OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

Please read this trustworthy promise from Our Lady.

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The Church celebrates on this day the feast of the Scapular of Mount Carmel.

The history of its origin is as follows: During the thirteenth century the Carmelite Order suffered great persecution, and on 16 July 1251, while Saint Simon Stock, then general of the Order, was at prayer, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him, holding in her hand a scapular. Giving it to the saint, she said, "Receive, my dear son, this scapular of thy Order, as the distinctive sign of my confraternity, and the mark of the privilege which I have obtained for thee and the children of Carmel. It is a sign of salvation, a safeguard in danger, and a special pledge of peace and protection till the end of time. Whosoever dies wearing this shall be preserved from eternal flames."

It is much to be wished that people should everywhere join this confraternity, for the honor of Mary and for the salvation of souls, by a life fitted to that end.

In order to have a share in the merits of the sodality every member must:

• Shun sin, and, according to his state of life, live chastely.

• Say every day, if possible, seven times, Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

• Strive to serve God by venerating Mary, and imitating her virtues.

• These rules, it is true, are not binding under penalty of sin, but the breach of them deprives us of all merit; and is not this something to be taken into account? "He who sowetb sparingly shall also reap sparingly." 

(2 Corinthians 9:6)