Flos Carmeli is a beautifully printed book that guides the reader through meditations on Marian Consecration and the Brown Scapular. You may know the two authors, John-Mary Winter, O.C.D., and Michael-Joseph Paris, O.C.D., from CarmelCast, the podcast of ICS Publications, where they have produced many great episodes about the Brown Scapular.
Both authors are Carmelite friars of the Province of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (eastern United States). Brother John-Mary serves at the Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Washington, D.C. In addition to producing CarmelCast, he has taught courses at The Catholic University of America and Teresianum. Father Michael-Joseph serves at the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians (Holy Hill) in Wisconsin. In addition to co-hosting CarmelCast, he has taught for the Teresianum, contributes to Ascension Press, and is a member of the Institute of Carmelite Studies.
The goal of Flos Carmeli is to spur a revival of the Brown Scapular devotion, which is less popular today than in the past. The book does an excellent job in that regard and can be read over 16 days in preparation for enrolment in the Brown Scapular or to renew a person’s consecration. It can also be read in eight days ‘in the form of a traditional Carmelite retreat, with a period of prayer each morning and evening.’ But if you just want to read it as a normal book, that works too.
At the beginning of the book, Flos Carmeli includes scapular enrolment and start dates organised by feast day. Each chapter opens with a beautiful colour photograph of a piece of sacred art. The Rite for the Blessing of and Enrolment in the Scapular appears near the end of the book, followed by a section of frequently asked questions about the Scapular.
The book’s 16 chapters not only provide a wealth of information about the devotion, they also direct the reader towards silence and contemplation. Each chapter ends with ‘An Invitation to Mental Prayer’. I enjoyed the short chapters; each is only four to six pages, making it the perfect length for reading and meditation during a Holy Hour.
Flos Carmeli is both encouraging and practical. One of my favourite chapters (10, A Silent Devotion) includes: ‘This interior silence made manifest by resting with God does not, however, mean complete freedom from our worries and distractions. These are natural realities that will continue to surface in our lives. True interior silence is not the absence of interior noises but a certain detachment from them.’
The authors bring the Brown Scapular to life, sharing its profound spirituality that is rooted in the Carmelite tradition. They make the devotion accessible while unveiling its power to transform lives through union with the Blessed Mother.
The back cover copy says, ‘In a world of noise and constant activity, the Brown Scapular offers a hidden path of love, inviting us to entrust ourselves more fully to Jesus through Mary.’ Nothing could be truer, and this book is perfect for seasoned Carmelites as well as those just entering Carmel, or those simply interested in Carmelite spirituality. It would make a beautiful gift, especially to visitors of OCDS communities.
