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[Vickie IA]

In chat we had been discussing the way people dress when they go to Mass and in general. (this was the discussion of Tues 3/6/07) And I mentioned that Mary (the Virgin Mary) had said in some apparition that when women dress they should dress as to cover any place where their scapulars would or could show from under their clothing. I could not remember where I saw this comment and spent a good deal of the night researching it since most of my saved religious resources have been given away or thrown out. I received a brown scapular in the late 80's or early 90's and I believe that the quote or remark was printed on the leaflet that came with the scapular (which I saved for a few years but gave away after I had kept it a while).
It was also mentioned by one of the chatters that we do not have to wear scapulars and that it is a practice not a thing we have to do. Well that was not my comment in any way! I had been talking about modesty and the way women should dress in all circumstances. The comment about the scapular was simply that-  a comment from something I had read about women dressing modestly. So here is what I found in my 3 hours search for that quote:
Our Sorrowful and Immaculate Mother, who in all her apparitions is fully covered, is presented by her divine Son to us as the perfect model of modesty and purity.  She is terribly saddened by the immodest and impure conduct so prevalent in our society.  Our Lord speaks to us through His Blessed Mother in condemning the modern trends of uncovering the body.  In fact, Our Lady came down from heaven to warn against this disrobing trend.  Listen to what she revealed to little ten-year-old Jacinta of Fatima while she was dying in a hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1920:  "Certain fashions will be introduced which will offend Our Divine Lord very much.  Those who serve God ought not to follow these fashions.  Our Lord is always the same."  And she also revealed to Jacinta that "the sins that lead most souls to hell are the sins of the flesh."
http://olrl.org/virtues/modesty.shtml
Also is this website that talks about the way women should dress because of this plea from Mary:
http://www.salvemariaregina.info/Modesty.html
These are Marylike standards for modesty in dressing.
This is the closest to the comment I made earlier.

[jonij]

You are definitely on the right track here.  St. Paul wrote about not causing our brother to stumble.  I've often wondered how any man can concentrate on worship and focus on the Eucharist when a woman two pews in front of him is wearing clothing too tight/too revealing/too...whatever.  There are certainly ways to look fashionable, not dowdy, without giving our brother cause to revisit the confessional before he can receive Eucharist!   

Thank you for giving the account of the Blessed Mother's message as well.  She is certainly our model for decency and purity!

As a side question, can you explain what a scapular is, and what it is for?  I have seen them, but am not sure what the purpose of them is?

[Vickie IA]

This is a quote from New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia--
Scapular
I. NAME, MEANING, AND ORIGIN
The scapular (from Latin, scapula, shoulder) forms a part, and now the most important part, of the habit of the monastic orders. Other orders and numerous religious congregations (both male and female) have also adopted the scapular from the monastic orders. It is usually worn over the habit or soutane.

The small scapulars consist essentially of two quadrilateral segments of woolen cloth (about two and three-quarter inches long by two inches wide), connected with each other by two strings or bands in such a manner that, when the bands rest on the shoulders, the front segment rests before the breast, while the other hangs down an equal distance at the back.

For more information on scapulars you can check out the entire segment on scapulars at New Advent.
I hope this helped some??? vickie

[jonij]

Yes, it does.  Thank you so much.  I also asked the same question re:  scapulars on the thread where Dn. Anthony answers questions.  He gave a very detailed answer, too.  I'm so new to all of this.  I appreciate everyone's helpfulness!

[Vickie IA]

I am glad it helped, I tried to keep it as simple as I could! God Bless. Vickie