Scapulars.

[Spem in alium]

[Not sure if here is the right place to post this]

Hi all.

For the last year or so I have been wearing a [presumably unblessed] Carmelite scapular medal. I only recently discovered it was a scapular, and since then have been interested in buying a cloth scapular to wear.

Today I ordered a scapular of St. Joseph the Protector (I feel a connection with St. Joseph, so it seemed like a nice one to go for, plus the violet and gold look really nice ). I have a few questions about the scapular.

What do I do once I get it? I've heard about being "enrolled" in the scapular, but how do I go about doing this?
Am I meant to wear it all the time?
How long do scapulars usually last (before they fall apart, as I assume they do)?

I would also like to get a traditional Brown Scapular - if I did so, would it be acceptable to wear that in combination with or instead of the St. Joseph scapular?

Many thanks in advance to anyone who reads this or can give me help. God bless!

Edited May 4, 2012 by Spem in alium

[AnneLine]

You can almost always get a scapular from a Carmelite Monastery, and there are a number of them in Austrailia. Here's a link to the Austrailian Discalced Carmelite website:

[url="http://www.carmelite.com/"]http://www.carmelite.com/[/url]

Just go to one of the monasteries or send them a donation and tell them you would like a Brown Scapular - that is the Carmelite one.

You should be enrolled (although I am sure our Lady will understand if you wear it or the Scapular Medal until you are!); once you have been enrolled the blessing on that scapular 'transfers' to any subsequent scapulars. I beleive any priest can enroll you, but some may not be willing to do so; if not just wait for another. If there is a Carmel near you, the Sisters or Friars will know the best way to be enrolled. The article below has a short form that will work if you want to ask your parish priest to do this.

The intention is to wear it all the time. Obviously you can remove it for swimming, bathing, etc., but many people like to keep it on or wear a medal at those times. But I think the best way to know when to wear the scapular is to think of it as an article of clothing that honors our Lady, and treat it accordingly, with the respect you would give to an article of clothing that she gave to you. Scapulars do get tired and worn out (don't we all!); the appropriate way to dispose of an old one (or any old or broken sacramentals) is to burn or bury it.

You can wear more than one scapular (as they represent different orders and/or devotions) but the Brown one is the Carmelite scapular. I don't know whether the St. Joseph one you describe is connected with an order; I think it is just more of a devotional item.

Here's a full article on the Carmelite scapular, which has a LOT of info:

[url="http://www.rc.net/lansing/ctk/carmelites/ocds1.htm"]http://www.rc.net/lansing/ctk/carmelites/ocds1.htm[/url]

And the article below was written by the former Father General of the Discalced Carmelites, Fr. Camilo Maccise about 10 years ago. Fr. Camilo just passed away a few weeks ago, so remember to say a prayer for him!

Here's a link to the article

[url="http://www.meditationsfromcarmel.com/content/brown-scapular-our-lady-mount-carmel"]http://www.meditationsfromcarmel.com/content/brown-scapular-our-lady-mount-carmel[/url]

The text of Fr. Camilo's article is pasted in below. I hope this helps!

[b][size=5][img]http://www.meditationsfromcarmel.com/sites/meditationsfromcarmel.localhost/files/scapular_small.png[/img]The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel[/size][/b]







[b]By Fr. Camilo Maccise OCD, Prior General.[/b]
[b]Published Summer 200 [i][sic][/i][/b]
[b]by A Review of the Spiritual Life Mount Carmel[/b]
[b] A SIGN OF CHRISTIAN FAITH AND COMMITMENT[/b]

[b]Signs in ordinary human life[/b]
The world in which we live is full of material things which have symbolic meaning: light, fire, water .....
There are also, in every- day life, experiences of relationships between human beings, which express and symbolize deeper realities such as sharing a meal (as a sign of friendship), taking part in a protest march (as a sign of solidarity), joining together in a national celebration (as a sign of identity). We need signs and symbols to help us understand what is happening at present, or what happened before, and to give us an awareness of who we are, as individuals and as groups.
[b]Signs in Christian life[/b]
Jesus is the great sign and gift of the Father's love. He founded the Church as a sign and instrument of his love. Christian life also has its signs. Jesus used bread, wine, and water, to help us understand higher things, which we can neither see nor touch.
In the celebration of the Eucharist and the other sacraments (baptism confirmation, reconciliation, matrimony, orders, the sacrament of the sick) the symbols, (water, oil, the laying on of hands, the rings), all have their own meaning and bring us into communication with God, present in each of them.
As well as liturgical signs, the Church has others related to some event, to some tradition, or some person. One of these is the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

