The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-04-13
that like its founders, it is the same
yesterday, today and forever.


| IA vi LuC IL 1911 GCC1CS4-
astical Record asks number of peril
nent questions concerning of medal
scapulars, and the Rev. Thomas
O'Doherty, of Maynooth College, an
swers these questions in a recent is
sue of the Record.
Rev. Dear Sir: Will you kindly
answer enclosed questions regarding
medalscapulars. They are not specu-
lative doubts, but have arisen from
actual experience.
1. Must the medal-scapular be
blessed for one particular person, or
may it be blessed for any one who has
been properly invested with the scapu-
lar?
2. When a priest blesses medal
scapulars publicly in the church, may
any person hold several in his hands
for the blessing with the intention of
giving them to persons already invest
ed, and must he have these persons
in mind at the time of blessing?
3. May person have a dozen or
more of medal-scapulars blessed for
himself, and use them indiscriminate-
ly, so that in changing his clothes he
may always be sure to have one about
his person?
4. May a person wear a medal
scapular in the day time and the soap
ular at night, or vice versa?
5. May a person change at any
time from wearing the medal to the
scapular or vice versa?
6. May person wear medalscap-
ular blessed for somebody else, or is
the blessing personal?
These queries are very pertinent
and practical. Our opinion on the
points involved will be based on the
motive which prompted the issue Of
the Decree on the terms of the Decree
itself, and On such commentaries on
it as we have been able to consult.
It is the express wish of the Holy
Father that scapulars should still con-
tinue to be worn in the same way as
formerly. In compliance, however,
with request frequently conveyed to
him, he grants the privilege of wear
ing medal-scapular instead. Now, it
seems reasonable to suppose that a
person may or may not avail of this
privilege just as he pleases. When
and as often as he wears the scapular
itself he is acting more in conformity
with the desire of the Holy Father;
but he may use the medal-scapular
if at any time he finds it more con-
venient. The answer, therefore, to
two of our correspondents queries a
and s. is sufficiently evident. A per-
son may wear scapular during the
day time and a medal scapular at
night, or vice versa. He may also
change ad libitum from wearing the
medal to the scapular, Or the re-
verse.
AS a guide to the solution of the
other questions raised, it will be use
full to set forth the following points
in the Decree regarding the blessing
Of the medal. l. The priest who
blesses the medal must have the
power to enroll in the scapular, or
or scapulars the wearing of which it
is intended to replace. 2. The per-
son who wishes to use it must have
been actually enrolled at the time
the medal was blessed. These are
the only restrictions imposed by
the Decree. Father Hilgers, whose
opinion from his position as Consulta-
tor on Indulgences is of the highest
value, distinctly lays down that the
medal need not be blessed in the pres
ence of the person who is to wear it.
All that seems to be necessary, there
fore, in order to gain the indulgences,
is that person wear medal which
de facto has been blessed under the
conditions stated. 1t may be observed,
however, that it would be dangerous
practice to bless number of medals
to be afterwards distributed even to
persons who were enrolled at the
time of the blessing. For mistake
the time of the blessing or the time of
the enrolment, and SO people would be
exposed to the danger of losing their
indulgences.
| All that is necessary to attend to, in
our opinion, is the purpose for which,
|
medal-scapular is intended; and this
will serve as a sufficient answer to the
first and sixth questions proposed. 1t
| is only necessary to insist again on
the danger involved in the practice
which these questions suggest. The
danger, as is manifest, is all the great
er if the medal is intended to be worn
as a substitute for several scapulars.
Hence, in practice, it would be safer
for each one to have his own medal
blessed for himself. Save for this
reason, there seems to be no reason
why person should not hold several
scapulars in his hand, as suggested by
the second question while the priest
is imparting the blessing or blessings,
even though the persons for whom
they are intended are not distinctly,
or at all, before the mind of the holder.
This is especially true when the med
ais are blessed for one particular