SAINT SIMON STOCK
Général des Carmes
(1164-1265)
Anglais d'origine, saint Simon Stock naquit d'une très illustre famille du Kent dont son père était gouverneur. Lorsqu'elle le portait, sa mère le consacra à la Sainte Vierge. On le voyait souvent tressaillir entre les bras de sa mère lorqu'elle prononçait le doux nom de Marie. Pour apaiser ses cris et ses pleurs, il suffisait de lui présenter une image de la très Sainte Vierge Marie. Il n'avait pas encore un an qu'on l'entendit plusieurs fois articuler distinctement la salutation angélique. Cette dévotion précoce ne peut provenir que d'un mouvement extraordinaire de l'Esprit-Saint.
A douze ans, Simon se retira au désert dans le creux d'un arbre, d'où lui vint le surnom de Stock qui signifie "tronc", en langue anglaise. Sa nourriture consistait en herbes crues, quelques racines et pommes sauvages, un peu d'eau claire lui servait de breuvage. Son habit se composait de ronces et de chardons qu'il serrait étroitement sur sa chair nue.
Renchérissant sur ces mortifications volontaires, il se frappait avec des fouets garnis d'épines très piquantes. Bien que le tronc d'arbre où il avait élu domicile ne lui offrait pas la liberté de s'étendre pour dormir, il prenait son bref repos dans ce gîte précaire. Au sein de cette retraite sauvage, ses prières montaient sans interruption vers le ciel. Saint Simon Stock passa vingt ans dans la plus entière solitude, nourrissant son âme des célestes délices de la contemplation.
S'étant privé volontairement de la conversation des hommes, il jouissait de celle de la Très Sainte Vierge Marie et des anges qui l'exhortaient à persévérer dans sa vie de renoncement et d'amour. La Reine du Ciel l'avertit qu'il verrait bientôt débarquer en Angleterre des ermites de la Palestine. Elle ajouta qu'il devait s'associer à ces hommes qu'Elle considérait comme Ses serviteurs.
En effet, Jean lord Vesoy et Richard lord Gray de Codnor revinrent de Terre Sainte, ramenant en effet avec eux quelques ermites du Mont-Carmel. Docile aux directives de la Mère de Dieu, saint Simon Stock se joignit à ces Pères, en 1212.
Élu vicaire général de l'Ordre des Carmes en 1215, le Saint travailla de toutes ses forces à obtenir de Rome la confirmation de son Ordre pour l'Occident. Il ne manquait pas d'adversaires pour en empêcher l'extension en Europe. Mais Simon Stock supplia la Vierge Marie par d'instantes prières et beaucoup de larmes de défendre Elle-même cet Ordre qui Lui était consacré. Apparaissant en songe au pape Honorius III, la Mère de Dieu lui fit connaître Ses volontés, et en 1226, ce pape confirma la Règle des Carmes.
La Mère de miséricorde apparut un jour à Son serviteur, toute éclatante de lumière et accompagnée d'un grand nombre d'esprits bienheureux, Elle lui remit un scapulaire en disant: «Reçois Mon fils ce scapulaire, comme le signe d'une étroite alliance avec Moi. Je te le donne pour habit de ton ordre; ce sera pour toi et pour tous les Carmes un excellent privilège et celui qui le portera ne souffrira jamais l'embrasement éternel. C'est la marque du salut dans les dangers et de l'heureuse possession de la vie qui n'aura jamais de fin.»
La dévotion au scapulaire de Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel se répandit non seulement parmi le peuple, mais aussi parmi les rois et les princes qui se trouvèrent fort honorés de porter cette marque des serviteurs de la Très Sainte Vierge.
Saint Simon Stock, présent au concile général de Lyon tenu sous le règne du pape Innocent IV, y prononça un éloquent discours contre les divisions qui agitaient alors l'Église. Il mourut dans la vingtième année de son généralat et la centième de son âge, après avoir laissé d'admirables exemples de vertu. La mort le cueillit dans la ville de Bordeaux, alors qu'il visitait ses monastères. L'Église ajouta ses dernières paroles à la salutation angélique: «Sainte Marie, Mère de Dieu, priez pour nous pécheurs, maintenant et à l'heure de notre mort.»
Tiré de Mgr Paul Guérin, édition 1863, p. 229-233 -- Résumé O.D.M. -- Bollandistes, Paris, éd. 1874, tome V, p. 582
SOURCE : http://magnificat.ca/cal/fr/saints/saint_simon_stock.html
Saint Simon Stock
Général des Carmes (1164-1265)
Anglais d’origine, saint Simon Stock naquit d’une très illustre famille du Kent dont son père était gouverneur. Lorsqu’elle le portait, sa mère le consacra à la Sainte Vierge. On le voyait souvent tressaillir entre les bras de sa mère lorqu’elle prononçait le doux nom de Marie. Pour apaiser ses cris et ses pleurs, il suffisait de lui présenter une image de la Vierge Marie. Il n’avait pas encore un an qu’on l’entendit plusieurs fois articuler distinctement la salutation angélique. Cette dévotion précoce ne peut provenir que d’un mouvement extraordinaire de l’Esprit-Saint.
A douze ans, Simon se retira au désert dans le creux d’un arbre, d’où lui vint le surnom de Stock qui signifie "tronc", en langue anglaise. Sa nourriture consistait en herbes crues, quelques racines et pommes sauvages, un peu d’eau claire lui servait de breuvage.
Bien que le tronc d’arbre où il avait élu domicile ne lui offrait pas la liberté de s’étendre pour dormir, il prenait son bref repos dans ce gîte précaire. Au sein de cette retraite sauvage, ses prières montaient sans interruption vers le ciel. Saint Simon Stock passa vingt ans dans la plus entière solitude, nourrissant son âme des célestes délices de la contemplation.
S’étant privé volontairement de la conversation des hommes, il jouissait de celle de la Vierge Marie et des anges qui l’exhortaient à persévérer dans sa vie de renoncement et d’amour. La Reine du Ciel l’avertit qu’il verrait bientôt débarquer en Angleterre des ermites de la Palestine. Elle ajouta qu’il devait s’associer à ces hommes qu’elle considérait comme ses serviteurs.
En effet, Jean lord Vesoy et Richard lord Gray de Codnor revinrent de Terre Sainte, ramenant en effet avec eux quelques ermites du Mont-Carmel. Docile aux directives de la Mère de Dieu, saint Simon Stock se joignit à ces Pères, en 1212.
Élu vicaire général de l’Ordre des Carmes en 1215, le Saint travailla de toutes ses forces à obtenir de Rome la confirmation de son Ordre pour l’Occident. Il ne manquait pas d’adversaires pour en empêcher l’extension en Europe. Mais Simon Stock supplia la Vierge Marie par d’instantes prières et beaucoup de larmes de défendre elle-même cet Ordre qui lui était consacré. Apparaissant en songe au pape Honorius III, la Mère de Dieu lui fit connaître ses volontés, et en 1226, ce pape confirma la Règle des Carmes.
La vierge apparut un jour à son serviteur, toute éclatante de lumière et accompagnée d’un grand nombre d’esprits bienheureux, Elle lui remit un scapulaire en disant : « Reçois mon fils ce scapulaire, comme le signe d’une étroite alliance avec moi. Je te le donne pour habit de ton ordre ; ce sera pour toi et pour tous les Carmes un excellent privilège et celui qui le portera ne souffrira jamais l’embrasement éternel. C’est la marque du salut dans les dangers et de l’heureuse possession de la vie qui n’aura jamais de fin. »
La dévotion au scapulaire de Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel se répandit non seulement parmi le peuple, mais aussi parmi les rois et les princes qui se trouvèrent fort honorés de porter cette marque des serviteurs de la Vierge.
Saint Simon Stock, présent au concile général de Lyon tenu sous le règne du pape Innocent IV, y prononça un éloquent discours contre les divisions qui agitaient alors l’Église. Il mourut dans la vingtième année de son généralat et la centième de son âge, après avoir laissé d’admirables exemples de vertu. La mort le cueillit dans la ville de Bordeaux, alors qu’il visitait ses monastères. L’Église ajouta ses dernières paroles à la salutation angélique : « Sainte Marie, Mère de Dieu, priez pour nous pécheurs, maintenant et à l’heure de notre mort. »
SOURCE : http://viechretienne.catholique.org/saints/1502-saint-simon-stock
Nicolas Mignard. La Vierge remettant le scapulaire à saint Simon Stock.
1644. Huile sur toile, 273 × 212, Avignon, Musée Calvet.
Bienheureux Simon Stock
carme anglais (✝ v. 1265)
Carme anglais du XIIIe siècle qui reçut de la Vierge Marie le scapulaire en signe de prédilection et de protection, à une époque où l'avenir du Carmel en Europe était des plus sombres.
Il n'a pas été canonisé officiellement et est vénéré par les carmes et dans de nombreux diocèses.
"... Il mourut à Bordeaux le 16 mai 1265 au cours d'une visite qu'il effectuait des maisons de son Ordre en Aquitaine. Son culte liturgique apparaît à Bordeaux en 1435, en Irlande et en Angleterre en 1458, dans le reste de l'Ordre en 1564. Sa réputation de sainteté était étendue et à partir de 1423 il y eut de fréquents prélèvements de ses reliques, la dernière datant de 1950. Depuis son décès jusqu'en 1793 son corps fut conservé chez les carmes de Bordeaux. Durant la Révolution il fut caché par le père Soupre. Par la suite il fut déposé à la cathédrale dans la chapelle de Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel, sous l'autel de Notre-Dame de la Nef. Ainsi, par saint Simon Stock, Bordeaux se trouve étroitement relié à l'histoire de l'ordre du Carmel et au développement du culte de la Vierge. On le fête le 17 juillet, plus particulièrement à la Cathédrale Saint André." (Histoires de la sainteté en Gironde - diocèse de Bordeaux - 17 juillet)
(…)
16 mai au martyrologe romain: À Bordeaux, en 1215, le trépas du bienheureux Simon Stock, prêtre. D’abord ermite en Angleterre, il entra dans l’ordre des Carmes, qu’il dirigea admirablement. Célèbre par sa dévotion singulière envers la Vierge Marie, il mourut en visitant les couvents de son Ordre en France.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/10026/Bienheureux-Simon-Stock.html
Le don du scapulaire à l’ordre du Carmel
CONTEXTE HISTORIQUE [1] : LES ERMITES DU MONT CARMEL REVIENNENT EN EUROPE
L'Ordre du Carmel est né au tournant des XII° et XIII° siècles, dans le silence et la solitude de quelques pauvres ermitages aménagés sur le promontoire du Mont Carmel, dans le souvenir du saint prophète Elie. Après l'échec des croisades, ces ermites (qu'ils soient d'origine arabe ou européenne) viennent s'installer dans les grandes villes d'Europe médiévale. Ils n'ont pas de fondateur, pas d'appuis humains. Ils s'appuient sur la parole de Jésus « en dehors de moi, vous ne pouvez rien faire. » (Jn 15,5). Ce que chante la Vierge, en son versant positif : « Le Puissant fit pour moi des merveilles. Saint et son Nom. » (Lc 1, 49).
AUX DIFFICULTÉS INSTITUTIONNELLES DE SIMON STOCK, MARIE RÉPOND PAR UN SIGNE DU SALUT
Lors du chapitre général de 1247, l'Ordre a adopté une mouture revue de la Règle primitive et s'inscrit désormais dans la mouvance des Ordres mendiants.
Son général s'appelle Simon Stock, et suppliant Marie de l'aider dans les difficultés institutionnelles, il lui dit chaque jour :
« Fleur du Carmel, Vigne fleurie, Splendeur du Ciel, Vierge féconde, Unique, Douce Mère, mais qui ne connut pas d'homme, aux Carmes accorde tes faveurs, Etoile de la mer ».
Et un jour Marie lui apparaît, présentant le scapulaire. Elle se montre ensuite à Jacques Duèse qui deviendra le pape Jean XXII.
Ces deux visions se résument en ces termes : le scapulaire est donné à l'Ordre du Carmel pour le salut éternel[2].
Aux Carmes lui demandant de les aider dans leurs difficultés institutionnelles, la Vierge répond par une promesse portant sur la seule chose qui compte vraiment : le salut éternel.
Et le Carmel trouve sa vraie sécurité, sa fécondité en se tournant vers sa Mère, comme un enfant.
Voici le plus ancien témoignage de la vision de Simon Stock, le 16 juillet 1251 :
« Souvent Simon Stock suppliait la glorieuse Vierge Marie, Mère de Dieu et patronne de l'Ordre de doter de quelque privilège les Frères qui portent son nom.
Chaque jour d'une voix très dévote, il lui disait en ses prières :
"Fleur du Carmel, vigne fleurie, splendeur du Ciel, Vierge-Mère, Unique, Douce Mère, qui ne connus point d'homme, aux enfants du Carmel donne tes privilèges, Etoile de la Mer."
Et un jour, la glorieuse vierge Marie lui apparut accompagnée d'une multitude d'anges et lui dit :
"Voici le privilège que je donne à toi et à tous les enfants du Carmel. Quiconque meurt revêtu de cet habit sera sauvé." »[2]
La deuxième vision est attribuée à Jacques Duèse qui deviendra le pape Jean XXII, pape d'Avignon à partir de 1316. Lisons simplement l'extrait d'un récit datant de 1465 :
« Quiconque entrera dans cet Ordre et observera dévotement ce genre de vie sera sauvé éternellement et délivré de la peine et de la coulpe. Et si au jour de leur passage en l'autre vie, ils sont amenés au purgatoire, moi la Mère de la grâce, je descendrai le samedi au purgatoire après leur mort et je délivrerai ceux que j'y trouverai et les ramènerai à la montagne sainte et à la vie éternelle. »[3]
LA PROFONDE SIGNIFICATION DU SCAPULAIRE[4]
Il y a dans le geste de réception du scapulaire une merveilleuse attitude d'humilité, de simplicité, de foi, celle du petit enfant qui se laisse habiller par sa mère. [...]
Que l'habit religieux, que le signe du scapulaire, renvoient au salut, rien n'est plus normal, rien n'est plus juste. Qui dit salut, évoque nécessairement les « fins dernières », si peu prêchées aujourd'hui : la mort, le jugement, le purgatoire, l'enfer ou le paradis. Or c'est précisément à ces réalités ultimes que les promesses du scapulaire nous reconduisent. [...]
accueillir le salut, accepter de se laisser sauver (reconnaître donc que, de soi, l'on est perdu) ne consiste pas d'abord en de grandes choses. C'est humblement ouvrir une porte, celle de notre cœur, de notre liberté. Et cela peut se réaliser, se manifester, s'incarner par un petit geste tout simple comme de recourir à l'intercession, à la protection de Marie et se laisser revêtir du « vêtement du salut ». [...]
Tous les critiques, les adversaires du scapulaire du Carmel ont toujours tenu le même discours : c'est trop beau pour être vrai, c'est trop simple. Le salut ne peut s'obtenir à un prix si dérisoire ! Ce qui est certain, c'est que de notre côté le salut est radicalement hors de notre portée au seul plan naturel. Celui qui a payé le prix, c'est le Christ par la valeur infinie de son sang versé, de sa vie livrée dans l'Amour du Père. Revêtir le scapulaire, comme nous ne cessons désormais de le dire, ce n'est pas chercher un moyen magique qui fonctionnerait à côté de l'économie du salut, mais entrer pleinement dans cette économie par la médiation maternelle de la Vierge Maie. Le scapulaire ne nous dispensera bien sûr pas d'un authentique chemin de conversion ; il en sera comme l'écrin et le symbole.
LE SCAPULAIRE : UN SACRAMENTAL
Le scapulaire est un sacramental : c'est un objet béni par l'Église pour inspirer de bonnes pensées et pour augmenter la dévotion, et, plus nous avons de dévotion, plus nous recevons de grâce.
Le signe de la Croix est le principal sacramental utilisé dans l'Église, à côté duquel nous avons le Crucifix, l'eau bénite, le buis béni, les bougies, les cendres de l'entrée en carême, les images de la Bienheureuse Vierge et des Saints, le chapelet, la médaille miraculeuse.
Le catéchisme de l'Eglise catholique (§ 1667-1677) explique les sacramentaux.
N.B. Le 13 octobre 1917 l'apparition de Fatima s'est présentée à Lucie en tant que Notre Dame du Carmel (donnant le scapulaire) : on peut y voir un silencieux appel à porter son scapulaire comme un signe de consécration à son Cœur Immaculé.
[1] Cf. Fr. Philippe de Jésus-Marie, o.c.d., Le secret du Carmel, le scapulaire et la vie mariale, Editions du Carmel, Toulouse 2010, p. 5-22
[2] Ibid., p. 18
[3] Ibid., p. 19
[4] Ibid., p. 24-25
CEC : Catéchisme de l'Eglise catholique, 1998.
Synthèse Françoise Breynaert
SOURCE : http://www.mariedenazareth.com/2279.0.html?&L=0
St. Simon Stock
Born in the County of Kent, England, about 1165; died in the Carmelite monastery at Bordeaux, France, 16 May, 1265. On account of his English birth he is also called Simon Anglus.
It is said that when twelve years old he began to live as a hermit in the hollow trunk of an oak, and later to have become an itinerant preacher until he entered the Carmelite Order which had just come to England. According to the same tradition he went as a Carmelite to Rome, and from there to Mt. Carmel, where he spent several years. All that is historically certain is that in 1247 he was elected the sixth general of the Carmelites, as successor to Alan, at the first chapter held at Aylesford, England. Notwithstanding his great age he showed remarkable energy as general and did much for the benefit of the order, so that he is justly regarded as the most celebrated of its generals. During his occupancy of the office the order became widely spread in southern and western Europe, especially in England; above all, he was able to found houses in the university cities of that era, as in 1248 at Cambridge, in 1253 at Oxford, in 1260 at Paris and Bologna. This action was of the greatest importance both for the growth of the institution and for the training of its younger members. Simon was also able to gain at least the temporary approbation of Innocent IV for the altered rule of the order which had been adapted to European conditions. Nevertheless the order was greatly oppressed, and it was still struggling everywhere to secure admission, either to obtain the consent of the secular clergy, or the toleration of other orders. In these difficulties, as Guilelmus de Sanvico (shortly after 1291) relates, the monks prayed to their patroness the Blessed Virgin. "And the Virgin Mary revealed to their prior that they were to apply fearlessly to Pope Innocent, for they would receive from him an effective remedy for these difficulties". The prior followed the counsel of the Virgin, and the order received a Bull or letter of protection from Innocent IV against these molestations. It is an historical fact that Innocent IV issued this papal letter for the Carmelites under date of 13 January, 1252, at Perugia.
