Aylesford, England (1251)
Feast Day: July 16
Patron of : the Carmelites
The Order of Carmelites takes its name
from Mount Carmel in Israel, which was the first place dedicated to the Blessed
Virgin and where a chapel was erected in her honor before her Assumption into
heaven. Saint Simon Stock entered the Carmelite Order in Kent, England, when he
was 40 years old. He was sent to Mt. Carmel in the Holy Land where he led a life
of prayer and penance until he and most of his brother Religious were forced to
leave by the victorious infidels. The group sailed for England. At a General
Chapter which was held in Aylesford, England, in 1245 A.D., St. Simon was
unanimously elected Prior General of the Carmelite Order.
St. Simon Stock had great devotion to Our
Blessed Mother. This may help to explain why the Carmelite Order began to
prosper under his guidance despite considerable opposition. In response to his
appeal to Our Blessed Mother for help for his oppressed Order, on July 16, 1251
A.D. (he was 86 years old at the time), Mary appeared to him holding a Brown
Scapular in her hand. Mary said to him:
"Receive, My beloved son, this habit of thy order:
this shall be to thee and to all Carmelites a privilege, that whosoever dies
clothed in this shall never suffer eternal fire." This was truly a
great gift and a great promise from the Mother of God.
After this apparition, Friar Stock went on
to establish Carmelite communities near university towns in England, France and
Italy. He became the Superior-General of his order several years after the
apparition. Until very recently, the brown scapular was one of the most widely
used religious symbols of personal dedication to the mission of Mary found in
her last recorded words in the Bible (John 2:5). The promotion and use of all
types of Marian devotional symbols has declined dramatically since the 1960's.
For over 700 years, the Brown Scapular of
Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been one of the most precious gifts and
highly-indulgenced Sacramentals of our Church. It is more than that, however; it
is in reality a garment, given to us by Our Blessed Mother which makes us her
special children. Blessing and clothing with the Scapular of the 'Blessed Virgin
of Mt. Carmel' enrolls the individual in the Scapular Confraternity and admits
him to a share in all the spiritual works performed by the Religious of Mount
Carmel.
At Lourdes in 1858, the Virgin chose to
make Her last apparition on July 16th, feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the
day the Church commemorates Her apparition to Saint Simon Stock. And at Fatima
on October 13, 1917, it is as Our Lady of Mount Carmel that Mary appeared when
She said farewell to the three children. Throughout the ages, the Queen of
Carmel has always kept a faithful watch over the destinies of Her cherished
children on earth.
Prayer:
Lord, let the motherly prayer of the glorious Virgin come
to our help.
Through her support help us reach the true mount which is Christ.
Amen
NOVENA PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL