The Tradition of the Green Scapular and Childbirth

St. Dominic Savio

Lately, I have been telling this story so much that I decided it was time to put it in a blog post. This is a story about St. Dominic Savio who lived a short life of 14 years from 1842-1857. He is known by many Catholics as the "teenage saint" and often admired by young men for his holiness and virtue at such a young age.

---

the story

St. Dominic Savio was a student of St. John Bosco when he sensed that something was amiss with his mother, despite not having received any news. He requested and was granted permission to visit her. Upon his arrival, he found his mother in labor and in severe pain, causing concern among the women assisting her, who feared for her life. Dominic embraced and kissed his mother, and her pain vanished instantly. She then gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Dominic's younger sister, Catharine. After Dominic departed, the women noticed a green scapular around the mother's neck, assuming Dominic had placed it there, as it was typical of him. Subsequently, the local community began sharing the same green scapular whenever a woman was in labor.

---

the history of the green scapular

The green scapular was first given to Sister Justine Bisqueyburu in the early 1840s in Paris, France, when she had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At that moment, an interior voice revealed to Sister Justine that Jesus wished to foster a more tender and trusting appreciation and love for His Most Beloved Mother among humanity through devotion to her under the title of her Immaculate Heart. Invoking her under this title and through this sacred image, Our Mother Mary would secure great favors from her Divine Son, particularly in the areas of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Since then, numerous stories of miraculous healing have been reported.

---

My firstborn Elijah in 2019. Notice something?

Whenever I assist at births, I always bring a green scapular. In my community, I've seen numerous healthy and joyful outcomes following its use. Pass this along to an expectant mother you know!

Much love,

Maire