Later Carmelite writers give more details of such a vision and revelation. Johannes Grossi wrote his "Viridarium" about 1430, and he relates that the Mother of God appeared to Simon Stock with the scapular of the order in her hand. This scapular she gave him with the words: "Hoc erit tibi et cunctis Carmelitis privilegium, in hoc habitu moriens salvabitur" (This shall be the privilege for you and for all the Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall be saved). On account of this great privilege many distinguished Englishmen, such as King Edward II, Henry, Duke of Lancaster, and many others of the nobility secretly wore (clam portaverunt) the Carmelite scapular under their clothing and died with it on. In Grossi's narrative, however, the scapular of the order must be taken to mean the habit of the Carmelites and not as the small Carmelite scapular. As was the custom in medieval times among the other orders, the Carmelites gave their habit or at least their scapular to their benefactors and friends of high rank, that these might have a share in the privilege apparently connected with their habit or scapular by the Blessed Virgin. It is possible that the Carmelites themselves at that period wore their scapular at night in a smaller form just as they did at a later date and at the present time: namely, in about the form of the scapular for the present third order. If this is so they could give laymen their scapular in this form. At a later date, probably not until the sixteenth century, instead of the scapular of the order the small scapular was given as a token of the scapular brotherhood. Today the brotherhood regards this as its chief privilege, and one it owes to St. Simon Stock, that anyone who dies wearing the scapular is not eternally lost. In this way the chief privilege and entire history of the little Carmelite scapular is connected with the name of St. Simon Stock. There is no difficulty in granting that Grossi's narrative, related above, and the Carmelite tradition are worthy of belief, even though they have not the full value of historical proof (see SCAPULAR). That Simon himself was distinguished by special veneration of and love for the Virgin is shown by the antiphonies "Flos Carmeli" and "Ave Stella Matutina", which he wrote, and which have been adopted in the breviary of the Calced Carmelites. Besides these antiphonies other works have been incorrectly attributed to him. The first biographical accounts of Simon belong to the year 1430, but these are not entirely reliable. However, he was not at this time publicly venerated as a saint; it was not until 1435 that his feast was put in the choral books of the monastery at Bordeaux. It was introduced before 1458 into Ireland and, probably at the same time, into England; by a decree of the General Chapter of 1564 its celebration was commanded for the entire order.
APA citation. Hilgers, J. (1912). St. Simon Stock. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved May 14, 2013 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13800a.htm
MLA citation. Hilgers, Joseph. "St. Simon Stock." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 14 May 2013.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Michael C. Tinkler.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13800a.htm
SIMON STOCK
Although little is known about Simon Stock's early life, legend has it that the name Stock, meaning "tree trunk," derives from the fact that, beginning at age twelve, he lived as a hermit in a hollow tree trunk of an oak tree. It is also believed that, as a young man, he went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he joined a group of Carmelites with whom he later returned to Europe. Simon Stock founded many Carmelite Communities, especially in University towns such as Cambridge, Oxford, Paris, and Bologna, and he helped to change the Carmelites from a hermit Order to one of mendicant friars. In 1254 he was elected Superior-General of his Order at London. Simon Stock's lasting fame came from an apparition he had in Cambridge, England, on July 16, 1251, at a time when the Carmelite Order was being oppressed. In it the Virgin Mary appeared to him holding the brown scapular in one hand. Her words were: "Receive, my beloved son, this scapular of thy Order; it is the special sign of my favor, which I have obtained for thee and for thy children of Mount Carmel. He who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and a pledge of special peace and protection." The scapular (from the Latin, scapula, meaning "shoulder blade") consists of two pieces of cloth, one worn on the chest, and the other on the back, which were connected by straps or strings passing over the shoulders. In certain Orders, monks and nuns wear scapulars that reach from the shoulders almost to the ground as outer garments. Lay persons usually wear scapulars underneath their clothing; these consist of two pieces of material only a few inches square. There are elaborate rules governing the wearing of the scapular: although it may be worn by any Catholic, even an infant, the investiture must be done by a priest. And the scapular must be worn in the proper manner; if an individual neglects to wear it for a time, the benefits are forfeited. The Catholic Church has approved eighteen different kinds of scapulars of which the best known is the woolen brown scapular, or the Scapular of Mount Carmel, that the Virgin Mary bestowed on Simon Stock. His feast day is May 16th.
SOURCE : http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=746
ST. SIMON STOCK. C.
Feast: May 16
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 chose for his dwelling a great hollow oak tree; whence the surname of Stock wee given him. While 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. While 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,1 and by Lambert2 and Weaver3 in their accurate descriptions of the Antiquities of Kent, that the first or most ancient convent of these friars in England was that at Newenden in Kent, which was founded for them by Sir Thomas Archer or Fitz-Archer, 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. Cosmas de Villiers,4 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 clamors being raised against this institute, St. 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, St. 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 greatest 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 St. 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, St. 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. St. Simon established houses in most parts of Europe; but this institute flourished nowhere with so great splendor and edification as in England, and continued so to do for several ages, as the annals of the order take notice. St. 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 favored on the 16th of July, to establish this devotion." This confraternity has been approved, and favored with many privileges by several popes.5 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 Patri, 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, &c. St. Simon cured several sick persons by giving them the scapular; the reputation of which miracles moved Edward I., king of England, St. Louis of France, and many others, to enrol their names in this confraternity.
St. 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 Bordeaux, where God put an end to his labors some months after his arrival, in 1265, on the 16th of July. He was buried in the cathedral of that city, and was honored among the saints soon after his death. Pope Nicholas III. granted an office to be celebrated in his honor at Bordeaux on the 16th of May, which Paul V. extended to the whole order. See his authentic life, written soon after his death, also Stevens's Monast. Angelic. t. 2, pp. 159, 160; Leland, de Script. Brit. t. 2, c. 277, p. 294; Papebroke, t. 3, Maij, p. 653; Newcourt's Repertorium, (on the Carmelite friars,) vol. 1, p. 566; Weaver, p. 139; Fuller, b. 6, p. 271; Dugdale's Warwickshire, p. 186, ed. 1730; F. Cosmas de Villiers a S. Philippo, Bibl. Carmel. t. 2, p. 750.
Endnotes
1 Bale, Cent. xii. 20
2 P.139.
3 P.139.
4 Bibliotheca Carmelitana, ed. Anno 1752, t. 2, p. 750.
5 See the bulls of Pius V., Clement VIII., Paul V., Clement X., &c.
(Taken from Vol. V of "The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints" by the Rev. Alban Butler, the 1864 edition published by D. & J. Sadlier, & Company)
Provided Courtesy of: Eternal Word Television Network. 5817 Old Leeds Road, Irondale, AL 35210
www.ewtn.com
SOURCE : http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/SIMONSTO.HTM
ST. SIMON STOCK.
Feast Day: May 16th
SIMON was born in the county of Kent, England, and left his home when he was but twelve years of age, to live as a hermit in the hollow trunk of a tree, whence he was known as Simon of the Stock. Here he passed twenty years in penance and prayer, and learned from our Lady that he was to join an Order not then known in England. He waited in patience till the White Friars came, and then entered the Order of our Lady of Mount Cannel. His great holiness moved his brethren in the general chapter held at Aylesford, near Rochester, in 1245, to choose him prior-general of the Order. In the many persecutions raised against the new religious, Simon went with filial confidence to the Blessed Mother of God. As he knelt in prayer in the White Friars' convent at Cambridge, on July 16th, 1251, she appeared be fore him and presented him with the scapular, in assurance of her protection. The devotion to the blessed habit spread quickly throughout the Christian world. Pope after Pope enriched it with indulgences, and miracles innumberable put their seal upon its efficacy. The first of them was worked at Winchester on a man dying in despair, who at once asked for the Sacraments, when the scapular was laid upon him by St. Simon Stock. In the year 1636, M. de Guge, a cornet in a cavalry regiment, was mortally wounded at the engagement of Tehin, a bullet having lodge near his heart. He was then in a state of grievous sin, but had time left him to make his confession, and with his own hands wrote his last testament. When this was done, the surgeon probed his wound, and the bullet was found to have driven his scapular into his heart. On its being withdrawn, he presently expired, making profound acts of gratitude to the Blessed Virgin, who had prolonged his life miraculously, and thus preserved him from eternal death. St. Simon Stock died at Bordeaus, A.D. 1265.
REFLECTION.--To enjoy the privileges of the scapular, it is sufficient that it be received lawfully and worn devoutly. How, then, can any one fail to profit by a devotion so easy, so simple, and so wonderfully blessed? "he that shall overcome, shall thus be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." (Apoc. 3: 5.)
SOURCE : http://jesus-passion.com/Saint_Simon_Stock.htm
Simon Stock, OC (PC)
Born at Aylesford, Kent, England, 1165; died in Bordeaux, France, on May 16, 1265. A late tradition tells us of Simon's birthplace but nothing much is known of him until c. 1247, when he was elected the sixth prior general of the Carmelite order. He is said to have been a hermit and then went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where he joined the Carmelites. He returned to Kent when the Islamics drove the Carmelites out.
