Carmelite Priest (d 1265)
His life
+ Simon was born in England, possibly around Aylesford.
+ He became an early leader among the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (the Carmelite friars), shortly after they migrated to Europe from the Holy Land.
+ They evidence we have for his life is limited to early lists of Carmelite saints and friars, but what we read about Simon describes his personal holiness and miracles attributed to his intercession.
+ It is believed that Simon served as the fifth or sixth prior general of the order and that he died on May 16, 1265.
+ During his time as prior general, the order spread throughout southern and western Europe and he is credited with founded houses of the order in the great university cities of Cambridge, Oxford, Paris, and Bologna.
+ Later traditions relate that Saint Simon had a vision in which the Mother of God appeared to him, holding a scapular of brown cloth in her hand. This important symbol became a part of the Carmelite habit and, beginning in the 16th century, the Carmelites began to give the brown scapular to lay people who wished to associate themselves with the prayer and service of the Carmelite order.
+ The Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16.
For prayer and reflection
“Two truths are evoked by the sign of the Scapular: on the one hand, the constant protection of the Blessed Virgin, not only on life’s journey, but also at the moment of passing into the fullness of eternal glory; on the other, the awareness that devotion to her cannot be limited to prayers and tributes in her honour on certain occasions, but must become a “habit”, that is, a permanent orientation of one’s own Christian conduct, woven of prayer and interior life, through frequent reception of the sacraments and the concrete practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.”—Pope Saint John Paul II, Message to the Carmelite Family
Prayer
God of love,
you called Saint Simon Stock to serve you
in the family of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Through his prayers
help us like him to live in your presence
and to work for the salvation of all.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from the Carmelite Supplement to the Roman Missal)
Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.
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