The Kildare and Leighlin Year Book for 1956 contained a colour supplement entitled The Blessed Scapulars of the Church. The following series will contain the accounts of those scapulars from that colour supplement (except where otherwise stated). It begins with an introduction that is of its time but unfortunately may not be of ours:
A Brief History of the More Widely Known Scapulars
Ireland amongst the foremost Catholic nations of the world places implicit faith in the efficacy of the Scapular, and in no other country is there to be found an greater variety of this religious emblem, worn constantly by devout Catholics of all ranks and grades of society. There is a most interesting history attaching to each of these Scapulars.
The supplement ends with the following, incidentally, the only part of a Kildare and Leighlin Year Book that appears to carry an 'Imprimatur' or anything of the like:
Rules for the wearing of scapulars
The regulartions concerning the scapulars in general are as follows:-
1. The scapular may be given to any Catholic - even to an infant; and after he has come to the age of reasn he does not need any renewal of the investing.
2. It may be given in any place; the sick may receive it in their beds.
3. It must be worn so that one part hangs on the breast, the other on the back, with a band on each shoulder. If worn or carried otherwise, no indulgences are gained. It may be worn under all the clothing, or between the under and outer clothing.
4. After investment, it is never necessary to have the scapular blessed. When one is worn out or lost, the wearer simply puts on a new one.
5. The scapular should be worn constantly. It gives the wearer a share in certain spiritual benefits; laying it aside for a short time (an hour or a day) does not deprive him of these, but if it be not worn for a long time he loses all benefits during that time.
Nihil Obstat:
Joseph P. Newth, C.C.
Censor Theol. Deput.
Imprimi Protest:
JOANNES CAROLUS
Archiep. Dublinen., Hiberniae Primas
Dublini, die 31 Augusti anno 1955
NOTE FOR THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS: Comments regarding the recent letter of the Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin read out at all Masses in the Diocese last weekend and referring to the Extraordinary Form as 'the Latin Mass where the priest turned his back on the people' will not be published. Please direct your observations to the Diocesan website: www.kandle.ie
ReplyDeleteGod bless you!
Scapulars are one area of Catholic piety that seems to have been totally overlooked even by the neo-pietism. Perhaps because so many of them are attritubed either to societies that no longer advocate them or to apparitions that no longer find favour.
ReplyDeleteDo you know of anywhere in Ireland one can buy the Black Scapular?
ReplyDeleteMy old grandma gave me a brown scapular when I was young. I wore it every day since. We have bling and bracelets these days to bring different causes into our everyday lives. Amazing that the Church was doing this centuries ago.
ReplyDeleteKnight can't you just google it yourself? Rathlin, that's just how i feel about the Child of Prague (see the post up top) The scapulars are another thing that I remember people wearing when I was young but it's another thing that has just been let slip. I wouldn't call myself religious but I'm just getting so annoyed with how all this good heritage is being left to be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteThis is just amazing. This is absolutely my favourite blog. Thank you so much for posting about all these amazing scapulars of the Church.
ReplyDeleteI think Rathlin Child's comment deserves further consideration. There is a genius in Catholicism that taps into essential human instincts. If Catholicism wishes to revive, it is that genius that it needs to recapture. Regards,
ReplyDeleteIsobel