Simon became prior general at a time of difficulty for the order, and was the English leader who consolidated its position. He laid the groundwork for new foundations in four university cities (Cambridge (1248), Oxford (1253), Paris (1260), and Bologna (1260)) and expanded the order into Ireland and Scotland as well.
He also revised the rule to make the Carmelites an order of mendicant friars rather than hermits, which was approved by Pope Innocent IV in 1237. According to another late tradition, in 1251, Saint Simon experienced a vision of the Virgin Mary, as a consequence of which there arose the widespread "Scapular devotion." In this controversial vision the Blessed Mother promised salvation to all Carmelites who wore in her honor the brown scapular that she showed him. The authenticity of the occurrence is seriously contested by scholars. Two well-known hymns to Mary are usually attributed to his authorship.
Saint Simon Stock
Verso il sec. XV, nei Paesi Bassi, emerse una leggenda circa un certo "San Simone" che aveva avuto una visione della Nostra Signora, nella quale Lei gli appariva con lo scapolare promettendogli: "Questo è il privilegio per te e per i tuoi: chiunque morirà rivestendolo, sarà salvo." In pochi anni, i due racconti furono uniti e a Simone Stock, il Priore Generale, fu accreditata la visione della Nostra Signora. Il nuovo racconto fu rapidamente elaborato con dettagli biografici immaginari circa la vita di Simone, come la sua nascita a Kent in Inghilterra, la sua vita eremitica vissuta in un tronco di un albero, e la composizione del Flos Carmeli (un inno carmelitano molto bello alla Nostra Signora che in realtà era noto già nel sec. XIV, e dunque prima della leggenda).
Il culto verso San Simone Stock e la devozione allo scapolare si diffusero rapidamente nei sec. XV - XVI e numerosi fedeli furono iscritti allo Scapolare. Lungo i secoli, pittori da tutto il mondo tradussero in immagine il racconto della visione dello scapolare, opere d'arte che si trovano in tutte le chiese carmelitane dell'Ordine. Nel sec. XVI, il culto a San Simone Stock fu inserito nel calendario liturgico di tutto l'Ordine. La sua festa si celebrava comunemente il 16 maggio. Dopo il Concilio Vaticano II, che tolse questa celebrazione dalla riforma del calendario liturgico, è stata di recente riammessa.
Sebbene la storicità della visione dello scapolare non sia attendibile, lo stesso scapolare è rimasto per tutti i Carmelitani un segno della protezione materna di Maria e dell'impegno proprio di seguire Gesù come sua Madre, modello perfetto di tutti i suoi discepoli.
Autore: Anthony Cilia
16 de mayo
SAN SIMÓN STOCK,
Confesor
n. hacia el año 1165 en Kent, Inglaterra;
† 16 de mayo de 1265 en Burdeos, Francia
San Simón Stock nació en el condado de Kent, Inglaterra, hacia el año 1165, y murió en el monasterio carmelita de Burdeos, Francia, el 16 de mayo de 1265. Debido a su origen inglés se le llama también Simon Anglus.
Se dice que desde los 12 años comenzó a vivir como un ermitaño en el hueco de un roble y que después se convirtió en predicador itinerante hasta entrar en la orden de los carmelitas, recién llegada a Inglaterra. Según la misma tradición fue como carmelita a Roma y de allí al Monte Carmelo donde pasó varios años. Lo que es históricamente cierto es que en 1247 fue elegido sexto general de los carmelitas, sucesor de Alan, en el primer capítulo celebrado en Aylesford, Inglaterra. A pesar de su avanzada edad, mostró notable energía e hizo mucho en beneficio de la Orden, de manera que es considerado, en justicia, el más celebrado de sus generales. Mientras ocupó el cargo, la orden se expandió por el sur y oeste de Europa, especialmente en Inglaterra, sobre todo porque fundó casas en las ciudades de aquella época que tenían universidades, como en 1248 en Cambridge, en 1253 en Oxford, en 1260 en Paris y Bolonia. Esta acción fue de las de mayor importancia tanto para el crecimiento de la institución como para el aprendizaje de los miembros jóvenes.
Simón logró ganar la aprobación temporal del Papa Inocencio IV de la regla reformada de la orden, que se había adaptado a las condiciones europeas. Sin embargo, la orden fue oprimida y debía luchar en todos los lugares para ser aceptada, tanto para conseguir el consentimiento del clero secular o la tolerancia de las otras órdenes. En medio de estas dificultades, tal como relata Guillermo de Sanvico (poco después de 1291), los monjes rogaban a su patrona la Santísima Virgen. “Y la Virgen María reveló a su prior que debían dirigirse sin miedo al Papa Inocencio, pues recibirían de él el remedio para sus dificultades” (cf. “Speculum Carmel.”, I, 101 sqq; Zimmermann, 325; “Biblioth. Carmelit.”, I, 609). El prior siguió el consejo de la Virgen y la orden recibió una bula o carta de protección de Inocencio IV contra esas molestias. Es un hecho histórico que Inocencio IV emitió esa carta papal dirigida a los Carmelitas, fechada el 13 de enero de 1252, en Perugia (“Registr. Innoc. IV”, ed. Berger, III, 24, n. 5563).
Escritores Carmelitas posteriores brindan más detalles de aquella visión y revelación. Johannes Grossi escribió su “Viridarium” alrededor del año 1430, en donde relata que la Madre de Dios se apareció a Simón Stock con el escapulario de la orden en su mano y se lo entregó con las siguientes palabras: “Hoc erit tibi et cunctis Carmelitis privilegium, in hoc habitu moriens salvabitur” (Este será el privilegio para ti y para todos los carmelitas, que todo el que muera con este hábito, se salvará). Debido a este gran privilegio, muchos ingleses distinguidos, tales como el rey Eduardo II; Enrique, duque de Lancaster y muchos otros miembros de la nobleza, llevaban secretamente (clam portaverunt) el escapulario carmelita bajo su ropa y murieron con él (“Specul. Carmelit.” I, 139; Zimmermann, 340). En los escritos de Grossi, sin embargo, el escapulario de la Orden significa el hábito de los carmelitas y no el pequeño escapulario carmelita. Como era costumbre entre otras órdenes de los tiempos medievales, los carmelitas daban su hábito, o al menos su escapulario, a sus benefactores y amigos de alto rango para que pudieran disfrutar del privilegio aparentemente ligado a su hábito o escapulario por la Virgen María. Es posible que los mismos carmelitas de aquel entonces vistieran su escapulario, por la noche, en un formato más pequeño, así como lo hicieron más tarde y actualmente se acostumbra, es decir, en forma del escapulario de la actual tercera orden. Si esto es así, pudieron entregar ese escapulario a los laicos.
Más adelante, probablemente no antes del siglo dieciséis, en vez del escapulario de la Orden, se entregaba un escapulario más pequeño como símbolo de la hermandad del escapulario (cf. Zimmermann, 351 sq.; Wessels, “Analecta Ord. Carmel.” (1911), 119 sqq.). Hoy en día, la hermandad considera esto como su privilegio principal, que deben a San Simón Stock, de manera que el que muera con el escapulario no se pierda eternamente. Así, el principal privilegio y toda la historia del pequeño escapulario carmelita está relacionada con el nombre de San Simón Stock. No hay dificultad en conceder que la narración de Grossi, arriba descrita, y la tradición carmelita son dignas de crédito aunque no tengan el valor completo de las pruebas históricas.
El hecho de que Simón se distinguía por su especial veneración y amor a la Virgen María, se ve claramente en las Antífonas “Flos Carmeli” y “Ave Stella Matutina”, que él escribió y que han sido incorporadas al Breviario de los Carmelitas Calzados. Además de las antífonas, se le han atribuido incorrectamente otras obras. Las primeras narraciones biográficas de Simón Stock pertenecen al año 1430, pero no son completamente fiables. Sin embargo, en esos momentos él no era venerado como santo en su tiempo ya su fiesta no se incluyó en los libros corales del monasterio de Burdeos sino hasta 1435. Se introdujo antes de 1458 en Irlanda, probablemente al mismo tiempo en Inglaterra. Su celebración en toda la Orden se introdujo por un decreto del capítulo general de 1564.
SOURCE : http://www.tradicioncatolica.com/index.php/2008/05/16/16-de-mayo-san-simon-stock/
Voir aussi : http://www.carmel.asso.fr/Histoire-du-scapulaire.html
http://carmelnet.org/biographies/SimonStock.pdf
http://magnificat.ca/cal/en/saints/saint_simon_stock.html
http://carmeliteheritage.blogspot.ca/2012/01/st-simon-stock.html
http://www.newmanconnection.com/news/article/st.-simon-stock
SOURCE : http://magnificat.ca/cal/fr/saints/saint_simon_stock.html
Saint Simon Stock
Général des Carmes (1164-1265)
Anglais d’origine, saint Simon Stock naquit d’une très illustre famille du Kent dont son père était gouverneur. Lorsqu’elle le portait, sa mère le consacra à la Sainte Vierge. On le voyait souvent tressaillir entre les bras de sa mère lorqu’elle prononçait le doux nom de Marie. Pour apaiser ses cris et ses pleurs, il suffisait de lui présenter une image de la Vierge Marie. Il n’avait pas encore un an qu’on l’entendit plusieurs fois articuler distinctement la salutation angélique. Cette dévotion précoce ne peut provenir que d’un mouvement extraordinaire de l’Esprit-Saint.
