Are angels saints?

[Secant]

At a family gathering, we got into a discussion about whether or not it was appropriate to call Michael the Archangel “St. Michael.” My FIL, who prides himself on knowing everything important about Catholicism (or at least most everything important) said that it was incorrect. Only humans could be saints. I was under the impression that the main requirement for sainthood was known existence in heaven, not species. Also, in the new translation of the Litany to of the Saints, we refer to this archangel as St. Michael. Thus does anyone know, it is truly an misstatement (and in the context of the Mass Liturgical abuse) to call Michael the archangel a saint, as my FIL says, or is he mistaken in his assertion?

 

[1ke]

It seems the Catechism and St Thomas Aquinas disagree with your FIL.

330 As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness.

335 In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. She invokes their assistance (in the funeral liturgy’s In Paradisum deducant te angeli. . .“May the angels lead you into Paradise. . .”]). Moreover, in the “Cherubic Hymn” of the Byzantine Liturgy, she celebrates the memory of certain angels more particularly (St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and the guardian angels).

948 The term “communion of saints” therefore has two closely linked meanings: communion in holy things (sancta)" and “among holy persons (sancti).”

“the mystical body of the Church consists not only of men but of angels.” St Thomas, Summa III:8:4

It seems the Catechism and St Thomas Aquinas disagree with your FIL.

 

[1ke]

The universal Church also assigns Oct 2 as the Feast of the Guardian Angels and Sept 29 is the Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel, and Rafael (or Feast of St Michael and All Angels).

If the Church calls them Saints and assigns them feast days, that’s good enough for me.

 

[Memaw]

At a family gathering, we got into a discussion about whether or not it was appropriate to call Michael the Archangel “St. Michael.” My FIL, who prides himself on knowing everything important about Catholicism (or at least most everything important) said that it was incorrect. Only humans could be saints. I was under the impression that the main requirement for sainthood was known existence in heaven, not species. Also, in the new translation of the Litany to of the Saints, we refer to this archangel as St. Michael. Thus does anyone know, it is truly an misstatement (and in the context of the Mass Liturgical abuse) to call Michael the archangel a saint, as my FIL says, or is he mistaken in his assertion?

The good Angels were saints before there were even any human saints. God Bless. Memaw

 

[Chatter163]

Much of the confusion comes from the fact that the Latin word for the English words *saint *and holy is the same. The angels are not saints in the sense that that were formally canonized; that process is reserved to those who died in this world. But as has been pointed out, angels are in heaven with God, as are the saints, so the same word is used.