![o{]:¬)](http://www.wdtprs.com/blog/wp-images/topimage.JPG)
QUAERITUR: Five-fold scapular
I had a question from a reader. Perhaps some priests might chime in with their experiences. Personally, I have never been asked to bless one of these or invest anyone. But… lets get to the question.
I recently purchased a five-fold scapular at the Midwest Catholic Family Conference in Wichita. However, I find no "rules" for enrollment in the scapular(s). I looked in the little booklet contained in the package in which I purchased it, but it simply gave the enrollment formula, but not the conditions to be enrolled. I have searched on the internet as well, and cannot find anything. I do know that those enrolled in the brown scapular must say the Divine Office, or the Rosary, etc. but what about those enrolled in the five-fold scapular? Your help would be greatly appreciated.
There is a site which describes the investiture of the five-fold scapular as well as the history of each one. There is also this site with a bit more elaborate information, including statements about the indulgences attached to this work. I am sure those are out of date. Also, the obligations mentioned are to pray the Rosary daily, wear the scapular, a Crucifix, and St. Benedict medal, which I believe both some with the five-fold scapular.
You know… bad things always have happened to me whenever I have blessed a St. Benedict medal. Devils hate those things, I think. But I digress.
Otherwise, I suppose that each of these scapulars has its own obligations, which could be looked up separately.
The form for blessing and investing is in the Rituale Romanum (Titulus IX - Caput XI – #14). There are blessings and forms there for all the scapulars approved at that date (1953).
Keep in mind that these are sacramentals, not sacraments. But the devils and his minions hate sacramentals, which cause them pain as they strengthen you.
Sacramentals are very good things and we should make use of them regularly and with well-thought out purpose!
Here is what the above mentioned site provides.
THE FIVEFOLD SCAPULAR
Blessings and investiture by any Priest.
(Rite now assigned to all priests by the head of various orders.)
The Five-Folds :
* Outer – the red or the "Passion Scapular"
* Back – the white, or "Blessed Trinity"
* Between the brown – or "Our Lady of Mount Carmel"
* The black – or "Our Lady of Sorrows"
* The blue – or "The Immaculate Virgin Mary"
Blessing and Investiture:
[The priest should wear cassock, surplice and white stole.]
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The lord be with you.
R. And also with you. [And with your spirit!]
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus Christ, head over all the faithful and savior of the human race, who has condescended to clothe Thyself with our wounded nature, we beg Thee of Thine innumerable goodness to bless + and sanctify these garments, designed in homage to the most Blessed Trinity, as well as in memory of Thy most bitter passion, and in honor of the Virgin Mother of God, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
Grant that they who may be invested therewith may deserve, through the intercession of thy Blessed Mother, likewise to clothe themselves in body and soul, with Thee, for salvation, who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
(The priest then sprinkles the scapulars with Holy Water) and invests each one individually holding their scapular over them (he may use one scapular for all if they don’t have one) and saying the following once for all in common.
1. Receive the habit of the Order of The Most Holy Trinity unto an increase of Faith, Hope, and Charity, that you may put on the new man, created in the likeness of God, in holiness and righteousness.
2. Receive the Scapular of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, so that having laid aside the old man and put on the new, you may wear it worthily and come to Life Everlasting.
3. Receive the Scapular of the devoted clients of the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin, that by her intercession you may be cleansed from every defilement and attain Life Everlasting.
4. Receive the Scapular of the devoted Servants of Our Lady of the Seven Dolors, so that, through diligent meditation on her sorrows, you may be imbued in heart and body with the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and always remain steadfast in your devotion.
5. Receive the habit of the Society and Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, beseeching the Most Holy Virgin, that through her merits you may wear it without stain, and be protected by her from all adversity and brought to the joys of Life Everlastng.
By the faculty delegated to me by the Holy See, I receive you as partakers of all the spiritual favors of these Orders and Congregations, as well as the Indulgences granted by privilege of the Holy See to the aforesaid Scapulars. [I am not sure what, if any they may be. The old indulgences were pretty much swept away. This would need, perhaps, clarification from the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, which has competence in the matter of indulgences.] In the name of The Father,+ and of The Son,+ and of The Holy + Spirit. R. Amen.
V. Preserve Thy Servants.
R. Who trust in Thee, my God.
V. Send them aid, Lord, from on high.
R. And from Sion watch over them.
V. Be Thou unto them a mighty fortress.
R. In the face of the enemy.
V. Let the enemy be powerless against them.
R. And the son of iniquity do nothing to harm them.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit. [That’s better.]