A douze ans, Simon se retira au désert dans le creux d’un arbre, d’où lui vint le surnom de Stock qui signifie "tronc", en langue anglaise. Sa nourriture consistait en herbes crues, quelques racines et pommes sauvages, un peu d’eau claire lui servait de breuvage.
Bien que le tronc d’arbre où il avait élu domicile ne lui offrait pas la liberté de s’étendre pour dormir, il prenait son bref repos dans ce gîte précaire. Au sein de cette retraite sauvage, ses prières montaient sans interruption vers le ciel. Saint Simon Stock passa vingt ans dans la plus entière solitude, nourrissant son âme des célestes délices de la contemplation.
S’étant privé volontairement de la conversation des hommes, il jouissait de celle de la Vierge Marie et des anges qui l’exhortaient à persévérer dans sa vie de renoncement et d’amour. La Reine du Ciel l’avertit qu’il verrait bientôt débarquer en Angleterre des ermites de la Palestine. Elle ajouta qu’il devait s’associer à ces hommes qu’elle considérait comme ses serviteurs.
En effet, Jean lord Vesoy et Richard lord Gray de Codnor revinrent de Terre Sainte, ramenant en effet avec eux quelques ermites du Mont-Carmel. Docile aux directives de la Mère de Dieu, saint Simon Stock se joignit à ces Pères, en 1212.
Élu vicaire général de l’Ordre des Carmes en 1215, le Saint travailla de toutes ses forces à obtenir de Rome la confirmation de son Ordre pour l’Occident. Il ne manquait pas d’adversaires pour en empêcher l’extension en Europe. Mais Simon Stock supplia la Vierge Marie par d’instantes prières et beaucoup de larmes de défendre elle-même cet Ordre qui lui était consacré. Apparaissant en songe au pape Honorius III, la Mère de Dieu lui fit connaître ses volontés, et en 1226, ce pape confirma la Règle des Carmes.
La vierge apparut un jour à son serviteur, toute éclatante de lumière et accompagnée d’un grand nombre d’esprits bienheureux, Elle lui remit un scapulaire en disant : « Reçois mon fils ce scapulaire, comme le signe d’une étroite alliance avec moi. Je te le donne pour habit de ton ordre ; ce sera pour toi et pour tous les Carmes un excellent privilège et celui qui le portera ne souffrira jamais l’embrasement éternel. C’est la marque du salut dans les dangers et de l’heureuse possession de la vie qui n’aura jamais de fin. »
La dévotion au scapulaire de Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel se répandit non seulement parmi le peuple, mais aussi parmi les rois et les princes qui se trouvèrent fort honorés de porter cette marque des serviteurs de la Vierge.
Saint Simon Stock, présent au concile général de Lyon tenu sous le règne du pape Innocent IV, y prononça un éloquent discours contre les divisions qui agitaient alors l’Église. Il mourut dans la vingtième année de son généralat et la centième de son âge, après avoir laissé d’admirables exemples de vertu. La mort le cueillit dans la ville de Bordeaux, alors qu’il visitait ses monastères. L’Église ajouta ses dernières paroles à la salutation angélique : « Sainte Marie, Mère de Dieu, priez pour nous pécheurs, maintenant et à l’heure de notre mort. »
SOURCE : http://viechretienne.catholique.org/saints/1502-saint-simon-stock
Nicolas Mignard. La Vierge remettant le scapulaire à saint Simon Stock.
1644. Huile sur toile, 273 × 212, Avignon, Musée Calvet.
Bienheureux Simon Stock
carme anglais (✝ v. 1265)
Carme anglais du XIIIe siècle qui reçut de la Vierge Marie le scapulaire en signe de prédilection et de protection, à une époque où l'avenir du Carmel en Europe était des plus sombres.
Il n'a pas été canonisé officiellement et est vénéré par les carmes et dans de nombreux diocèses.
"... Il mourut à Bordeaux le 16 mai 1265 au cours d'une visite qu'il effectuait des maisons de son Ordre en Aquitaine. Son culte liturgique apparaît à Bordeaux en 1435, en Irlande et en Angleterre en 1458, dans le reste de l'Ordre en 1564. Sa réputation de sainteté était étendue et à partir de 1423 il y eut de fréquents prélèvements de ses reliques, la dernière datant de 1950. Depuis son décès jusqu'en 1793 son corps fut conservé chez les carmes de Bordeaux. Durant la Révolution il fut caché par le père Soupre. Par la suite il fut déposé à la cathédrale dans la chapelle de Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel, sous l'autel de Notre-Dame de la Nef. Ainsi, par saint Simon Stock, Bordeaux se trouve étroitement relié à l'histoire de l'ordre du Carmel et au développement du culte de la Vierge. On le fête le 17 juillet, plus particulièrement à la Cathédrale Saint André." (Histoires de la sainteté en Gironde - diocèse de Bordeaux - 17 juillet)
(…)
16 mai au martyrologe romain: À Bordeaux, en 1215, le trépas du bienheureux Simon Stock, prêtre. D’abord ermite en Angleterre, il entra dans l’ordre des Carmes, qu’il dirigea admirablement. Célèbre par sa dévotion singulière envers la Vierge Marie, il mourut en visitant les couvents de son Ordre en France.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/10026/Bienheureux-Simon-Stock.html
Le don du scapulaire à l’ordre du Carmel
CONTEXTE HISTORIQUE [1] : LES ERMITES DU MONT CARMEL REVIENNENT EN EUROPE
L'Ordre du Carmel est né au tournant des XII° et XIII° siècles, dans le silence et la solitude de quelques pauvres ermitages aménagés sur le promontoire du Mont Carmel, dans le souvenir du saint prophète Elie. Après l'échec des croisades, ces ermites (qu'ils soient d'origine arabe ou européenne) viennent s'installer dans les grandes villes d'Europe médiévale. Ils n'ont pas de fondateur, pas d'appuis humains. Ils s'appuient sur la parole de Jésus « en dehors de moi, vous ne pouvez rien faire. » (Jn 15,5). Ce que chante la Vierge, en son versant positif : « Le Puissant fit pour moi des merveilles. Saint et son Nom. » (Lc 1, 49).
AUX DIFFICULTÉS INSTITUTIONNELLES DE SIMON STOCK, MARIE RÉPOND PAR UN SIGNE DU SALUT
Lors du chapitre général de 1247, l'Ordre a adopté une mouture revue de la Règle primitive et s'inscrit désormais dans la mouvance des Ordres mendiants.
Son général s'appelle Simon Stock, et suppliant Marie de l'aider dans les difficultés institutionnelles, il lui dit chaque jour :
« Fleur du Carmel, Vigne fleurie, Splendeur du Ciel, Vierge féconde, Unique, Douce Mère, mais qui ne connut pas d'homme, aux Carmes accorde tes faveurs, Etoile de la mer ».
Et un jour Marie lui apparaît, présentant le scapulaire. Elle se montre ensuite à Jacques Duèse qui deviendra le pape Jean XXII.
Ces deux visions se résument en ces termes : le scapulaire est donné à l'Ordre du Carmel pour le salut éternel[2].
Aux Carmes lui demandant de les aider dans leurs difficultés institutionnelles, la Vierge répond par une promesse portant sur la seule chose qui compte vraiment : le salut éternel.
Et le Carmel trouve sa vraie sécurité, sa fécondité en se tournant vers sa Mère, comme un enfant.
Voici le plus ancien témoignage de la vision de Simon Stock, le 16 juillet 1251 :
« Souvent Simon Stock suppliait la glorieuse Vierge Marie, Mère de Dieu et patronne de l'Ordre de doter de quelque privilège les Frères qui portent son nom.
Chaque jour d'une voix très dévote, il lui disait en ses prières :
"Fleur du Carmel, vigne fleurie, splendeur du Ciel, Vierge-Mère, Unique, Douce Mère, qui ne connus point d'homme, aux enfants du Carmel donne tes privilèges, Etoile de la Mer."
Et un jour, la glorieuse vierge Marie lui apparut accompagnée d'une multitude d'anges et lui dit :
"Voici le privilège que je donne à toi et à tous les enfants du Carmel. Quiconque meurt revêtu de cet habit sera sauvé." »[2]
La deuxième vision est attribuée à Jacques Duèse qui deviendra le pape Jean XXII, pape d'Avignon à partir de 1316. Lisons simplement l'extrait d'un récit datant de 1465 :
« Quiconque entrera dans cet Ordre et observera dévotement ce genre de vie sera sauvé éternellement et délivré de la peine et de la coulpe. Et si au jour de leur passage en l'autre vie, ils sont amenés au purgatoire, moi la Mère de la grâce, je descendrai le samedi au purgatoire après leur mort et je délivrerai ceux que j'y trouverai et les ramènerai à la montagne sainte et à la vie éternelle. »[3]
LA PROFONDE SIGNIFICATION DU SCAPULAIRE[4]
Il y a dans le geste de réception du scapulaire une merveilleuse attitude d'humilité, de simplicité, de foi, celle du petit enfant qui se laisse habiller par sa mère. [...]
