Bringing you the "Good News" of Jesus Christ and His Church While PROMOTING CATHOLIC Apologetic Support groups loyal to the Holy Father and Church's magisterium
Home About
AskACatholic.com
What's New? Resources The Church Family Life Mass and
Adoration
Ask A Catholic
Knowledge base
AskACatholic Disclaimer
Search the
AskACatholic Database
Donate and
Support our work
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
New Questions
Cool Catholic Videos
About Saints
Disciplines and Practices for distinct Church seasons
back
Purgatory and Indulgences
About the Holy Mass
About Mary
Searching and Confused
Contemplating becoming a Catholic or Coming home
Homosexual and Gender Issues
Life, Dating, and Family
No Salvation Outside the Church
Sacred Scripture
non-Catholic Cults
Justification and Salvation
The Pope and Papacy
The Sacraments
Relationships and Marriage situations
Specific people, organizations and events
Doctrine and Teachings
Specific Practices
Church Internals
Church History


Angelo wrote:

Hi, guys —

I have a question about the Green Scapular. I do own one of these, but after reading about it,
it seems as though it was meant to be worn by a non-believer, or someone who has fallen from the faith.

  • Would it be okay if I got it blessed, and wore it myself, praying daily for the conversion of sinners, just as I would the Miraculous Medal?

Thank you very much!

Angelo

  { Is it OK to wear the Green Scapular if you are a believing Catholic who is not sick? }

John replied:

Hi, Angelo —

Thanks for your question.

Sacramentals are not lucky charms or magic spells that only work if you follow exact rubrics.

Of course, you can wear it, whether it's blessed or not, although it's better to get it blessed, and pray for the conversion of souls but don't get caught up in the externals. The point is to pray for the conversion of sinners. You can wear it all you want, but if you don't pray, it isn't going to do much good.

We have to fight the tendency to treat prayer like it was a baking recipe. These external or tangible reminders are points of contact for our faith but they are not the essentials. Don't get lost in them lest we become like the baby who opens his first Christmas gifts and pays more attention to the pretty wrapping paper.

John

Mike replied:

Hi, Angelo —

I also wanted to add to what John has said:

John is correct:
Sacramentals are not lucky charms or magic spells that only work if you follow exact rubrics.

Lucky charms or magic spells are based on pure chance, superstition, or the demonic.

Rosaries, Scapulars and similar chaplets and devotionals on based on, optional, yet approved, devotions by the Church of private revelations that the Church has approved. They are based on promises Our Lord (and/or) Our Lady have made to us if we wear them with the correct intent.

  • What do I mean by the correct intent?

Our Lady promised that those who wear the Brown Scapular, would not suffer eternal damnation. Nevertheless, this does not give any one permission to commit mortal sin after mortal sin for years and years while wearing the Brown Scapular.

  • Why?

Because we are not wearing it with the correct intent or disposition of being a practicing son or daughter of the Church.

John said:
Of course, you can wear it, whether it's blessed or not, although it's better to get it blessed, and pray for the conversions of souls but don't get caught up the externals.

Blessed sacramentals are far better than unblessed ones. A blessing offers us the grace to use the sacramental with the correct intent. Some devotionals even have confraternities of lay Catholics (who can get enrolled into the devotion) associated with it. I personally think this is important because it fosters a sense of Catholic community and delivers a real prayer community among the members, whether they are aware of the effects of the prayer community on their life or not.

Check out this posting for more:

Although John said, don't get caught up with the externals, I would add, don't be ashamed of them either.

Your Green Scapular and Miraculous Medal are witnesses to the secular world that you are a practicing Catholic and not ashamed of it; neither were the first martyrs of the Church.

Mike

Please report any and all typos or grammatical errors.
Suggestions for this web page and the web site can be sent to Mike Humphrey
© 2012 Panoramic Sites
The Early Church Fathers Church Fathers on the Primacy of Peter. The Early Church Fathers on the Catholic Church and the term Catholic. The Early Church Fathers on the importance of the Roman Catholic Church centered in Rome.