My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
On July 16, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Personally, I have a very special devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and the feast is also so much a part of the life of our diocese, especially at the parish of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Williamsburg. It has been my tradition to celebrate one of the Feast Day Masses and join in one of the two processions on that day through the neighborhood.
Several years ago while walking in the procession, I noticed two young people carrying a small child walking in front of me. It was a very warm day and, in fact, the tar from the streets stuck to my shoes. These two tattooed people wearing short shorts and sleeveless shirts were walking barefoot. My curiosity got the best of me and I asked them simply, “Why are you walking without shoes on this hot day?” Without hesitation the woman responded, “I am doing this for my grandmother.”
I had not seen anyone walking barefoot in a Mt. Carmel procession since I was a teenager in Newark, New Jersey. At that time, many older women would walk barefoot or in stocking feet while following the procession of their favorite saint – a tradition which came from the local Italian parish of St. Lucy in Newark. At an early age, it was explained to me that these women were fulfilling promises or vows they made to their favorite saint, especially Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, for a grace or favor they had received. Every year, they faithfully walked barefoot in the procession.
This case in Williamsburg, however, was a bit different as it was not for any favor the couple had received, but rather to honor their grandmother who each year had walked barefoot in this procession. I am not sure if they understood why, but they had received at least this practice of the faith from someone they loved and continued the practice long after her death.
The lesson I received from this incident is that faith is transmitted from generation to generation. There is no more effective way to transfer our faith than by example, the example of parents and grandparents. Unfortunately, this is what we lack today, since so many parents of our children are not practicing the faith and the transmission of faith is happening with great difficulty.
Devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is a special one for me, as it came to me from my grandmother who was especially devoted to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. As a young boy, she took me to the Mass for the Mt. Carmel Society to which she belonged and together we marched in the yearly procession. These occasions made a great impression upon me as a young boy as I witnessed so many people expressing their faith with such devotion and sincerity.
Eventually, when I was ordained a transitional deacon, I was assigned to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in the Ironbound section of Newark. And for the six years while I was working at the USCCB in Washington, D.C., I returned to that parish and served there on weekends. When I returned to the Archdiocese of Newark, I was in residence at this parish. At the time of my ordination as auxiliary bishop of Newark, I was appointed its pastor. Each year, I am invited back to celebrate the Vigil Mass on July 15 which is a special Mass of Healing and Anointing of the Sick. Since most of the parishioners have now grown very old, it seems as if everyone comes up for the anointing. I am privileged to preach the homily each year regarding devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
This Year of Mercy declared by our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is a year when we can concentrate on Mary, Queen of Carmel and Mother of Mercy, as we call upon her in the Hail Holy Queen. Mary shows her special mercy to those devoted to her by fulfilling the promises given to St. Simon Stock, known as the Sabbatine Privilege. Sometimes this is a misunderstood part of the devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, because Mary promised that those who would wear a brown scapular, recite the Rosary daily and live a life of purity as dictated by their state of life, would not suffer long in Purgatory because on the first Saturday after their death Mary would rescue them from the fires of Purgatory.
The concept of Purgatory is sometimes also misunderstood. It is a time of purification and prepares us for our final contemplation of the Beatific Vision for all eternity. Fire is a symbol of purification and longing when we are separated from God. Mary, Mother of Mercy and Queen of Carmel, promises that those devoted to her receive the special privilege, one that makes sense since the requirements are not in any way superstitious but rather solid spiritual advice.
This year, I will also celebrate Mass in the evening of the Feast Day for the Carmelite Sisters at the Carmelite Monastery in Brooklyn, which is situated next to our Saint John Paul II House of Discernment. Our diocese has had the privilege of having the reestablishment of this cloistered monastery for over 12 years. The Sisters attract many who are devoted to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. I believe that the success of our House of Discernment, located next door, is due to the fact that I asked the Sisters to pray each day that those living in the House could discern a vocation to the priesthood. Half of those ordained this past June passed through the House of Discernment and 85 percent of those who lived there have gone on to the major seminary. The power of prayer can never be underestimated.
Devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is truly a test of faith and an exercise of putting out into the deep because to believe the promise of Mary is to abandon ourselves to she who is the Queen of Carmel and the Mother of Mercy. Recognizing the simple things that Mary requests can be for us the path to eternity with God who is all love.
Follow Bishop DiMarzio