Que l'habit religieux, que le signe du scapulaire, renvoient au salut, rien n'est plus normal, rien n'est plus juste. Qui dit salut, évoque nécessairement les « fins dernières », si peu prêchées aujourd'hui : la mort, le jugement, le purgatoire, l'enfer ou le paradis. Or c'est précisément à ces réalités ultimes que les promesses du scapulaire nous reconduisent. [...]
accueillir le salut, accepter de se laisser sauver (reconnaître donc que, de soi, l'on est perdu) ne consiste pas d'abord en de grandes choses. C'est humblement ouvrir une porte, celle de notre cœur, de notre liberté. Et cela peut se réaliser, se manifester, s'incarner par un petit geste tout simple comme de recourir à l'intercession, à la protection de Marie et se laisser revêtir du « vêtement du salut ». [...]
Tous les critiques, les adversaires du scapulaire du Carmel ont toujours tenu le même discours : c'est trop beau pour être vrai, c'est trop simple. Le salut ne peut s'obtenir à un prix si dérisoire ! Ce qui est certain, c'est que de notre côté le salut est radicalement hors de notre portée au seul plan naturel. Celui qui a payé le prix, c'est le Christ par la valeur infinie de son sang versé, de sa vie livrée dans l'Amour du Père. Revêtir le scapulaire, comme nous ne cessons désormais de le dire, ce n'est pas chercher un moyen magique qui fonctionnerait à côté de l'économie du salut, mais entrer pleinement dans cette économie par la médiation maternelle de la Vierge Maie. Le scapulaire ne nous dispensera bien sûr pas d'un authentique chemin de conversion ; il en sera comme l'écrin et le symbole.
LE SCAPULAIRE : UN SACRAMENTAL
Le scapulaire est un sacramental : c'est un objet béni par l'Église pour inspirer de bonnes pensées et pour augmenter la dévotion, et, plus nous avons de dévotion, plus nous recevons de grâce.
Le signe de la Croix est le principal sacramental utilisé dans l'Église, à côté duquel nous avons le Crucifix, l'eau bénite, le buis béni, les bougies, les cendres de l'entrée en carême, les images de la Bienheureuse Vierge et des Saints, le chapelet, la médaille miraculeuse.
Le catéchisme de l'Eglise catholique (§ 1667-1677) explique les sacramentaux.
N.B. Le 13 octobre 1917 l'apparition de Fatima s'est présentée à Lucie en tant que Notre Dame du Carmel (donnant le scapulaire) : on peut y voir un silencieux appel à porter son scapulaire comme un signe de consécration à son Cœur Immaculé.
[1] Cf. Fr. Philippe de Jésus-Marie, o.c.d., Le secret du Carmel, le scapulaire et la vie mariale, Editions du Carmel, Toulouse 2010, p. 5-22
[2] Ibid., p. 18
[3] Ibid., p. 19
[4] Ibid., p. 24-25
CEC : Catéchisme de l'Eglise catholique, 1998.
Synthèse Françoise Breynaert
SOURCE : http://www.mariedenazareth.com/2279.0.html?&L=0
St. Simon Stock
Born in the County of Kent, England, about 1165; died in the Carmelite monastery at Bordeaux, France, 16 May, 1265. On account of his English birth he is also called Simon Anglus.
It is said that when twelve years old he began to live as a hermit in the hollow trunk of an oak, and later to have become an itinerant preacher until he entered the Carmelite Order which had just come to England. According to the same tradition he went as a Carmelite to Rome, and from there to Mt. Carmel, where he spent several years. All that is historically certain is that in 1247 he was elected the sixth general of the Carmelites, as successor to Alan, at the first chapter held at Aylesford, England. Notwithstanding his great age he showed remarkable energy as general and did much for the benefit of the order, so that he is justly regarded as the most celebrated of its generals. During his occupancy of the office the order became widely spread in southern and western Europe, especially in England; above all, he was able to found houses in the university cities of that era, as in 1248 at Cambridge, in 1253 at Oxford, in 1260 at Paris and Bologna. This action was of the greatest importance both for the growth of the institution and for the training of its younger members. Simon was also able to gain at least the temporary approbation of Innocent IV for the altered rule of the order which had been adapted to European conditions. Nevertheless the order was greatly oppressed, and it was still struggling everywhere to secure admission, either to obtain the consent of the secular clergy, or the toleration of other orders. In these difficulties, as Guilelmus de Sanvico (shortly after 1291) relates, the monks prayed to their patroness the Blessed Virgin. "And the Virgin Mary revealed to their prior that they were to apply fearlessly to Pope Innocent, for they would receive from him an effective remedy for these difficulties". The prior followed the counsel of the Virgin, and the order received a Bull or letter of protection from Innocent IV against these molestations. It is an historical fact that Innocent IV issued this papal letter for the Carmelites under date of 13 January, 1252, at Perugia.
Later Carmelite writers give more details of such a vision and revelation. Johannes Grossi wrote his "Viridarium" about 1430, and he relates that the Mother of God appeared to Simon Stock with the scapular of the order in her hand. This scapular she gave him with the words: "Hoc erit tibi et cunctis Carmelitis privilegium, in hoc habitu moriens salvabitur" (This shall be the privilege for you and for all the Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall be saved). On account of this great privilege many distinguished Englishmen, such as King Edward II, Henry, Duke of Lancaster, and many others of the nobility secretly wore (clam portaverunt) the Carmelite scapular under their clothing and died with it on. In Grossi's narrative, however, the scapular of the order must be taken to mean the habit of the Carmelites and not as the small Carmelite scapular. As was the custom in medieval times among the other orders, the Carmelites gave their habit or at least their scapular to their benefactors and friends of high rank, that these might have a share in the privilege apparently connected with their habit or scapular by the Blessed Virgin. It is possible that the Carmelites themselves at that period wore their scapular at night in a smaller form just as they did at a later date and at the present time: namely, in about the form of the scapular for the present third order. If this is so they could give laymen their scapular in this form. At a later date, probably not until the sixteenth century, instead of the scapular of the order the small scapular was given as a token of the scapular brotherhood. Today the brotherhood regards this as its chief privilege, and one it owes to St. Simon Stock, that anyone who dies wearing the scapular is not eternally lost. In this way the chief privilege and entire history of the little Carmelite scapular is connected with the name of St. Simon Stock. There is no difficulty in granting that Grossi's narrative, related above, and the Carmelite tradition are worthy of belief, even though they have not the full value of historical proof (see SCAPULAR). That Simon himself was distinguished by special veneration of and love for the Virgin is shown by the antiphonies "Flos Carmeli" and "Ave Stella Matutina", which he wrote, and which have been adopted in the breviary of the Calced Carmelites. Besides these antiphonies other works have been incorrectly attributed to him. The first biographical accounts of Simon belong to the year 1430, but these are not entirely reliable. However, he was not at this time publicly venerated as a saint; it was not until 1435 that his feast was put in the choral books of the monastery at Bordeaux. It was introduced before 1458 into Ireland and, probably at the same time, into England; by a decree of the General Chapter of 1564 its celebration was commanded for the entire order.
APA citation. Hilgers, J. (1912). St. Simon Stock. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved May 14, 2013 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13800a.htm
MLA citation. Hilgers, Joseph. "St. Simon Stock." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 14 May 2013
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Michael C. Tinkler.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13800a.htm
SIMON STOCK
Although little is known about Simon Stock's early life, legend has it that the name Stock, meaning "tree trunk," derives from the fact that, beginning at age twelve, he lived as a hermit in a hollow tree trunk of an oak tree. It is also believed that, as a young man, he went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he joined a group of Carmelites with whom he later returned to Europe. Simon Stock founded many Carmelite Communities, especially in University towns such as Cambridge, Oxford, Paris, and Bologna, and he helped to change the Carmelites from a hermit Order to one of mendicant friars. In 1254 he was elected Superior-General of his Order at London. Simon Stock's lasting fame came from an apparition he had in Cambridge, England, on July 16, 1251, at a time when the Carmelite Order was being oppressed. In it the Virgin Mary appeared to him holding the brown scapular in one hand. Her words were: "Receive, my beloved son, this scapular of thy Order; it is the special sign of my favor, which I have obtained for thee and for thy children of Mount Carmel. He who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and a pledge of special peace and protection." The scapular (from the Latin, scapula, meaning "shoulder blade") consists of two pieces of cloth, one worn on the chest, and the other on the back, which were connected by straps or strings passing over the shoulders. In certain Orders, monks and nuns wear scapulars that reach from the shoulders almost to the ground as outer garments. Lay persons usually wear scapulars underneath their clothing; these consist of two pieces of material only a few inches square. There are elaborate rules governing the wearing of the scapular: although it may be worn by any Catholic, even an infant, the investiture must be done by a priest. And the scapular must be worn in the proper manner; if an individual neglects to wear it for a time, the benefits are forfeited. The Catholic Church has approved eighteen different kinds of scapulars of which the best known is the woolen brown scapular, or the Scapular of Mount Carmel, that the Virgin Mary bestowed on Simon Stock. His feast day is May 16th.
SOURCE : http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=746
ST. SIMON STOCK. C.