Let Us Pray
Bow down, O lord, to our supplications, and deign to bless+them on whom we have conferred the sacred habits in Thy name. May they cooperate with Thy grace, and thus deserve to attain Life Everlasting. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen
May the blessings of Almighty God, + Father, Son, and Holy Spirit come upon you and remain for all time.
R. Amen.
Taken from the Roman Ritual Volume II. Nihil Obstat: Stephen Anderi, Censor Librorum. Imprimatur:+Joannes P. Troacy, S.T.D. Episcopus Crossensis 18 June 1950)
Looking through the Rituale I found quite a few different forms for different scapulars, some of which I was unaware of.
Did you know there was a scapular of Our Lady of Good Counsel? I didn’t. And there is an Augustinian connection.
So, I learned a couple things today because of this question.
Wow, interesting. Though much fascinated with the notion of a scapular, I always thought that the five-fold took the practice to almost superstitious extremes. It seemed to me that each scapular was representative of the spirituality of a particular order and, as such, you would have plenty of work to do just living up to that one particular spirituality. I would think that one worn well – that is, consciously, with prayerful attention to the spiritual practices of the order – would be better for the soul than five worn as though they could each confer benefits from just being worn, ex opere operato as it were.
Comment by Iosephus — 7 August 2008 @ 3:49 pmI bought one of these at the Diocese of Charlotte’s Eucharistic Congress. I later tried to get one of the older monks at my college to invest me. He came out with his own book and invested me for the borwn scapular only. I don’t think he had ever seen a 5-fold one, so he just assumed it was a really hefty brown scapular (that was red?). I didn’t have the heart to interrupt him, as he was quite old and seemed to be enjoying himself, as I assume not to many of the college community ask for this very often. I’ll have to copy the abbove instructions and lend them to another monk I reckon.
Word of caution, these things bleed dye all over the place. I found out after ending a night in a very sweaty mosh pit at a Flogging Molly show. I had a red-ring stain all around my white shirt, which I naturally thought was a cool souviner until my mother washed it. Definately run this through water a few times before wearing your best white blouse on a warm day.
Comment by Suaso — 7 August 2008 @ 4:05 pmI’ve played against the basketball team of a parish called Our Lady of Good Counsel…it’s in Northern Virginia (USA)... [?!? Okaaaayyyy…. were they wearing scapulars?]
Comment by Lucia — 7 August 2008 @ 4:07 pmFr. Z: I don’t know how to embed in the combox or I would have tried, at least with the photo in this post, of Fr. Perrone investing one of his altar boys in the Scapular. [? Which scapular? There are quite a few. Brown is probably most common.]
He is dressed in the cassock, surplice and stole. Edit one or more of the pics into your post if you would like.
Just a few moments prior, Fr. Perrone had invested several Missionaries of Charity, also photographed in that blogpost. They have a mission in our downriver area.
Those pics were taken on August 15th, 2006.
As an aside: It is actually Rev. Eduard Perrone, OCDS. He is a secular Carmelite and the chaplain of the community at Assumption Grotto of which I am a member.
We need more priests who know how to do these kinds of things. The scapular is gaining popularity and few priests truly know what to do when someone approaches them.
Comment by Diane at Te Deum Laudamus! — 7 August 2008 @ 4:29 pmRegarding indulgences, the current Enchiridion Indulgentiarum has this to say, which I think applies to this situation:
Norm 15 (page 16 of the new USCCB edition): “The fiathful can acquire an indulgence if they use devoutly one of the following properly blessed pious objects, namely: a crucifix or cross, rosary, scapular, or medal.”
Then there is the first Grant of the Enchiridion, which could perhaps equally apply to the scapular devotion, supposing one makes the requisite daily prayers: “A partial indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who, while carrying out their duties and enduring the hardships of life, raise their minds in humble trust to God and make, at least mentally, some pious invocation.”
In any event, it would seem that even notwithstanding any specific indulgences that may be granted for the use of this or that scapular, yet by using them properly (with the requisite prayers or other words each day), it is possible to gain at least a partial indulgence.
Comment by Fr. BJ — 7 August 2008 @ 4:45 pmI did not know that the white scapular could also be for the Holiest Trinity. Here in Puerto Rico, the white scapular is identified with the one for “La Merced” (In English, Our Lady of Ransom). If you have ever met a lady named “Mercedes” or “Maria Mercedes,” she is named after the Virgin Mary under this title.
