By Julia Shim
KUCHING — Annually on 16 July, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated. On this day, the faithful shows devotion to their faith by honouring the patroness of the Carmelite Order, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This year, our Carmelite sisters held the celebration called ‘Be touched by Mary… A moment of intimacy with your heavenly Mother’, at the Carmelite Chapel at Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, and welcomed all the faithful to participate.
The event started at 4.00 pm, with the Carmelite sisters and the facilitating team leading the congregation through a medley of songs, short insightful reflections, and prayers.
Members of the congregation were then invited to present flowers to Our Lady and thereafter to receive a Brown Scapular that has already been blessed.
Historically, the Brown Scapular originated back in the late 14th century, when then Prior General of the Carmelite Order, St Simon Stock, received a large brown scapular from Our Lady in a vision. The Scapular later became part of the habit worn by Carmelites. Today, it is a silent prayer devotion that symbolises our veneration and trust in the protection of Our Lady and can be worn by everyone, including non-Catholics, with the promise of Our Lady that “Whoever dies invested with this Scapular shall be preserved from the eternal flames. It is a sign of salvation, a sure safeguard in danger, a pledge of peace and of my special protection until the end of the ages.”.
The proper way to wear the Scapular is over the shoulders such that one part hangs over the chest, and the other part over the back.
Additionally, for Catholics who are interested, a ceremony for the investiture in the Brown Scapular will be held on 22 October 2023 at the Carmelite Chapel at the end of the Sunday Mass.
In the next part of the celebration, our Carmelite Sisters led the congregation through Vespers or a liturgy of evening prayers expressed in song. Vespers is a meditation on God’s word, glorifying and praising God for His love for us, and seeking His help for the needs of the world. This was a solemn and deeply spiritual experience, especially for the uninitiated in the audience.
The event ended with all participants invited to partake in light refreshments and fellowship.
