178. Imposition of Scapulars

1. Humbertus, a parish priest, when several persons are present who ask that various scapulars be imposed on them, lest it be wearisome to the people and he himself be too much fatigued, all things having been duly performed, says once, in the plural number, the formula, receive, brothers or sisters, etc., imposing the scapular successively and without interruption on all present, without repeating the aforesaid formula in the singular number for each. Is this licitly and validly done?

R. Affirmatively. Thus from the S. C. Indulg., Apr. 28, 1891, Collect. S. C. de P. F. n. 2175.

2. The same Humbertus, since it is often almost difficult to impose scapulars in the ordinary manner around the neck of women and nuns, then imposes them on one shoulder only. - Is such an imposition valid?

R. Affirmatively. S. C. Indulg., Sept. 26, 1892. A. S. S. v. 25, p. 319.

3. Tecla asks from her confessor that he be willing to commute for her into another pious work the works enjoined for gaining the indulgences of the scapular of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and the Sabbatine privilege. But Lucas, her confessor, does not know whether he himself has this power.

R. The confessor cannot make a commutation of this sort unless he expressly has the special faculty of making the aforesaid commutation. But this faculty is ordinarily given, together with the faculty of blessing and imposing the scapular, to an approved confessor. Yet it is not necessary that the commutation be made in confession. St. Alph., l. 6, n. 534, XV.