Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VA)

Mangalore, Jul 19: The solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel popularly known as the Feast of the Brown Scapular was celebrated at Infant Jesus Shine here on Sunday July 18.

Fr Joseph Martis, rector of St Joseph’s Seminary, presided over the solemn Eucharistic celebration. 35 priests concelebrated the Solemn Eucharistic celebration. 

Fr Victor D’Mello, the parish priest of Urwa Church preached a meaningful homily on the occasion. He highlighted the total dependence of Mary on God and her cooperation in his plans. He appealed the congregation to take Mary as model who accepted everything from God, joys as well as sorrows.

The Carmel choir helped the faithful for meaningful participation in the liturgy. Fr George Santhumayor proposed the vote of thanks.

During the days of novena, as a preparation for the feast, the preachers helped to reflect on the Beatitudes preached by Jesus in the Gospels. The devotees of Our Lady of Mount Carmel participated in large number and scapulars were distributed to them. Scapulars, the sign of the motherly protection of Mary were distributed to the faithful.
 

Brief History of the Feast

According to the traditions of the Carmelite order, on July 16, 1251, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St Simon Stock, a Carmelite. During the vision, she revealed to him the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, popularly known as the ‘Brown Scapular’. A century and a quarter later, the Carmelite order began to celebrate on this date the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The Carmelites had long claimed that their order extended back to ancient times-indeed, that it was founded on Mount Carmel in Palestine by the prophets Elijah and Elisha. While others disputed this idea, Pope Honorius III, in approving the order in 1226, seemed to accept its antiquity. The celebration of the feast became wrapped up with this controversy, and, in 1609, after Robert Cardinal Bellarmine examined the origins of the feast; it was declared the Patronal feast of the Carmelite order.

From then on, the celebration of the feast began to spread, with various popes approving it. The feast celebrates the devotion that the Blessed Virgin Mary has to those who are devoted to her, and who signal that devotion by wearing the Brown Scapular. According to tradition, those who wear the scapular faithfully and remain devoted to the Blessed Virgin until death will be granted the grace of final perseverance and be delivered from purgatory early.