John Paul II recommends the scapular of Carmel

In the sign of the Scapular an effective synthesis of Marian spirituality is highlighted, which nourishes the devotion of believers, making them sensitive to the loving presence of the Virgin Mother in their life. The Scapular is essentially a 'habit'. Those who receive it are aggregated or associated in a more or less intimate degree with the Order of Carmel, dedicated to the service of Our Lady for the good of the whole Church (see Formula for the imposition of the Scapular, in the Rite of Blessing and imposition of the Scapular ', approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 5/1/1996). Whoever wears the Scapular is then introduced to the land of Carmel, to 'eat its fruits and products' (cf. Jer 2,7: XNUMX), and experience the sweet and maternal presence of Mary, in the daily commitment to put on Jesus Christ internally and to manifest it alive in itself for the good of the Church and of all humanity (cf. Formula of the imposition of the Scapular, cit.).

“Two, therefore, are the truths evoked in the sign of the Scapular: on the one hand, the continuous protection of the Blessed Virgin, not only along the path of life, but also in the moment of transit towards the fullness of eternal glory; on the other, the awareness that devotion to her cannot be limited to prayers and respects in her honor in some circumstances, but must constitute a 'habit', that is, a permanent address of one's Christian conduct, interwoven with prayer and interior life , through the frequent practice of the sacraments and the concrete exercise of works of spiritual and corporal mercy. In this way the Scapular becomes a sign of 'covenant' and of mutual communion between Mary and the faithful: in fact it translates in a concrete way the delivery that Jesus on the cross made to John, and in him to all of us, of his Mother, and the entrustment of the beloved apostle and of us to her, constituted our spiritual Mother.

“Of this Marian spirituality, which shapes people internally and configures them to Christ, the firstborn of many brothers, the testimonies of holiness and wisdom of so many Saints and Saints of Carmel are a splendid example, all grown up in the shade and under the tutelage of the mother.

I too have carried the Scapular of Carmine on my heart for a long time! For the love I have for the common heavenly Mother, whose protection I continually experience, I hope that this Marian year will help all the men and women religious of Carmel and the most faithful who venerate her filially, to grow in her love and to radiate in the world the presence of this Woman of silence and prayer, invoked as Mother of mercy, Mother of hope and grace "(Letter message of John Paul II to the Order of Carmel, 2532001, in L'Osservatore Romano, 262713/2001) .

EXAMPLES OF CONVERSION AND MIRACLES
The Scapular is not only an instrument that guarantees us divine indulgence in the instant of the last breath. It is also "a sacramental" which attracts divine blessings on those who use it with piety and devotion. Countless miracles and conversions have demonstrated its spiritual effectiveness among the faithful. In the "Chronicles of Carmel" we find countless examples. Let's just see some of them:

L. “On the same day that Saint Simon Stock received the Scapular and the promise from the Mother of God, he was called to assist a dying man who was desperate. When he arrived, he put on the poor man the Scapular he had just received, asking Our Lady to keep the promise she had just made to him. Immediately the unrepentant repented, confessed and died in the grace of God.

2 “Sant'Alfonso de 'Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists, died in 1787 with the Scapular of Carmel. When the beatification process of the holy bishop was started, when his mound was opened, it was found that the body was reduced to ashes, as well as his habit; only his Scapular was completely intact. This precious relic is preserved in the Monastery of Sant'Alfonso, in Rome. The same phenomenon of conservation of the scapular occurred when the tumulus of St. John Bosco was opened, almost a century later. ”An elderly man was hospitalized in the Belleview hospital in New York. The nurse who assisted him, seeing a dark chestnut colored Scapular over his robes, immediately thought of calling a priest. While the latter recited the prayer of the dying, the patient opened his eyes and said: "Father, I am not a Catholic". "So why do you use this Scapular?" "I promised a friend that I would always use it and pray to an Ave Maria every day." “But you're on the verge of death. Don't you want to become a Catholic? " “Yes, Father, I want it. I have wished for it all my life. " The 1st priest quickly prepared, baptized and administered the last sacraments. A short time later the poor gentleman died sweetly. The Most Holy Virgin had taken under her protection that poor soul who wore his shield. " (The Scapular of Monte Carmelo Edizioni Segn, Udine, 1971)