[b]The Scapular is a sign of Mary[/b]
One of the signs in the tradition of the Church from many centuries ago is the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It is a sign approved by the Church and accepted by the Carmelite Order as an external sign of love for Mary, of the trust her children have in her, and of commitment to live like her. The word scapular indicates a form of clothing which monks wore when they were working. With the passage of time, people began to give symbolic meaning to it: the cross to be borne every day as disciples and followers of Christ. In some religious orders, such as the Carmelites, the Scapular turned into a sign of their way of life. The Scapular came to symbolize the special dedication of Carmelites to Mary, the Mother of God, and to express trust in her motherly protection as well as the desire to be like her in her commitment to Christ and to others. Thus it became a sign of Mary.
[b]From religious orders to the people of God.[/b]
In the Middle Ages many Christians wanted to be associated with the orders founded at that time: Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians and Carmelites. Groups of lay people began to emerge in associations such as confraternities and sodalities. All the religious orders wanted to give these lay people a sign of affiliation and of participation in their spirit and apostolate. That sign was often a part of their habit: a cloak, a scapular. Among the Carmelites, the stage came when a smaller version of the scapular was accepted as the sign of belonging to the order and an expression of its spirituality.
[b]The value and meaning of the scapular[/b]
The scapular finds its roots in the tradition of the Carmelite order, which has seen in it a sign of Mary's motherly protection. It has, therefore, a centuries' old spiritual meaning, approved by the church. It stands for a commitment to follow Jesus, like Mary, the perfect model of all the disciples of Christ. This commitment, in turn, finds its origin in baptism by which we become children of God. It leads us into a community of religious men and women, which has existed in the church for over eight centuries, and calls on us to live out the ideal of this religious family: intimate friendship with God in prayer. It also reminds us of the example of the saints of Carmel, with whom we establish close bonds as brothers and sisters to one another, and is an expression of our belief that we will meet God in eternal life, aided by the intercession and prayer of Mary.
Finally, the scapular is a constant reminder to live like Mary, open to God and to his will as shown to us in the events of our lives: to listen to the word of God in the bible and in life, to believe in this word and to put its demands into practice; to pray at all times, as a way of discovering the presence of God in all that is happening around us; and to be involved with people, being attentive to their needs.
[b]The Carmelite Scapular[/b]
The scapular is not a magical charm to protect us, an automatic guarantee of salvation, an excuse for not living up to the demands of the Christian life. It is A SIGN which:[list]
[*]
has been approved by the Church for over seven centuries
[*]
stands for the decision to follow Jesus like Mary: - open to God and to his will, - guided by faith, hope and love, - close to the needs of people, - praying at all times, - discovering God present in all that happens around us
[*]
introduces people into the family of Carmel,
[*]
points to a renewed hope of encountering God in eternal life with the help of Mary's protection and intercession
[/list]
[b]Some practical rules[/b][list]
[*]
People are enrolled in the Scapular only once, by a priest or authorized person.
[*]
The scapular can be replaced afterwards by a medal which has on one side the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and on the other, the image of Mary.
[*]
The scapular holds us to live as authentic Christians in line with the teaching of the Gospel, to receive the sacraments, to profess our special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, which should be expressed each day, at least, by saying the Hail Mary three times.
[/list]
[b]Short form for giving the Scapular[/b]
Receive this Scapular, a sign of your special relationship with Mary the Mother of Jesus, whom you pledge to imitate. May it be a reminder to you of your dignity as a Christian, in serving others and imitating Mary. Wear it as a sign of her protection and of belonging to the family of Carmel, voluntarily doing the will of God and devoting yourself to building a world true to his plan of community, justice and peace.

[Maximilianus]

The scapular of St. Joseph is affiliated with the Capuchins, maybe Cappie knows how to be invested in it.

Edited May 4, 2012 by Maximilianus

[Spem in alium]

[quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1336121992' post='2426948']
You can almost always get a scapular from a Carmelite Monastery, and there are a number of them in Austrailia. Here's a link to the Austrailian Discalced Carmelite website:

[url="http://www.carmelite.com/"]http://www.carmelite.com/[/url]

Just go to one of the monasteries or send them a donation and tell them you would like a Brown Scapular - that is the Carmelite one.

