Dear Friends,

July 16 is a significant day in the Catholic calendar as it marks the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This day is dedicated to honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It commemorates the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Simon Stock, the 13th-century English Carmelite, and the bestowal of the Brown Scapular. To celebrate this special day, we invite you to a prayer gathering at 3100 Weston Road, Toronto, at 8 p.m.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the patron Saint of the Carmelite Order, holds a profound historical significance. The universal Church's veneration of Mary under this title can be traced back to her appearance to St. Simon Stock, a 13th-century English Carmelite. She bestowed upon him the Brown Scapular, a garment worn by religious over the neck and shoulders as an apron, to be worn by Carmelites “as a sign of her protection.” This sacred relic, a symbol of Mary's unwavering love and protection, has become a cherished part of Marian devotional practices that have spread to Catholics worldwide. The Brown Scapular is not just a piece of cloth, but a symbol of our faith and a reminder of Mary's constant presence and protection in our lives.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as the Virgin of Carmel, is more than just a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Roman Catholic tradition. She is our patroness, the one we turn to in times of need, the one who guides and protects us. Her veneration as the patroness of the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance and the Discalced Carmelites is a testament to her enduring presence in our lives.

Veneration, confidence, and love are the elements of true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  

In 1251 in Aylesford, England, St. Simon Stock, a Carmelite was given the scapular by Our Lady who said, "This shall be a privilege for you and all Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall not suffer eternal fire.”  The brown scapular and wearing it is a privilege extended to all, not only the Carmelites especially when one is invested or undergoes investiture or enrolment in it.

It is said that the future Pope John XXII had a vision of Our Lady who promised this on three conditions: 1) Wearing the Scapular, 2) Observing chastity (the 6th and 9th commandments) according to one’s state in life, and 3) praying the Little Office (of Our Lady). For those who are unable to read, they must observe the Church's fasts and practice abstinence on Wednesdays and Fridays of each week.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!