Feast: May 16
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 chose for his dwelling a great hollow oak tree; whence the surname of Stock wee given him. While 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. While 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,1 and by Lambert2 and Weaver3 in their accurate descriptions of the Antiquities of Kent, that the first or most ancient convent of these friars in England was that at Newenden in Kent, which was founded for them by Sir Thomas Archer or Fitz-Archer, 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. Cosmas de Villiers,4 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 clamors being raised against this institute, St. 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, St. 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 greatest 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 St. 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, St. 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. St. Simon established houses in most parts of Europe; but this institute flourished nowhere with so great splendor and edification as in England, and continued so to do for several ages, as the annals of the order take notice. St. 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 favored on the 16th of July, to establish this devotion." This confraternity has been approved, and favored with many privileges by several popes.5 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 Patri, 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, &c. St. Simon cured several sick persons by giving them the scapular; the reputation of which miracles moved Edward I., king of England, St. Louis of France, and many others, to enrol their names in this confraternity.
St. 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 Bordeaux, where God put an end to his labors some months after his arrival, in 1265, on the 16th of July. He was buried in the cathedral of that city, and was honored among the saints soon after his death. Pope Nicholas III. granted an office to be celebrated in his honor at Bordeaux on the 16th of May, which Paul V. extended to the whole order. See his authentic life, written soon after his death, also Stevens's Monast. Angelic. t. 2, pp. 159, 160; Leland, de Script. Brit. t. 2, c. 277, p. 294; Papebroke, t. 3, Maij, p. 653; Newcourt's Repertorium, (on the Carmelite friars,) vol. 1, p. 566; Weaver, p. 139; Fuller, b. 6, p. 271; Dugdale's Warwickshire, p. 186, ed. 1730; F. Cosmas de Villiers a S. Philippo, Bibl. Carmel. t. 2, p. 750.
Endnotes
1 Bale, Cent. xii. 20
2 P.139.
3 P.139.
4 Bibliotheca Carmelitana, ed. Anno 1752, t. 2, p. 750.
5 See the bulls of Pius V., Clement VIII., Paul V., Clement X., &c.
(Taken from Vol. V of "The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints" by the Rev. Alban Butler, the 1864 edition published by D. & J. Sadlier, & Company)
Provided Courtesy of: Eternal Word Television Network. 5817 Old Leeds Road, Irondale, AL 35210
www.ewtn.com
SOURCE : http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/SIMONSTO.HTM
ST. SIMON STOCK.
Feast Day: May 16th
SIMON was born in the county of Kent, England, and left his home when he was but twelve years of age, to live as a hermit in the hollow trunk of a tree, whence he was known as Simon of the Stock. Here he passed twenty years in penance and prayer, and learned from our Lady that he was to join an Order not then known in England. He waited in patience till the White Friars came, and then entered the Order of our Lady of Mount Cannel. His great holiness moved his brethren in the general chapter held at Aylesford, near Rochester, in 1245, to choose him prior-general of the Order. In the many persecutions raised against the new religious, Simon went with filial confidence to the Blessed Mother of God. As he knelt in prayer in the White Friars' convent at Cambridge, on July 16th, 1251, she appeared be fore him and presented him with the scapular, in assurance of her protection. The devotion to the blessed habit spread quickly throughout the Christian world. Pope after Pope enriched it with indulgences, and miracles innumberable put their seal upon its efficacy. The first of them was worked at Winchester on a man dying in despair, who at once asked for the Sacraments, when the scapular was laid upon him by St. Simon Stock. In the year 1636, M. de Guge, a cornet in a cavalry regiment, was mortally wounded at the engagement of Tehin, a bullet having lodge near his heart. He was then in a state of grievous sin, but had time left him to make his confession, and with his own hands wrote his last testament. When this was done, the surgeon probed his wound, and the bullet was found to have driven his scapular into his heart. On its being withdrawn, he presently expired, making profound acts of gratitude to the Blessed Virgin, who had prolonged his life miraculously, and thus preserved him from eternal death. St. Simon Stock died at Bordeaus, A.D. 1265.
REFLECTION.--To enjoy the privileges of the scapular, it is sufficient that it be received lawfully and worn devoutly. How, then, can any one fail to profit by a devotion so easy, so simple, and so wonderfully blessed? "he that shall overcome, shall thus be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." (Apoc. 3: 5.)
SOURCE : http://jesus-passion.com/Saint_Simon_Stock.htm
Simon Stock, OC (PC)
Born at Aylesford, Kent, England, 1165; died in Bordeaux, France, on May 16, 1265. A late tradition tells us of Simon's birthplace but nothing much is known of him until c. 1247, when he was elected the sixth prior general of the Carmelite order. He is said to have been a hermit and then went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where he joined the Carmelites. He returned to Kent when the Islamics drove the Carmelites out.
Simon became prior general at a time of difficulty for the order, and was the English leader who consolidated its position. He laid the groundwork for new foundations in four university cities (Cambridge (1248), Oxford (1253), Paris (1260), and Bologna (1260)) and expanded the order into Ireland and Scotland as well.
He also revised the rule to make the Carmelites an order of mendicant friars rather than hermits, which was approved by Pope Innocent IV in 1237. According to another late tradition, in 1251, Saint Simon experienced a vision of the Virgin Mary, as a consequence of which there arose the widespread "Scapular devotion." In this controversial vision the Blessed Mother promised salvation to all Carmelites who wore in her honor the brown scapular that she showed him. The authenticity of the occurrence is seriously contested by scholars. Two well-known hymns to Mary are usually attributed to his authorship.
In
1951, what remained of Saint Simon's relics were removed from Bordeaux to the
old friary, now renewed, at Aylesford. The surname Stock is not found
attributed to Simon until a century after his death; it may have come from a
legend that he lived inside a tree trunk in his youth. Simon Stock has never
formally been canonized, though he has long been venerated, and the celebration
of his feast was permitted by the Holy See (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney).
In art, Saint Simon Stock is a Carmelite holding a scapular in his hand. He
might also be shown receiving the scapular from the Blessed Virgin or
interceding for the souls in purgatory who surround him (Roeder).
St. Simon Stock, Confessor
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 chose
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, 1 and by Lambert, 2 and Weaver 3 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 4 in 1212. 5 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, St. 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 St. 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 St. 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, St. 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. St.
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. St. 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. 6 This confraternity has been
approved, and favoured with many privileges by several popes. 7 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, &c. St. Simon cured several sick persons by giving them
the scapular; the reputation of which miracles moved Edward I. king of England,
St. Lewis of France, and many others, to enrol their names in this
confraternity.
St. Simon governed the Order with great sanctity and prudence during
twenty years, and propagated it exceedingly from England over all Europe; 8 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. See his authentic life,
written soon after his death; also Stevens’s Monast. Anglic. t. 2, p. 159, 160;
Leland, de Script. Brit. t. 2, c. 277, p. 294; Papebroke, t. 3, Maij, p. 653;
Newcourt’s Repertorium, (on the Carmelite friars,) vol. 1, p. 566; Weaver, p.
139; Fuller, b. 6, p. 271; Dugdale’s Warwickshire, p. 186, ed. 1730; F. Cosmas
de Villiers a S. Philippo, Bibl. Carmel. t. 2, p. 750.
Note 5. Our English monastic historians say
in 1240. So Dodsworth, (in his Extracts concerning this Order in England,)
Dugdale, in his Warwickshire, first edition, p. 117; in the new edition, with
notes, in 1730, we read, by mistake, 1250 for 1240. Bp. Tanner, (Not. Monast.
p. 395, and pref. p. xxxiii.) Leland, (de Scriptor. p. 293,) Lambert, Weaver,
&c. But confound the first coming of these friars with the second, when, to
shun the persecution of the Saracens, they forsook Palestine. Dugdale (Bacon)
calls the Lord Vescy or Vesey, in 1240, William, not John. [back]
Note 6. From the silence of F. Philip Biboti, a Spanish Carmelite friar, who
died in 1391, and wrote in ten books a history of the institution of this
Order, called Speculum Ordinis Carmelitani; also Lives of Illustrious Men of
this Order: likewise from the silence of Thomas Waldensis (who defended this
Order against Wickliff, t. 3, c. 75, 89, and 92,) and others. Launoy, in an
express dissertation, in 1653, contested the authenticity of this vision; but
it is refuted by F. Cosmas de Villiers, (Bibl. Carmel. t. 2, p. 753,) and Pope
Benedict XIV. (De Canoniz. t. 4, part 2, c. 9. pp. 74, 75,) upon the
testimonies of several ancient writers of this Order, collected by Theophilus
Raynaudus, in his Scapulare Marianum, Op. t. 7, especially of Peter Swaynton
from Norfolk, the saint’s companion and director for many years, and the first
author of his life. [back]
Note 8. Bishop Tanner reckons about forty houses of the Carmelites or White
Friars in England at the dissolution of abbeys. Præf. to his Notitia
Monast. [back]
Rev.
Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume V: May. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
Saint Simon Stock
Also known as
- Simon Anglus
- Simon the Englishman
Profile
Little is known of
his early life. Legend says that at age twelve he began to live as a hermit
in a hollow oak tree; the name Stock is believed derived from
the old English for tree trunk. Itinerant preacher. Pilgrim
to the Holy Lands, but left when invading Muslims chased out Christians.
Joined the Carmelite Order soon after its arrival in England.
Simon lived and studied
for several years in Rome, Italy
and Mount
Carmel. Elected sixth general of the Carmelites
in 1247 around age 82. He helped the Order
spread through England,
southern and western Europe.
Founded houses in Cambridge, England
in 1248, Oxford in 1253,
Paris, France
in 1260, and Bologna, Italy
in 1260. Revised the Rule of the Order
to make them mendicant
friars instead of hermits.
