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| Saint Simon Stock, Pray for us ! |
⛪ Saint of the Day : May 16
⛪ Born :
• c.1165 in Aylesford, County Kent, England
⛪ Died :
• 16 May 1265 in the Carmelite monastery at Bordeaux, France of natural causes while on a visit • Skull transferred to the Carmelite friary in Aylesford, England in 1951
⛪ Canonized :
• Never formally Canonized • Venerated by the Carmelites since at least 1564 • The Vatican has approved Carmelite celebration of his feast
⛪ Patronage : Bordeaux, France
⛪ Symbols :
• Carmelite friar holding a scapular • Carmelite friar receiving the scapular from the Blessed Virgin • Carmelite friar surrounded by and praying for souls in Purgatory • Elderly man in a Carmelite habit in prayer
He was descended of a good family in Kent. From his infancy he turned all his thoughts and affections to attain to the most perfect love of God, and studied to devote all his moments to this glorious pursuit. In this earnest desire, in the twelfth year of his age, he retired into a wilderness, and ch 15ose for his dwelling a great hollow oak tree; whence the surname of Stock was given him. Whilst he here mortified his flesh with fasting and other severities he nourished his soul with spiritual dainties in continual prayer. His drink was only water; and he never touched any other food but herbs, roots, and wild apples. Whilst he led this course of life, he was invited by a divine revelation to embrace the rule of certain religious men who were coming from Palestine into England. Albert, the holy patriarch of Jerusalem, having given a written rule to the Carmelite friars about the year 1205, some brothers of this Order were soon after brought over from Mount Carmel by John Lord Vescy and Richard Lord Gray of Codnor, when they returned from the Holy Land. These noblemen some time after settled them, the latter in the wood of Aylesford, near Rochester in Kent, the former in the forest of Holme, near Alnewick in Northumberland; which houses continued the two most famous convents of this Order in England till their dissolution in the thirty-third year of the reign of Henry VIII. But we are assured by Bale, who before his apostacy was himself a friar of the English province of this Order, and by Lambert, and Weaver in their accurate descriptions of the Antiquities of Kent, that the first or most ancient convent of these friars in England was that of Newenden in Kent, which was founded for them by Sir Thomas Archer or Fitz-Aucher, whose family flourished for many centuries upon that manor. The first arrival of these friars in England is placed in the Annals of the Order, quoted by F. Cosmos de Villiers in 1212. Simon who had then lived a recluse twenty years, imitating the Macariuses and Arseniuses in the most heroic practices of penance and contemplation, was much affected with the devotion of these servants of God to the Blessed Virgin, their edifying deportment, and their eremitical austere institute, and joined their holy company before the end of the year 1212. After his admission he was sent to Oxford to finish his studies; and having run through his academical course he returned to his convent where so bright was the example of his piety, that the virtue of the rest seemed to suffer an eclipse by the extraordinary lustre of his sanctity. Such was his reputation that in 1215 Brocard, prior of Mount Carmel, and general of the Order, appointed him vicar-general, with full power over all the western provinces. Many clamours being raised against this institute, Saint Simon repaired to Rome in 1226, and obtained from Pope Honorius III a confirmation of the rule given to this Order by Albertus; and another from Gregory IX in 1229. Some years after Saint Simon paid a visit to his brethren on Mount Carmel, and remained six years in Palestine, where, in 1237, he assisted at the general chapter of the Order held by Alanus the fifth general. In this assembly it was decreed, that the greater part of the brethren should pass into Europe, their settlements in the East being continually disturbed by the persecutions, oppressions, or threats of the Saracens. In 1240 many were sent to England, and in 1244, Alanus himself with Saint Simon, having nominated Hilarion his vicar on Mount Carmel and in Palestine, followed them thither, there being already five monasteries of the Order erected in this island.
