In the late twelfth century, several Christian hermits living in the Holy Land gathered together and decided to build a common chapel, which they dedicated to the Blessed Mother under the title “Lady of the Place.” By the fifteenth century, after St. Simon Stock received a vision of Our Lady demonstrating the spiritual benefits of the Brown Scapular, the Carmelite order officially adopted her as their patroness as Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The Blessed Mother, of course, is a perfect role model for any religious community, but to the Carmelites, she is the epitome of prayer and contemplation. St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross both wrote different detailed accounts of the contemplative pathway – St. Teresa through the interior castle, comprised of steps or ladders toward perfect union, and St. John by way of the Purgative, Illuminative, and ultimately Unitive Ways.

Devotees and those formally part of the Carmelite spirituality and order begin deepening their spiritual journeys at the beginning – the Purgative Way. Because of the devotion to the Brown Scapular, Carmelites view Our Lady of Mount Carmel as an imperative companion to those in need of purification, particularly in Purgatory.

Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi wrote a beautiful explanation of how Carmelites view Our Lady of Mount Carmel:

If we gaze into Mary’s soul, we shall see that grace in her has flowered into a spiritual life of incalculable wealth: a life of recollection, prayer, uninterrupted oblation to God, continual contact, and intimate union with him. Mary’s soul is a sanctuary reserved for God alone, where no human creature has ever left its trace, where love and zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of mankind reign supreme. […] Those who want to live their devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to the full must follow Mary into the depths of her interior life. Carmel is the symbol of the contemplative life, the life wholly dedicated to the quest for God, wholly orientated towards intimacy with God; and the one who has best realized this highest of ideals is Our Lady herself, “Queen and Splendor of Carmel”.

NOVENA PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein that you are my Mother.

O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succor me in this my necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. O show me herein that you are my Mother.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us that have recourse to thee. (Repeat three times)

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (Repeat three times)

We celebrate the Feast of Our lady of Mount Carmel on July 16.