Regardless of these
successes, the Order was oppressed on all sides, including by the clergy
and other orders. The friars took their woes to their patroness,
the Virgin
Mary. Tradition says that in answer, she appeared to Simon bringing him the
brown Scapular of Mount Carmel. “This shall be the
privilege for you and for all the Carmelites,”
she told him, “that anyone dying in this habit
shall be saved.” On 13
January 1252
the Order
received a letter of protection from Pope
Innocent
IV, protecting them from harassment.
Born
- 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
- never formally canonized
- venerated by the Carmelites
since at least 1564
- the Vatican has approved Carmelite
celebration of his feast
- 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
San Simone Stock
m. Bordeaux, Francia, 1265
circa
Martirologio Romano: A Bordeaux nella Guascogna, in Francia, beato
Simone Stock, sacerdote, che fu dapprima eremita in Inghilterra e, entrato poi
nell’Ordine dei Carmelitani, ne fu in seguito mirabile guida, divenendo celebre
per la sua singolare devozione verso la Vergine Maria.
Per quanto risulti dalle "notizie" più antiche, Simone Stock
fu un Priore Generale inglese, venerato per la sua santità, e morto verso il
1265 a Bordeaux in Francia. Dopo la sua morte, i pellegrini che visitarono la sua tomba hanno
registrato i suoi miracoli, dando così nel sec. XIV inizio ad un culto locale.
Verso il sec. XV, nei Paesi Bassi, emerse una leggenda circa un certo "San Simone" che aveva avuto una visione della Nostra Signora, nella quale Lei gli appariva con lo scapolare promettendogli: "Questo è il privilegio per te e per i tuoi: chiunque morirà rivestendolo, sarà salvo." In pochi anni, i due racconti furono uniti e a Simone Stock, il Priore Generale, fu accreditata la visione della Nostra Signora. Il nuovo racconto fu rapidamente elaborato con dettagli biografici immaginari circa la vita di Simone, come la sua nascita a Kent in Inghilterra, la sua vita eremitica vissuta in un tronco di un albero, e la composizione del Flos Carmeli (un inno carmelitano molto bello alla Nostra Signora che in realtà era noto già nel sec. XIV, e dunque prima della leggenda).
Il culto verso San Simone Stock e la devozione allo scapolare si diffusero rapidamente nei sec. XV - XVI e numerosi fedeli furono iscritti allo Scapolare. Lungo i secoli, pittori da tutto il mondo tradussero in immagine il racconto della visione dello scapolare, opere d'arte che si trovano in tutte le chiese carmelitane dell'Ordine. Nel sec. XVI, il culto a San Simone Stock fu inserito nel calendario liturgico di tutto l'Ordine. La sua festa si celebrava comunemente il 16 maggio. Dopo il Concilio Vaticano II, che tolse questa celebrazione dalla riforma del calendario liturgico, è stata di recente riammessa.
Sebbene la storicità della visione dello scapolare non sia attendibile, lo stesso scapolare è rimasto per tutti i Carmelitani un segno della protezione materna di Maria e dell'impegno proprio di seguire Gesù come sua Madre, modello perfetto di tutti i suoi discepoli.
Autore: Anthony Cilia
16 de mayo
SAN SIMÓN STOCK,
Confesor
n. hacia el año 1165 en Kent, Inglaterra;
† 16 de mayo de 1265 en Burdeos, Francia
San Simón Stock nació en el condado de Kent, Inglaterra, hacia el año 1165, y murió en el monasterio carmelita de Burdeos, Francia, el 16 de mayo de 1265. Debido a su origen inglés se le llama también Simon Anglus.
Se dice que desde los 12 años comenzó a vivir como un ermitaño en el hueco de un roble y que después se convirtió en predicador itinerante hasta entrar en la orden de los carmelitas, recién llegada a Inglaterra. Según la misma tradición fue como carmelita a Roma y de allí al Monte Carmelo donde pasó varios años. Lo que es históricamente cierto es que en 1247 fue elegido sexto general de los carmelitas, sucesor de Alan, en el primer capítulo celebrado en Aylesford, Inglaterra. A pesar de su avanzada edad, mostró notable energía e hizo mucho en beneficio de la Orden, de manera que es considerado, en justicia, el más celebrado de sus generales. Mientras ocupó el cargo, la orden se expandió por el sur y oeste de Europa, especialmente en Inglaterra, sobre todo porque fundó casas en las ciudades de aquella época que tenían universidades, como en 1248 en Cambridge, en 1253 en Oxford, en 1260 en Paris y Bolonia. Esta acción fue de las de mayor importancia tanto para el crecimiento de la institución como para el aprendizaje de los miembros jóvenes.
Simón logró ganar la aprobación temporal del Papa Inocencio IV de la regla reformada de la orden, que se había adaptado a las condiciones europeas. Sin embargo, la orden fue oprimida y debía luchar en todos los lugares para ser aceptada, tanto para conseguir el consentimiento del clero secular o la tolerancia de las otras órdenes. En medio de estas dificultades, tal como relata Guillermo de Sanvico (poco después de 1291), los monjes rogaban a su patrona la Santísima Virgen. “Y la Virgen María reveló a su prior que debían dirigirse sin miedo al Papa Inocencio, pues recibirían de él el remedio para sus dificultades” (cf. “Speculum Carmel.”, I, 101 sqq; Zimmermann, 325; “Biblioth. Carmelit.”, I, 609). El prior siguió el consejo de la Virgen y la orden recibió una bula o carta de protección de Inocencio IV contra esas molestias. Es un hecho histórico que Inocencio IV emitió esa carta papal dirigida a los Carmelitas, fechada el 13 de enero de 1252, en Perugia (“Registr. Innoc. IV”, ed. Berger, III, 24, n. 5563).
Escritores Carmelitas posteriores brindan más detalles de aquella visión y revelación. Johannes Grossi escribió su “Viridarium” alrededor del año 1430, en donde relata que la Madre de Dios se apareció a Simón Stock con el escapulario de la orden en su mano y se lo entregó con las siguientes palabras: “Hoc erit tibi et cunctis Carmelitis privilegium, in hoc habitu moriens salvabitur” (Este será el privilegio para ti y para todos los carmelitas, que todo el que muera con este hábito, se salvará). Debido a este gran privilegio, muchos ingleses distinguidos, tales como el rey Eduardo II; Enrique, duque de Lancaster y muchos otros miembros de la nobleza, llevaban secretamente (clam portaverunt) el escapulario carmelita bajo su ropa y murieron con él (“Specul. Carmelit.” I, 139; Zimmermann, 340). En los escritos de Grossi, sin embargo, el escapulario de la Orden significa el hábito de los carmelitas y no el pequeño escapulario carmelita. Como era costumbre entre otras órdenes de los tiempos medievales, los carmelitas daban su hábito, o al menos su escapulario, a sus benefactores y amigos de alto rango para que pudieran disfrutar del privilegio aparentemente ligado a su hábito o escapulario por la Virgen María. Es posible que los mismos carmelitas de aquel entonces vistieran su escapulario, por la noche, en un formato más pequeño, así como lo hicieron más tarde y actualmente se acostumbra, es decir, en forma del escapulario de la actual tercera orden. Si esto es así, pudieron entregar ese escapulario a los laicos.
Más adelante, probablemente no antes del siglo dieciséis, en vez del escapulario de la Orden, se entregaba un escapulario más pequeño como símbolo de la hermandad del escapulario (cf. Zimmermann, 351 sq.; Wessels, “Analecta Ord. Carmel.” (1911), 119 sqq.). Hoy en día, la hermandad considera esto como su privilegio principal, que deben a San Simón Stock, de manera que el que muera con el escapulario no se pierda eternamente. Así, el principal privilegio y toda la historia del pequeño escapulario carmelita está relacionada con el nombre de San Simón Stock. No hay dificultad en conceder que la narración de Grossi, arriba descrita, y la tradición carmelita son dignas de crédito aunque no tengan el valor completo de las pruebas históricas.
El hecho de que Simón se distinguía por su especial veneración y amor a la Virgen María, se ve claramente en las Antífonas “Flos Carmeli” y “Ave Stella Matutina”, que él escribió y que han sido incorporadas al Breviario de los Carmelitas Calzados. Además de las antífonas, se le han atribuido incorrectamente otras obras. Las primeras narraciones biográficas de Simón Stock pertenecen al año 1430, pero no son completamente fiables. Sin embargo, en esos momentos él no era venerado como santo en su tiempo ya su fiesta no se incluyó en los libros corales del monasterio de Burdeos sino hasta 1435. Se introdujo antes de 1458 en Irlanda, probablemente al mismo tiempo en Inglaterra. Su celebración en toda la Orden se introdujo por un decreto del capítulo general de 1564.
SOURCE : http://www.tradicioncatolica.com/index.php/2008/05/16/16-de-mayo-san-simon-stock/
Voir aussi : http://www.carmel.asso.fr/Histoire-du-scapulaire.html
http://carmelnet.org/biographies/SimonStock.pdf
http://magnificat.ca/cal/en/saints/saint_simon_stock.html
http://carmeliteheritage.blogspot.ca/2012/01/st-simon-stock.html
http://www.newmanconnection.com/news/article/st.-simon-stock
