Perhaps no aspect of Catholic piety is as comforting to parents as the belief that an angel protects their little ones from dangers real and imagined. Yet guardian angels are not just for children. Their role is to represent individuals before God, to watch over them always, to aid their prayer and to present their souls to God at death.

The concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a development of Catholic doctrine and piety based on Scripture but not directly drawn from it. Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:10 best support the belief: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

Devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition. St. Benedict gave it impetus and Bernard of Clairvaux, the great 12th-century reformer, was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.

A feast in honor of the guardian angels was first observed in the 16th century. In 1615, Pope Paul V added it to the Roman calendar.

Catholics believe in the existence of angels and in the participation of angels in God’s plan of salvation. Throughout the Scriptures, angels have played an important role in God’s revelation to humanity.  An angel is a pure spirit created by God who constantly praises and glorifies God. Unlike saints, angels were never human and living on earth. The word angel means “messenger” and as messengers of God, angels can be seen as spiritual beings who communicate God’s love and presence to us on earth. They make known God’s plan and can challenge people to grow in holiness. Angels also guard and protect us – these angels are known as “guardian angels.”

Types of Angels
Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Powers, Virtues, Dominations, Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim

The Choir of Angels is divided into three groupings, each with specific concerns:

The 1st triad:
Angels, Archangels, and Principalities:
Concern themselves with the minute ordering of the universe and specific causes, including the welfare of people. Each human being, each church, and each country has a Guardian Angel. The Feast of the Guardian Angels is October 2.

The 2nd triad:
Powers, Virtues and Dominations:
Known as the “angels of creation” because they concern themselves with the ordering of the universe and a plurality of causes.

The 3rd triad:
Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim:
Concern themselves with contemplating the glory of God. It is the 6-winged Seraphim who sing the Sanctus, “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts”

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24 COMMENTS

  1. Please pray for my health and also that protect my body from any invading dangers that sorcerer is practicing in our country. They given you disease that not God given. Please I ask for your mercy and prayer. Because right now,seems like my body was being bitten and itchy. Been to the doctor but no findings everything is normal. My sister just recently died and it is very mysterious. Her thyroid problem is not giving her problem . It just one afternoon,she said she was bitten by a sharp insect that she could not see it. Then two weeks after she passed away after that. Please pray for me and my health that evil craft cannot penetrate into my body. My sister been so religious and very devotee but still she was victimized by our uncle whose practicing this act.(they wanted to get our land because they don’t have land on their own). WHen my sister passed away (he said ,he ,she really hit) which means they really killed her defenseless by doing the sorcerer act. Please. You can help me by prayer. Amen.

    • I will pray for you and your family. I would perhaps begin to pray to st. Michael and mother Mary for protection in spiritual warfare. The rosary, and empowering yourself with the Armor of God, Ephisians 6 :10-18. Perhaps seek out a priest or spitual director to help you in your time of need. God Bless you and keep you safe in his care.

    • I only have this prayer to help you. PRAYER TO DEFEAT THE WORK 0F SATAN. O Divine Eternal Father, in union with your Devine Son and the Holy Spirit, and through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg You to destroy the Power of your greatest enemy – the evil spirits. Cast them into the deepest recesses of hell and chain them there forever! Take possession of your Kingdom which you have created and which is rightfully yours. Heavenly Father, give us the reign of the Sacret Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I repeat this pray out of pure love for You with every beat and with every breath I take . AMEN. (this was taken from the book PIETA) a Prayer Book,.

  2. Marina, I am praying for St. Michael to be with you. Please have confidence in Christ Jesus. Also seek the intercession of St. Patrick of Ireland. He prayed a prayer to the Holy Trinity called the Lorica. In it he binds the power of Christ to him against sorcery & witchcraft. Very powerful prayer. Peace of Christ be with you and may his angels guard and protect you. Amen.

  4. My sons just learned about our Guardian Angels in CCD last night.

    They are catching up because my wife and I, who were raised Catholic, fell away from the church and denied the need for God in our lives.

    She is now seeking divorce and the destruction of our family because she says that she doesn’t feel secure and has an emptiness in her, which I can’t fill. This crisis made me realize that the only way to build a true marriage and a family with firm foundations and peace is through God and his love, which I have rediscovered. I have committed myself to Him and to the church again. My children are now being given the gift of the Lord’s presence, wisdom and love, which we unfairly denied them.