You should be enrolled (although I am sure our Lady will understand if you wear it or the Scapular Medal until you are!); once you have been enrolled the blessing on that scapular 'transfers' to any subsequent scapulars. I beleive any priest can enroll you, but some may not be willing to do so; if not just wait for another. If there is a Carmel near you, the Sisters or Friars will know the best way to be enrolled. The article below has a short form that will work if you want to ask your parish priest to do this.

The intention is to wear it all the time. Obviously you can remove it for swimming, bathing, etc., but many people like to keep it on or wear a medal at those times. But I think the best way to know when to wear the scapular is to think of it as an article of clothing that honors our Lady, and treat it accordingly, with the respect you would give to an article of clothing that she gave to you. Scapulars do get tired and worn out (don't we all!); the appropriate way to dispose of an old one (or any old or broken sacramentals) is to burn or bury it.

You can wear more than one scapular (as they represent different orders and/or devotions) but the Brown one is the Carmelite scapular. I don't know whether the St. Joseph one you describe is connected with an order; I think it is just more of a devotional item.

Here's a full article on the Carmelite scapular, which has a LOT of info:

[url="http://www.rc.net/lansing/ctk/carmelites/ocds1.htm"]http://www.rc.net/la...lites/ocds1.htm[/url]

And the article below was written by the former Father General of the Discalced Carmelites, Fr. Camilo Maccise about 10 years ago. Fr. Camilo just passed away a few weeks ago, so remember to say a prayer for him!

Here's a link to the article

[url="http://www.meditationsfromcarmel.com/content/brown-scapular-our-lady-mount-carmel"]http://www.meditatio...dy-mount-carmel[/url]

The text of Fr. Camilo's article is pasted in below. I hope this helps!

[b][size=5][img]http://www.meditationsfromcarmel.com/sites/meditationsfromcarmel.localhost/files/scapular_small.png[/img]The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel[/size][/b]







[b]By Fr. Camilo Maccise OCD, Prior General.[/b]
[b]Published Summer 200 [i][sic][/i][/b]
[b]by A Review of the Spiritual Life Mount Carmel[/b]
[b] A SIGN OF CHRISTIAN FAITH AND COMMITMENT[/b]

[b]Signs in ordinary human life[/b]
The world in which we live is full of material things which have symbolic meaning: light, fire, water .....
There are also, in every- day life, experiences of relationships between human beings, which express and symbolize deeper realities such as sharing a meal (as a sign of friendship), taking part in a protest march (as a sign of solidarity), joining together in a national celebration (as a sign of identity). We need signs and symbols to help us understand what is happening at present, or what happened before, and to give us an awareness of who we are, as individuals and as groups.
[b]Signs in Christian life[/b]
Jesus is the great sign and gift of the Father's love. He founded the Church as a sign and instrument of his love. Christian life also has its signs. Jesus used bread, wine, and water, to help us understand higher things, which we can neither see nor touch.
In the celebration of the Eucharist and the other sacraments (baptism confirmation, reconciliation, matrimony, orders, the sacrament of the sick) the symbols, (water, oil, the laying on of hands, the rings), all have their own meaning and bring us into communication with God, present in each of them.
As well as liturgical signs, the Church has others related to some event, to some tradition, or some person. One of these is the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