Our Lady gave St Peter Nolasco this white scapular in the year 1218. Here is a clear picture of it: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuestra_Se%C3%B1ora_de_la_Merced
Comment by Tomás LĂłpez — 7 August 2008 @ 5:01 pmIn the seminary of one of the more famous “traditionalist” clerical societies of apostolic life, we called the five-fold scapular simply, “The Sandwich.”
Comment by David M. Wallace — 7 August 2008 @ 5:01 pmTomás: St Peter Nolasco
Now there’s a serious saint!
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 7 August 2008 @ 5:04 pmIn regards to indulgences, this is in the Enchiridion:
35. Use of Articles of Devotion (Obiectorum pietatis usus)
The faithful, who devoutly use an article of devotion (crucifix or cross, rosary. scapular or medal) properly blessed by any priest, obtain a partial indulgence.
But if the article of devotion has been blessed by the Sovereign Pontiff or by any Bishop, the faithful, using it, can also gain a plenary indulgence on the feast of the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, provided they also make a profession of faith according to any legitimate formula.
Comment by QC — 7 August 2008 @ 5:26 pmFr. Z asks: ? Which scapular? There are quite a few. Brown is probably most common.
Agreed – that there are many. I was referring to the Brown Scapular and the prayer and instructions you have listed in your post appears to be very much like how Fr. Perrone handles it.
Comment by Diane at Te Deum Laudamus! — 7 August 2008 @ 6:03 pmOops – your prayer was on the fivefold. Dunno how I missed it.
So sorry.
But, the ritual described seems very similar to what I’ve experienced and witnessed with the brown, except for some of the wording.
Comment by Diane at Te Deum Laudamus! — 7 August 2008 @ 6:05 pmSo when I finally get a St. Benedict medal, I should have it blessed by a priest that I don’t really like too well, eh? ;-)
Comment by Gregg the Obscure — 7 August 2008 @ 6:30 pmThis is pretty interesting. When I was a kid, they gave everybody at school a Brown Scapular to wear, but nobody invested us or told us there were obligations to go along with it. (Other than wearing the thing, of course.) Nobody ever told us to get our rosaries blessed, either.
Re: stuff devils don’t like, I’ve had some “interesting” stuff happen when I podcast certain books. Particularly St. Irenaeus’ Against Heresies and St. Athanasius’ biography of St. Anthony of Egypt. Nothing really blatant, but more than Murphy’s Law can account for. I find it encouraging, in a perverse way. :)
Comment by Maureen — 7 August 2008 @ 7:05 pmRe: the obligations of the brown scapular
I believe the “obligations” of the brown scapular (saying the Little Office of the BVM every day – or the Rosary if dispensed by a priest with faculties – and observing chastity according to your state in life) have to do with the Sabbatine Privilege, not the Scapular Promise itself. And the Carmelites do not promote the Sabbatine Privilege any more to the best of my knowledge.
Comment by dcs — 7 August 2008 @ 7:42 pmSorry, Father, but in my opinion the five-fold scapular represents one of THE WORST manifestations of an excessive devotionalism. To be vested in a scapular is, according to the mind of East (the schema) and West, to take on certain spiritual obligations, as you alluded to. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in favor of the use of sacramentals – but FIVE distinct scapulars with five distinct sets of obligations “bundled” together?
I think it risks encouraging a mindset that moves beyond a healthy sacramentalism and into the borderline ridiculous and magical.
Why not profess as an Oblate of St. Benedict, a Dominican Tertiary, a Secular Carmelite and a Secular Franciscan all at the same time just to be sure that you get the full sweep of spiritual benefits associated with the various lay associations?
Or perhaps better yet, pick one, focus there and go deeper.
God bless,
Fr. Deacon Daniel
Comment by Father Deacon Daniel — 7 August 2008 @ 10:14 pmThanks for the investiture prayers, Father Z. Put it in Latin. That would really seal the deal. :)
Comment by Matt Q — 8 August 2008 @ 12:54 amMatt Q: They are in Latin, of course, in the Rituale Romanum. Look them up.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 8 August 2008 @ 1:20 amSo, Fr. Daniel, what if, in our convert zeal, we were invested with the 5 fold scapular, but as we have been catholic a bit longer, we agree with your assessment of the 5 fold scapular? I mean, I wouldn’t think there are any “penalties” for admitting that we should just focus on o