    I pray for our guardian angels to watch over us and protect us, and specifically for my wife’s guardian angel to help her come back to the church, to a loving relationship with God and with me to keep our family whole and holy.

    I ask this in the name of Christ our Lord, through whom all things are possible. Amen.

    • Wow Chris! You have a great burdon. However because you have re-discovered your Catholic faith (as I have) you have power on high on your side. Your wife’s reaction is familiar to me (as I also experienced it coming from a former annulled spouse some years ago). In my case I was not yet back to the Church so I didn’t no have this power to tap. Hopefully your reconversion will rub off on your wife and she may reconsider what she is doing. You are right that YOU cannot fill her emptiness and ultimate security . . . only God can do that. If we have God we can solve any domestic problem. I would not try to force her or pressure her and let God handle her heart. It is far better for her to see you live uprightly and lovingly toward her and your children than to try and enter into a conversation about her waywardness . . . as that will most likely just get her mad and reinforce her feelings right now. Silence with loving action is a very powerful witness. God bless.

      • Thanks so much for your reply. It was exactly what I needed today. I tried weeks of begging, pleading and reasoning with my wife, but it only made her heart harder. Now I am “getting out of God’s way” to let Him work. I’m being civil, not discussing the situation and giving her room. When she looks at me with scorn, hate or nasty words, I return only love. My prayer is to be a vessel of God’s unconditional love and hopefully it will shine through to her. Again, thanks for your kind words. My guardian angel was on my side when you wrote them. Bless you.

    • May your angles guide you and your family members to get close to God.
      I’ve known many to feel like “victims” after years of not listening to spouses’ or family members’ complaints. I have a relative whose young daughter went to heroin in part because of the emotional abuse she was getting at home. Now the abuser is claiming to be a victim to her daughter!
      We each can only be accountable for our own stuff – and must give others the freedom to discover their own way. Seek a true and honest “inventory” of your own behaviors with a clergy member or good counselor and try to make amends, not just apologies.
      And you are right to stop begging and give distance. If there has been injury, people need time and space for healing.
      Bless you

  5. Happy Feast Day to all Guardian Angels

    Angel of God, My Guardian Dear to whom God’s love commit me here
    Ever this day be at my side to light and guard and rule and guide. Amen

  6. He played a Basketball game with an opponent of a
    much shorter height that made my son wonder if he just didn’t have anything left to gain. Not a place on his body had avoided the beatings that he endured. This is to ensure that no matter how hard the skill is to master, you can always expect success in the end.

  7. […] When you have days like today, like the day that I am having, where I am anxious, tired, and depressed, listen to your Guardian Angel and pray.  I keep hearing over and over again, “pray, Constance”.  Am I doing a very good job of listening? No, but I do know that it is all that I can do and it is the right thing to do.  I have been through these kinds of days hundreds of times, so I know that in time, things get better.  I also need to learn to cling to the Cross.  The Cross is the only thing that will set me free and my Guardian Angel is trying to smack me upside the head.  Have you seen this image on Catholic Memes: […]

  14. This is a sad day for our angels to be remembered. 50 souls taken and so many injuries. God, forgive us and teach us to be kinder and loving with the help of your angels. Praying for Las Vegas and all those families.

  15. My Prayer each day is to Mary ,Mother, Queen of the Angels and Saints to release a fleet of angels around my family each one by name and my self, protecting us from danger, evil, deadly diseases and encourage them to have a relationship with her son Jesus. Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus please continue to hear and answer my prayer. Happy Feast day Guardian of the Angels. Amen.

  17. Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here, ever this day (or night) be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

  18. In thanksgiving for a lifetime of graces received through each Guardian Angel assigned to myself, my children, my spouse, friends, family, home, parish, town, county, province, country. Also, for two angels assigned to each priest (at birth and ordination), for Saint Michael assigned to the universal Church, etc. For the 2/3 of holy angels helping our spiritual warfare battles against the 1/3 disobedient fallen angels, who hate humanity with prideful intelligence and will, and envy bodies, which is why they want to destroy or distort or possess us. Lord God the Father Almighty, help us to call on Guardian Angels constantly, our own and others, to communicate for us in times of fear, desperation, sorrow and joy. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Such cooperation with Your divine will by these beautiful intelligent beings of light brings untold consolation. Amen.

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