In a general chapter held at Aylesford in 1245, Alanus resigning his dignity, Saint Simon was chosen the sixth general, and in the same year procured a new confirmation of the rule by Pope Innocent IV. who at the saint’s request received this Order under the special protection of the Holy See in 1251. Saint Simon established houses in most parts of Europe; but this institute nourished no where with so great splendour and edification as in England, and continued so to do for several ages, as the Annals of the Order take notice. Saint Simon soon after he was promoted to the dignity of general, instituted the confraternity of the Scapular, to unite the devout clients of the Blessed Virgin in certain regular exercises of religion and piety. Several Carmelite writers assure us that he was admonished by the Mother of God in a vision, with which he was favoured on the 16th of July, to establish this devotion. This confraternity has been approved, and favoured with many privileges by several popes. The rules prescribe, without any obligation or precept, that the members wear a little scapular, at least secretly, as the symbol of the Order, and that they recite every day the office of our Lady, or the office of the church; or, if they cannot read, seven times the Pater, Ave, and Gloria Patria, in lieu of the seven canonical hours; and lastly, that they abstain from flesh-meat on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, or, if this cannot be done, that they double for each of these days, the seven Paters, etc. Saint Simon cured several sick persons by giving them the scapular; the reputation of which miracles moved Edward I. king of England, Saint Lewis of France, and many others, to enroll their names in this confraternity.
Saint Simon governed the Order with great sanctity and prudence during twenty years, and propagated it exceedingly from England over all Europe; being himself famous for his eminent virtue, and a great gift of miracles and prophecy. He wrote several hymns and decrees for his Order, and several other useful things for its service, says Leland. At length, in the hundredth year of his age, having a call to France, he sailed to Bourdeaux, where God put an end to his labours some months after his arrival in 1265, on the 16th of July. He was buried in the cathedral of that city, and honoured among the saints soon after his death. Pope Nicholas III granted an office to be celebrated in his honour at Bourdeaux on the 16th of May, which Paul V extended to the whole Order.
Source : Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
MARY’S PROMISE TO THOSE WHO WEAR THE SCAPULAR
Our Lady gave St. Simon a scapular for the Carmelites with the following promise, saying : Receive, My beloved son, this habit of thy order: this shall be to thee and to all Carmelites a privilege, that whosoever dies clothed in this shall never suffer eternal fire …. It shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger, and a pledge of peace.
Another important aspect of wearing the Scapular is the Sabbatine Privilege. This concerns a promise made by Our Lady to Pope John XXII. In a papal letter he issued, he recounted a vision that he had had. He stated that the Blessed Virgin had said to him in this vision, concerning those who wear the Brown Scapular: “I, the Mother of Grace, shall descend on the Saturday after their death and whomsoever I shall find in Purgatory, I shall free, so that I may lead them to the holy mountain of life everlasting.”
CONDITIONS AND RITUALS ATTACHED TO THE SCAPULAR
According to Church tradition, there are three conditions necessary to participate in this Privilege and share in the other spiritual benefits of the Scapular: wear the Brown Scapular, observe chastity according to your state in life, and pray the Rosary. In addition to the Sabbatine Privilege, enrollment in the Brown Scapular also makes a person part of the Carmelite family throughout the world. They therefore share in all of the prayers and good works of the Carmelite Orders. Participation in the Carmelite family also, of course, places you in a special relationship with the Carmelite saints, especially St. Elijah, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux, and, most importantly, Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
In order to receive the spiritual blessings associated with the Scapular, it is necessary to be formally enrolled in the Brown Scapular by either a priest or a lay person who has been given this faculty. Once enrolled, the enrollment is for life and need not be repeated. Anyone, adult or infant, who has not previously been enrolled may be enrolled in the Brown Scapular.
VALUE AND MEANING OF THE SCAPULAR
Many popes and saints have strongly recommended wearing, the Brown Scapular to the Catholic Faithful, including St. Robert Bellarmine, Pope John XXII, Pope Pius Xl, and Pope Benedict XV. For example, St. Alphonsus said: “Just as men take pride in having others wear their livery, so the Most Holy Mary is pleased when Her servants wear Her Scapular as a mark that they have dedicated themselves to Her service, and are members of the Family of the Mother of God.”
Pope Pius XII went so far as to say: “The Scapular is a practice of piety which by its very simplicity is suited to everyone, and has spread widely among the faithful of Christ to their spiritual profit.” In our own times, Pope Paul VI said: “Let the faithful hold in high esteem the practices and devotions to the Blessed Virgin … the Rosary and the Scapular of Carmel” and in another place referred to the Scapular as: “so highly recommended by our illustrious predecessors.”
