Today, May 16th we commemorate St. Simon Stock from the 12th Century. It is alleged that Simon lived as a hermit in the hallow bark of an oak tree from the tender age of twelve, hence the name “Stock.” He later joined the Carmelite Order while visiting the Holy Land. He was a very devoted and holy soul and helped establish the order more firmly in England. He was best known for his affiliation with the Brown Scapular. Our Lady appeared to St. Simon on July 16th, 1251 and gave him the Brown Scapular promising that those wearing the Brown Scapular, protection and She promised, those who die wearing the scapular to take to Heaven on the first Saturday, formally known as the “Sabbatine Privilege.”
The Blessed Virgin assigned certain conditions which must be fulfilled:
1.Wear the Brown Scapular continuously.
2.Observe chastity according to one’s state in life (married/single).
3.Recite daily the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin OR Observe the fasts of the Church together with abstaining from meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays OR With permission of a priest, say five decades of Our Lady’s Most Holy Rosary OR With permission of a priest, substitute some other good work.
The Brown Scapular devotion spread quickly among the laity, becoming one of the most widespread sacramentals in the Catholic Church.
How is the Brown Scapular related to Our Lady of Fatima? In Our Lady’s final apparition on October 13, 1917, and also where she gave the “Miracle of the Sun” that proved her apparitions at Fatima, Portugal, she came as “Our Lady of Mount Carmel”, holding out the Brown Scapular. This was a sign to wear the Brown Scapular. This was just as important as what she said at the other apparitions of Fatima, to make reparation to Her Immaculate Heart; by doing the Five First Saturdays, pray the daily Holy Rosary and pray for the Pope to do the consecration of Russia properly.
In fact, Pope Pius XII urged the wearing of the scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel “As an expression of one’s consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” The oldest visionary known as Lucia, “Lucy” said, “At the end, the Virgin who appeared to me ‘seemed to me to be Our Lady of Mount Carmel,” If the Blessed Virgin held it in her hands, it was to encourage us to wear it, just as the presence of her rosary in the previous apparitions had clearly manifested the wishes of her Heart. The scapular and the rosary are inseparable.
Sources:
https://www.sistersofcarmel.com/
https://fatima.org/
2nd Edition “ Our Lady of Fatima Pilgrim Statue Devotional Book” SSPX