Are guardian angels Catholic doctrine?

[sidetrack]

I’ve never given this one too much thought.If it is Catholic doctrine could someone please explain to me how and if you can how it’s justified?.In the big scheme of things with God,Christ,saints and (I’m guessing the non-guardian sort of) angels protecting us I see it as being a bit to hard to see where they fit in.

 

[OraLabora]

I’ve never given this one too much thought.If it is Catholic doctrine could someone please explain to me how and if you can how it’s justified?.In the big scheme of things with God,Christ,saints and (I’m guessing the non-guardian sort of) angels protecting us I see it as being a bit to hard to see where they fit in.

Guardian Angels

They are not an article of faith and thus not de fide, but clearly are part of Catholic cultural small “t” tradition or folklore.

Which does not make them irrelevant in any way.

 

[nordskoven]

In God’s plan, superior beings serve inferior beings. God works on our behalf, even limiting Himself, limiting His justice to grant mercy; or becoming the Word Incarnate. “What is man that he is created a little lower than the angels.” Angels are the superior beings relative to humans, and their role is to serve.

Adam was the superior being put in charge of all life on Earth, including protecting the literal life-saver/help-mate gift from God, the Woman, when she was created “flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone.” Woman was created and “refined” to literally translate further, and she is obliged to give service to man as being in some respects superior. Vive la difference. That’s God’s system.

“Beware of Satan appearing as an Angel of Light.” Lucifer wanted to exalt his throne above God’s. This implies refusal to serve lower creation, mankind. God gave Lucifer and his cohort of “fallen angels” and rebel humans their free-will wish for a place that does not include God–Hell. The Father of Lies and Murder and his ilk can get thee behind me and mine…

As for me and my house, we thankfully chose life and blessing, asking the protection and guidance, healing and all God’s miraculous gifts He grants through the Holy Angels all in God’s name and for His highest honor and glory alone.

 

[1ke]

Guardian Angels

They are not an article of faith and thus not de fide, but clearly are part of Catholic cultural small “t” tradition or folklore.

Which does not make them irrelevant in any way.

I would say it is much more than little-t tradition or “folklore”. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

336 From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

And, the Feast of the Guardian Angels is October 2 on the Church calendar.

 

[HelenRose]

I’ve never given this one too much thought.If it is Catholic doctrine could someone please explain to me how and if you can how it’s justified?.In the big scheme of things with God,Christ,saints and (I’m guessing the non-guardian sort of) angels protecting us I see it as being a bit to hard to see where they fit in.

With a quick search, I did not find this in the Catechism of the Catholic Church but I believe that it is scriptural.

Matthew 18:10 “See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that **their angels **in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”

I think that it is a belief that is more and a simple myth.

 

[tafan]

Guardian Angels

They are not an article of faith and thus not de fide, but clearly are part of Catholic cultural small “t” tradition or folklore.

Which does not make them irrelevant in any way.

Wow, this is completely false. They are not small “t” tradition or folklore. They are part of the Church’s teaching. Now, I suspect they have never been defined dogmatically, so this teaching is likely only part of the Church’s ordinary magisterium, and fallible at that. Nevertheless, part of the Church;s teaching and we are bound, under penalty of sin, to give this teaching our intellectual assent.

 

[Nelka]

I would say it is much more than little-t tradition or “folklore”. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

336 From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

And, the Feast of the Guardian Angels is October 2 on the Church calendar.

With a quick search, I did not find this in the Catechism of the Catholic Church but I believe that it is scriptural.

Matthew 18:10 “See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that **their angels **in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”

I think that it is a belief that is more and a simple myth.

 

[midori]

Acts 12:1-15

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

 

[Dirt]

From New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia:
newadvent.org/cathen/07049c.htm

“That every individual soul has a guardian angel has never been defined by the Church, and is, consequently, not an article of faith; but it is the “mind of the Church”, as St. Jerome expressed it: “how great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard it.” (Comm. in Matt., xviii, lib. II).”

“In the Bible this doctrine is clearly discernible and its development is well marked. In Genesis 28-29, angels not only act as the executors of God’s wrath against the cities of the plain, but they deliver Lot from danger; in Exodus 12-13, an angel is the appointed leader of the host of Israel, and in 32:34, God says to Moses: “my angel shall go before thee.” At a much later period we have the story of Tobias, which might serve for a commentary on the words of Psalm 90:11: “For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.” (Cf. Psalm 33:8 and 34:5) Lastly, in Daniel 10 angels are entrusted with the care of particular districts; one is called “prince of the kingdom of the Persians”, and Michael is termed “one of the chief princes”; cf. Deuteronomy 32:8 (Septuagint); and Ecclesiasticus 17:17 (Septuagint).”

“But in the New Testament the doctrine is stated with greater precision. Angels are everywhere the intermediaries between God and man; and Christ set a seal upon the Old Testament teaching: “See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10). A twofold aspect of the doctrine is here put before us: even little children have guardian angels, and these same angels lose not the vision of God by the fact that they have a mission to fulfil on earth.”

 

[BDEklof]

Hello!

As a catechist, I was required to teach about the Guardian Angels. The
Bible is replete with mentions of Guardian Angels (please don’t ask me
for quotes, as I am ill today)!