[b]The Scapular is a sign of Mary[/b]
One of the signs in the tradition of the Church from many centuries ago is the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It is a sign approved by the Church and accepted by the Carmelite Order as an external sign of love for Mary, of the trust her children have in her, and of commitment to live like her. The word scapular indicates a form of clothing which monks wore when they were working. With the passage of time, people began to give symbolic meaning to it: the cross to be borne every day as disciples and followers of Christ. In some religious orders, such as the Carmelites, the Scapular turned into a sign of their way of life. The Scapular came to symbolize the special dedication of Carmelites to Mary, the Mother of God, and to express trust in her motherly protection as well as the desire to be like her in her commitment to Christ and to others. Thus it became a sign of Mary.
[b]From religious orders to the people of God.[/b]
In the Middle Ages many Christians wanted to be associated with the orders founded at that time: Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians and Carmelites. Groups of lay people began to emerge in associations such as confraternities and sodalities. All the religious orders wanted to give these lay people a sign of affiliation and of participation in their spirit and apostolate. That sign was often a part of their habit: a cloak, a scapular. Among the Carmelites, the stage came when a smaller version of the scapular was accepted as the sign of belonging to the order and an expression of its spirituality.
[b]The value and meaning of the scapular[/b]
The scapular finds its roots in the tradition of the Carmelite order, which has seen in it a sign of Mary's motherly protection. It has, therefore, a centuries' old spiritual meaning, approved by the church. It stands for a commitment to follow Jesus, like Mary, the perfect model of all the disciples of Christ. This commitment, in turn, finds its origin in baptism by which we become children of God. It leads us into a community of religious men and women, which has existed in the church for over eight centuries, and calls on us to live out the ideal of this religious family: intimate friendship with God in prayer. It also reminds us of the example of the saints of Carmel, with whom we establish close bonds as brothers and sisters to one another, and is an expression of our belief that we will meet God in eternal life, aided by the intercession and prayer of Mary.
Finally, the scapular is a constant reminder to live like Mary, open to God and to his will as shown to us in the events of our lives: to listen to the word of God in the bible and in life, to believe in this word and to put its demands into practice; to pray at all times, as a way of discovering the presence of God in all that is happening around us; and to be involved with people, being attentive to their needs.
[b]The Carmelite Scapular[/b]
The scapular is not a magical charm to protect us, an automatic guarantee of salvation, an excuse for not living up to the demands of the Christian life. It is A SIGN which:[list]
[*]has been approved by the Church for over seven centuries
[*]stands for the decision to follow Jesus like Mary: - open to God and to his will, - guided by faith, hope and love, - close to the needs of people, - praying at all times, - discovering God present in all that happens around us
[*]introduces people into the family of Carmel,
[*]points to a renewed hope of encountering God in eternal life with the help of Mary's protection and intercession
[/list]
[b]Some practical rules[/b][list]
[*]People are enrolled in the Scapular only once, by a priest or authorized person.
[*]The scapular can be replaced afterwards by a medal which has on one side the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and on the other, the image of Mary.
[*]The scapular holds us to live as authentic Christians in line with the teaching of the Gospel, to receive the sacraments, to profess our special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, which should be expressed each day, at least, by saying the Hail Mary three times.
[/list]
[b]Short form for giving the Scapular[/b]
Receive this Scapular, a sign of your special relationship with Mary the Mother of Jesus, whom you pledge to imitate. May it be a reminder to you of your dignity as a Christian, in serving others and imitating Mary. Wear it as a sign of her protection and of belonging to the family of Carmel, voluntarily doing the will of God and devoting yourself to building a world true to his plan of community, justice and peace.
[/quote]

Thank you for such an insightful and helpful reply! I will inquire with the Australian Carmelites and see if I can get one there. I've seen a few scapular websites around and there definitely are some beautiful ones. God bless!

[Spem in alium]

[quote name='Maximilianus' timestamp='1336123650' post='2426949']
The scapular of St. Joseph is affiliated with the Capuchins, maybe Cappie knows how to be invested in it.
[/quote]

Thank you for your help! I wasn't previously aware of that link; there is a Capuchin at my university but if I can't contact him I'll send cappie a message. God bless.

[brianthephysicist]

If your'e interested in combining the devotion of the scapular with St. Joseph, you should check this out:
[url="http://www.totallycatholic.com/product.php?id=1231"]http://www.totallycatholic.com/product.php?id=1231[/url]
This is actually what I wear too. When you order it, it comes with instructions on being enrolled (including the prayers for the priest to enroll you) and living out the scapular.

Some random info on the scapular (to the best of my knowledge):


The requirements to fulfill the scapular are:
[indent=1]1. Wear it constantly[/indent]
[indent=1]2. Observe chastity (in whatever form is required of your current state)[/indent]
[indent=1]3. Reciting the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin or if unable to read, in addition to fulfilling all fasts of the Church, abstaining from meat on Wed and Sat (unless Christmas falls on one of these days) or (with approval of your confessor) some other devotional to Mary such as the rosary[/indent]

The scapular is a sacramental, so there is nothing wrong if you simply wanted to wear it as a reminder to live out your faith, but the promises of the scapular only apply to those that fulfill all of the requirements.

I don't have the theological terminology for this, but I'll try my best. When you get enrolled, the priest will enroll you in the scapular for life. I think of this as being enrolled in the [i]practice[/i] of the scapular. You can also ask the priest to bless the [i]cloth[/i] scapular that you are to wear. When your cloth scapular eventually wears out and you get a replacement, you are still enrolled in the practice of the scapular, but you can get your new cloth scapular blessed.

Enrollment can only be done through the cloth scapular, but in certain circumstances a scapular medal may be worn instead. Something I've found interesting, all miracles associated with the scapular have been tied to the cloth scapular, no miracles have yet to be confirmed associated with the medal.

