More on the Scapular Mural

by Janel Rodriguez, T.O.Carm.

A recent issue of the Carmelite Review featured the large mural that hangs in the gathering space at the newly-built church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Fairfield, New York. The article mentioned that this was a copy of the original painting that had hung in the Church of Our Lady of the Scapular on 28th Street in Manhattan, New York. In a subsequent article on that mural, Father Issacson of the Saint Elias (NY) Province mentioned that when the church was demolished the mural could not be salvaged and was destroyed.

	Father Francis Imodio, O.Carm., with Janel Rodriguez, T.O.Carm., in front of the remnant piece the original Scapular Mural

This is true, but not completely true. As it turned out, the painting could have been saved, but this was apparently not realized in time. After the church had been demolished but before the debris was carried away, the back wall (with the Scapular Mural) was still standing. Eventually some wise passerby or perhaps a former parishioner (it is still a mystery) managed to peel away the smallest fraction of the mural. But this fraction was the most important piece—showing Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Infant Jesus.

In the summer of 1998 I was walking down my own block in Manhattan and passed by a new antiques store that had just opened there (since closed, however) and I noticed a framed painting of the Blessed Mother just inside the door (the door was open). I thought to myself, “Oh, it’s Mary,” and kept walking, but only to stop in my tracks after taking two more steps. “I know THAT Mary!” because I had grown up at Our Lady of the Scapular Church, and that painting of Our Lady handing the scapular to Saint Simon Stock was my first introduction to Carmel. The painting in the store was a portion of that mural I had stared at since infancy.

I entered the store and explained the background of the piece to the owner and arranged to purchase it. I then appealed to parishioners and eight of us raised the money. Even though we were still $200 short we were allowed to take the painting and use it for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel later that summer.

Since then we have paid for the painting in full and it now hangs in the statuary area of the church of Saint Stephen (on 29th Street in Manhattan, also staffed by the Carmelites of the Saint Elias Province) where it properly belongs.

In another recent issue of the Carmelite Review there was an article about the recently restored Brumidi paintings in the Church of Saint Stephen. If anyone goes to see those magnificent murals, which are an important part of our New York history, be sure to also see the last piece of the original of that beautiful Scapular Mural, which is an important part of our New York Carmelite history.