At any rate our priest stops in to discuss varied issues, including G.Angels.
I absolutely love teaching the young ones about their guardian angels. They
seem to have an understanding of angels and their duties to ourselves even
better than they understand Jesus being always with them. (after all, how can Jesus be with everyone at once?).

If kids in first grade can grasp the different “levels” of angels, so should we all!

Love those first graders! God bless them all as they learn about their Faith!

 

[BDEklof]

Just want to say a big THANK YOU to those of you who welcomed me!

God love you all! I’m looking forward to learning and discussing
“good stuff” with you all!

 

[Edward_H]

Guardian angels are far too little employed. We need to load them up.

Mine wakes me up…I no longer use an alarm clock…helps me plan things, allowing me opportunity for apostolate. Helps me remember getting gifts for others.

In a way handing something off to your guardian angle to deal with is a wonderful act of faith. I think one reason that God gave us such good helpers is that by handing some things off to them it frees us up to talk more with God.

 

[HelenRose]

I even pray to my children and grandchildren’s guardian angels
First I thank the angels for the care that is given to the kids.

Then, since the angels love their charges and understand them even more than I do, I ask the angels for their help in guiding me in regard to my kids.

You would be surprised at how often I open my mouth to say something but something comes to my mind telling me that this would be the wrong thing to say.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Guardian angels are far too little employed. We need to load them up.

Mine wakes me up…I no longer use an alarm clock…helps me plan things, allowing me opportunity for apostolate. Helps me remember getting gifts for others.

In a way handing something off to your guardian angle to deal with is a wonderful act of faith. I think one reason that God gave us such good helpers is that by handing some things off to them it frees us up to talk more with God.

Yes! Same here.When I need to be awake other than my usual time,I will always as my Guardian Angel to please wake me up at such and such time! Never fails Add to that,I know my angel has saved me from peril more times than I can count:angel1:

 

[zab]

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The angels in the life of the Church

****334 ****In the meantime, the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels.

335 In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. She invokes their assistance (in the Roman Canon’s* Supplices te rogamus*…“Almighty God, we pray that your angel…”]; 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).

****336 ****From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

 

[zab]

vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P1A.HTM
Here is the link to the entire portion from the Catechism of the Catholic Church on Angels

 

[1AugustSon7]

I’ve never given this one too much thought.If it is Catholic doctrine could someone please explain to me how and if you can how it’s justified?.In the big scheme of things with God,Christ,saints and (I’m guessing the non-guardian sort of) angels protecting us I see it as being a bit to hard to see where they fit in.

Guardian Angels are de fide.

If you are curious about the nature of angels, insomuch as we are informed by Divine Revelation, you can learn about them from the *Summa Theologica *of Saint Thomas.

Matt. xviii. 10. *See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. *

 

[devoutchristian]

Is it De Fide that all people have guardian angels?

 

[Rich_C]

They are part and parcel of the Faith, as far as I know. Their existance and purpose is taught in the Baltimore Catechism, about as good a reference as you get:

Q. 219. Were the angels created for any other purpose?

A. The angels were also created to assist before the throne of God and to minister unto Him; they have often been sent as messengers from God to man; and are also appointed our guardians.

Q. 223. What do our guardian Angels do for us?

A. Our guardian Angels pray for us, protect and guide us, and offer our prayers, good works and desires to God.

Q. 224. How do we know that Angels offer our prayers and good works to God?

A. We know that Angels offer our prayers and good works to God because it is so stated in Holy Scripture, and Holy Scripture is the Word of God.

Q. 225. Why did God appoint guardian Angels if He watches over us Himself?

A. God appointed guardian Angels to secure for us their help and prayers, and also to show His great love for us in giving us these special servants and faithful friends.

 

[triumphguy]

From the Office of Readings for today (A Sermon of Pope St. Gregory the Great):

… It must be realized that “Angel” is the name of their office, not of their nature. For the holy spirits of the heavenly homeland are always spirits, but they cannot always be called Angels; they are Angels only when they are announcing something. And so the Psalmist says, “He who makes spirits His Angels,” as if he said plainly that, when He wills, He uses as Messengers those spirits who are always His. Those who announce less important things are called Angels, and those who announce the highest things are called Archangels. And so not any Angel but the Archangel Gabriel was sent to Mary; for this ministry it was fitting to have the highest Angel, since he was to announce the greatest news of all. These Archangels are also given special names to describe their particular virtue. For Michael means “Who is like unto God?” Gabriel means “Strength of God,” and Raphael “Medicine of God.”

Whenever something is to be done needing great power, Michael is sent forth so that from his action and from his name we can understand that no one can do what God can do. Hence that old enemy who through pride desired to be like God, saying, "I will scale the heavens, I will set up my throne, I will be like the Most High," is shown at the end of the world left to his own strength, and about to undergo the final punishment, as destined to fight with Michael the Archangel. Similarly, Gabriel was sent to Mary; he who is called "strength of God" came to announce Him who deigned to appear in humility to conquer the powers of the air. And Raphael is interpreted, as we said, "Medicine of God," for when he touched the eyes of Tobias to do the work of healing, he dispelled the night of his blindness

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