[Tony]

yep any priest can invest you. The prayer can be found here! (read Cappie's post) [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/99548-another-question-about-brown-scapular/"]http://www.phatmass....brown-scapular/[/url]

Edited May 4, 2012 by Tony

[Basilisa Marie]

I once heard a priest say that the scapular medals are more for people who have allergies to wool and other textiles, because they really can't actually wear the brown scapular.

[Spem in alium]

[quote name='brianthephysicist' timestamp='1336146641' post='2427043']
If your'e interested in combining the devotion of the scapular with St. Joseph, you should check this out:
[url="http://www.totallycatholic.com/product.php?id=1231"]http://www.totallyca...uct.php?id=1231[/url]
This is actually what I wear too. When you order it, it comes with instructions on being enrolled (including the prayers for the priest to enroll you) and living out the scapular.

Some random info on the scapular (to the best of my knowledge):


The requirements to fulfill the scapular are:

[indent=1]1. Wear it constantly[/indent]
[indent=1]2. Observe chastity (in whatever form is required of your current state)[/indent]
[indent=1]3. Reciting the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin or if unable to read, in addition to fulfilling all fasts of the Church, abstaining from meat on Wed and Sat (unless Christmas falls on one of these days) or (with approval of your confessor) some other devotional to Mary such as the rosary[/indent]

The scapular is a sacramental, so there is nothing wrong if you simply wanted to wear it as a reminder to live out your faith, but the promises of the scapular only apply to those that fulfill all of the requirements.

I don't have the theological terminology for this, but I'll try my best. When you get enrolled, the priest will enroll you in the scapular for life. I think of this as being enrolled in the [i]practice[/i] of the scapular. You can also ask the priest to bless the [i]cloth[/i] scapular that you are to wear. When your cloth scapular eventually wears out and you get a replacement, you are still enrolled in the practice of the scapular, but you can get your new cloth scapular blessed.

Enrollment can only be done through the cloth scapular, but in certain circumstances a scapular medal may be worn instead. Something I've found interesting, all miracles associated with the scapular have been tied to the cloth scapular, no miracles have yet to be confirmed associated with the medal.
[/quote]


Thanks for your help, Brian! I actually saw that scapular and really liked it. I bought a few Brown Scapulars as well, so I'm planning to just wear one with the St. Joseph scapular. But I would eventually like to buy one of those

The requirements are interesting. I've never recited the Little Office but have for a while been wondering about it, so it will be something new for me to start. And would you by any chance know what the significance is of fasting on Wednesday and Saturday in particular? I already say the Rosary, so will keep that up

That's interesting also about the miracles Thanks again for your help, it answered a few other questions I had. God bless!

[quote name='Tony' timestamp='1336147213' post='2427044']
yep any priest can invest you. The prayer can be found here! (read Cappie's post) [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/99548-another-question-about-brown-scapular/"]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/99548-another-question-about-brown-scapular/[/url]
[/quote]

Thank you That's a great prayer to use. God bless!

[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1336150432' post='2427060']
I once heard a priest say that the scapular medals are more for people who have allergies to wool and other textiles, because they really can't actually wear the brown scapular.
[/quote]

Yeah, that figures. I have no idea where my family got this medal from (mine is in silver and we have a gold one as well). My mother thinks either I or one of my siblings received it at our Baptism, but she's not certain. It's a beautiful medal and serves as quite a good reminder of how I should be living, but it would be great to make that reminder more constant with the scapular, which I assume would have more of a physical presence than a little medal Thanks, God bless!

[MissyP89]

I'm not sure about Wednesdays, but I know that all Saturdays are traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Saturday is her day, if you will.

[Spem in alium]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1336162414' post='2427122']
I'm not sure about Wednesdays, but I know that all Saturdays are traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Saturday is her day, if you will.
[/quote]

Ah. I never knew that! I guess you really do learn something new every day.Thanks for clearing that up for me. God bless!

[AnneLine]

I'm not sure if the fasting and Little Office are still required. I am pretty sure that some of that was made 'suggested' as opposed to 'required' in the 60's and 70's.

At one point all Catholics abstained Wednesday, Friday and Saturday... and did much mor extensive fasting during Advent and Lent. Many traditional communities still keep this practice, and I think that is where this was coming from.

I know that the Carmelite Sisters in Alhambra, California certainly wear the scapular - they wear the traditional habit! - but don't do the fasting or abstinance on Wednesdays or Saturdays, and simply follow the usual Friday Abstinance. I know they promote the Scapular, but I've never known them to mention that requirement.... although it is a laudable thing if one is able to do it.

