn’t try!
So, which devotions should you choose? The saints are a reliable guide. Let’s look at five holy men and women who loved and recommended the Brown Scapular.
1. St. Simon Stock
St. Simon Stock was a Carmelite priest who later became the Prior General of the order. In 1251, the Blessed Mother appeared to him and gave him the Brown Scapular, promising that all who devoutly wore it would enjoy her special protection.
Since then, the scapular has been integral to the Carmelite order, and anyone officially enrolled in the Brown Scapular becomes part of the Carmelite spiritual family.
2. Pope St. John Paul II
The pontiff was famous for his love of the Rosary. He was also a devotee of the Brown Scapular and wore it most of his life.
In his Message to the Carmelite Family, Pope St. John Paul II beautifully captured the essence of the Brown Scapular devotion:
“Two truths are evoked by the sign of the Scapular: on the one hand, the constant protection of the Blessed Virgin, not only on life's journey, but also at the moment of passing into the fullness of eternal glory; on the other, the awareness that devotion to her cannot be limited to prayers and tributes in her honour on certain occasions, but must become a ‘habit’, that is, a permanent orientation of one's own Christian conduct, woven of prayer and interior life, through frequent reception of the sacraments and the concrete practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.”
A powerful reminder not to treat the scapular as a good luck charm!
3. St. Thérèse of Lisieux
As a daughter of Carmel, St. Thérèse wore the Brown Scapular and loved Our Lady. Believing fully in the promises attached to the scapular, the Little Flower challenged descriptions of Mary that presented her as distant and inaccessible: “She is described as unapproachable, whereas she should be pointed to as a model. She is more of a Mother than a Queen.”
If you decide to take up the scapular, remember that you are praying to your Mother, who loves you more than you love yourself.
4. St. John Bosco
You may know that the bodies of some saints are incorrupt, meaning they remain intact despite the saints having died centuries ago. What may come as a surprise is that some Brown Scapulars are also incorrupt, preserved through God’s miraculous grace.
St. John Bosco — the beloved Italian priest who brought the youth to Christ — died in 1888. His body was exhumed in 1929. Beneath his decayed clothes, his Brown Scapular was found intact — a testament to his love for Mary and the power of her maternal care.
5. Bl. Isidore Bakanja
This little-known layman was born into the Boangi tribe in the former Belgian Congo. He worked at a colonist-run rubber plantation, where he evangelized other workers.
One day, a boss ordered him to remove his Brown Scapular. When Bl. Isidore refused, his boss tore off the scapular and had him flogged almost to death. Bl. Isidore later died from his wounds, still wearing his Brown Scapular.
His final words included a promise to pray for his persecutors.
May these saints inspire you to trust in the promises of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and take up the Brown Scapular devotion.
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