If someone does pray the Liturgy of the Hours, you don't also have to pray the Little Office, and the LOTH is recommended for everyone. (The Little Office is essentially the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the LOTH with some minor changes.) Most of the time, I think the recommendation is to pray the Rosary or do something else in honor of our Lady.

However, if anyone knows better, I'm always open to learning... but I'm pretty sure the Father General would have mentioned those requirements had still been in force at this time.

[brianthephysicist]

[quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1336201556' post='2427331']
I'm not sure if the fasting and Little Office are still required. I am pretty sure that some of that was made 'suggested' as opposed to 'required' in the 60's and 70's.
[/quote]

Like I said, to do some other devotional only requires permission from your confessor, which usually isn't difficult. My confessor knows that I don't have time in the course of my day to do the Little Office, so when I asked permission to do a daily rosary instead, he thought that devotion would suit me well.

Our priests know that the point of this requirement isn't to overburden ourselves, but to grow closer to Mary and to allow her to change our hearts through our particular daily devotion.

[Spem in alium]

[quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1336201556' post='2427331']
I'm not sure if the fasting and Little Office are still required. I am pretty sure that some of that was made 'suggested' as opposed to 'required' in the 60's and 70's.

At one point all Catholics abstained Wednesday, Friday and Saturday... and did much mor extensive fasting during Advent and Lent. Many traditional communities still keep this practice, and I think that is where this was coming from.

I know that the Carmelite Sisters in Alhambra, California certainly wear the scapular - they wear the traditional habit! - but don't do the fasting or abstinance on Wednesdays or Saturdays, and simply follow the usual Friday Abstinance. I know they promote the Scapular, but I've never known them to mention that requirement.... although it is a laudable thing if one is able to do it.

If someone does pray the Liturgy of the Hours, you don't also have to pray the Little Office, and the LOTH is recommended for everyone. (The Little Office is essentially the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the LOTH with some minor changes.) Most of the time, I think the recommendation is to pray the Rosary or do something else in honor of our Lady.

However, if anyone knows better, I'm always open to learning... but I'm pretty sure the Father General would have mentioned those requirements had still been in force at this time.
[/quote]

I'm the only one in my family who practices Friday abstinence. So I don't think fasting on Wednesday and Saturday would be too much of a problem if I feel guided to do so.
I pray the Rosary a couple of times a week in full (once in front of the Blessed Sacrament and once with a group) and most other days I manage to say at least one decade. I will make more of an effort to pray the Rosary each day.

It's funny though. A short time ago, I would never have considered wearing a Scapular, because I never took the time to think about Mary and how important she was. I didn't even begin saying the Rosary until a month ago. Now I feel her with me, and the desire to honour her in word, thought and action fills my heart.

For some reason, I ended up ordering 25 Brown Scapulars (free, but with a small devotion to support the mission of the people who make and sell them) and 3 St. Joseph Scapulars. The more the merrier, I guess!

God bless!

[quote name='brianthephysicist' timestamp='1336245452' post='2427404']
Like I said, to do some other devotional only requires permission from your confessor, which usually isn't difficult. My confessor knows that I don't have time in the course of my day to do the Little Office, so when I asked permission to do a daily rosary instead, he thought that devotion would suit me well.

Our priests know that the point of this requirement isn't to overburden ourselves, but to grow closer to Mary and to allow her to change our hearts through our particular daily devotion.
[/quote]

Thank you, what a beautiful sentiment I do feel her changing my heart. After a long struggle with a particular sin and praying for help, I finally feel relief. I put that down almost entirely to Mary's intercession and love.

[cappie]

BLESSING AND INVESTITURE WITH SCAPULAR OF ST. JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF MARY AND PATRON OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH
( reserved to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin)
(Approved by the Congregation of Sacred Rites on April 18, 1893)

The one who is to receive the scapular is kneeling. The priest, vested in surplice and white stole, says:

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, who willed to be given over to the custody of St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, your immaculate Mother, be pleased to bless + this garment, designed as a safeguard for the faithful of your Church. Grant that this servant of yours may serve you steadfastly and devoutly, under the protection of St. Joseph. We ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever.
All: Amen.

The priest sprinkles the scapular with holy water, and invests the person with it, saying:
Take, dear brother (sister), this scapular of St. Joseph, spouse of the blessed Virgin Mary; and having him as a guardian and protector, may you be defended from the wickedness of the devil, and finally attain everlasting life; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

Lastly the priest kneels and says three times the following invocation, with the newly enrolled joining in:
St. Joseph, our protector, pray for us.