Are there different ranks of angels?

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I really want to go to heaven someday and be an angel. If i do more good deeds here on earth will I be more happy in heaven? (Or is it egotistical of me to even think of such a thing?) I want to know if some angels are happier than other angels or more glorious than other angels.
 
someone correct me if I’m wrong and I assure you i’m no expert in the workings of heaven 🙂

As far as I am aware at least two ranks are known that I have seen in the bible, angel and ARC angel (leader of angels) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archangel

also it’s unclear to me if the horseman are angels or not.
of course the devil was once a angel…and had issue with management lol
 
Max, humans never become angels. We become saints. And yeah, it would be fun if one day, we see those angels in heaven.😉
 
maxdouglas402 said:
I really want to go to heaven someday and be an angel. If i do more good deeds here on earth will I be more happy in heaven? (Or is it egotistical of me to even think of such a thing?) I want to know if some angels are happier than other angels or more glorious than other angels.
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As explained by PCalungsod, strictly speaking, the humans who reach heaven do not become angels. They become saints (and some are later canonized). However, a saint is still a human.

You might wish to read some parts of the Catechism for more details, for example, vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2M.HTM (Part 1, Section 2, Chapter 3, Article 12, Paragraph 2 - “Heaven”) and vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P1A.HTM (Part 1, Section 1, Chapter 1, Article 1 Paragraph 5 - “Heaven and Earth”), vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2B.HTM (Part 1, Section 2, Chapter 3, Article 9, Paragraph 5 - “The Communion of Saints”).
 
PCalungsod said:
Max, humans never become angels. We become saints. And yeah, it would be fun if one day, we see those angels in heaven.😉
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I don’t see a issue with wanting to work for management, if you made it to heaven you fit at least half the standards of a resume requirements 🙂
 
maxdouglas402 said:
I really want to go to heaven someday and be an angel. If i do more good deeds here on earth will I be more happy in heaven? (Or is it egotistical of me to even think of such a thing?) I want to know if some angels are happier than other angels or more glorious than other angels.
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First and foremost,you can’t be an angel.They are made of purely spiritual matter. Although,. you can strive for sainthood 😉
 
There are nine “choirs” of angles.

Without cheating by googling it, let me see if I can remember them:

Seraphim
Cherubim
*

Thrones
Powers
Principalities
Archangels
Guardian Angels

Okay, now to google…(I’m just missing two, but that is the order of their prominence in Catholic thought)
 
And here they are!

catholic.org/saints/angels/angelchoir.php

(Okay, so clearly I messed up some).

Anyway, like everyone else said, we do not become angels. Angels are pure spirit, while we are embodied souls, flesh and spirit. We are different types of creatures according to Aquinas’ hierarchy of being.
 
maxdouglas402 said:
I really want to go to heaven someday and be an angel. If i do more good deeds here on earth will I be more happy in heaven? (Or is it egotistical of me to even think of such a thing?) I want to know if some angels are happier than other angels or more glorious than other angels.
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There are nine orders of angels: Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, Throne, Cherubim and Seraphim.

One third of the angels left Heaven as Fallen Angels.

Although popular culture often says, “God wanted another angel” when a little child dies, or “I have an angel in heaven” after the death of a child…people never become angels.

God made the angels as pure spirit. God made humans with a body and spirit.

When humans die, our souls are purified in Purgatory. Then we can enter Heaven. Humans in heaven are known as saints. A lowercase saint for those not canonized, upper case for Saints who are canonized.

I don’t know if there is anything happier or glorious than being in Heaven. Heaven is perfect.

God will not be granting us a “better seat” based on the number of deeds we record.

Continue to strive for Heaven. God Bless. :angel1:
 
who takes us at death…?
anyone know of a angel showing up to smite? many people have seen good angels, or told to flee like during the purge when jesus was a baby. but has anyone had an experience where god was angry?
 
Some threads just make me chuckle. This is one of them… Cannot tell you how much I needed that today. Thank you ,Thank you, Thank you. 👍😃
 
Others pointed out that humans cannot become angels.

Yes, certain angels are more glorious than other angels. Do you think that all the fallen angels, for example, are all cookie-cutters of each other? Or do you think that some are more terrible than others? Likewise, do you think all angels are carbon copies of each other? Just as people vary in their degree of love and service and dedication to God, do you not think that angels vary, in their own way? Do you not think, perhaps, that certain angels might be rewarded with certain tasks or duties for their excellence? Do you think that any angel could be a St. Michael, or a St. Gabriel?

And yes, the closer to God you are on earth, the happier you will be in Heaven. Everyone will be perfectly happy to experience the beatific vision— but do you think your capacity for happiness in the presence of God is the same as Mother Teresa’s, or Mary’s, or the saint-of-your-choosing? A popular image is with cups… everyone’s cup will be full, but some people will have little sippy cups, and other people will have a 32 oz Big Gulps, and other people will have a 52 oz. Xtreme Gulp. 😛
 
wow thank you all for clearing that up 🙂 lol

I always thought I would turn into an angel some day. hahaha I think that’s what my mom told me that when I was young :o

do those who enter heaven still have their earthly bodies?
 
Mar044 said:
who takes us at death…?
anyone know of a angel showing up to smite? many people have seen good angels, or told to flee like during the purge when jesus was a baby. but has anyone had an experience where god was angry?
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Personally, no. But the bible mentions angels doing just that. Check out David’s vision when he sees the angel that is causing the plague.
 
Nom_the_Wise said:
And here they are!

catholic.org/saints/angels/angelchoir.php

(Okay, so clearly I messed up some).

Anyway, like everyone else said, we do not become angels. Angels are pure spirit, while we are embodied souls, flesh and spirit. We are different types of creatures according to Aquinas’ hierarchy of being.
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Is this Catholic doctrine? The information mentioned in the webpage above contains a lot of extrabiblical information.

There is a whole lot more to the spiritual world than we have been taught, and I don’t see much point in making up names of angels and pretending like we know the duties of these various choirs. It is not clear that the choirs spoken of are actually different classes of angels. These might be more like titles or roles.

The above list also ignores the other heavenly creatures. Remember the four horsemen of the Apocalypse? Exactly what were they riding? Spiritual horses? Real horses? How about the creatures in Ezekiel’s vision - the wheels within wheels - with multiple faces?

We shouldn’t act like we know all this stuff when we don’t. Pretending like we can put them all into 9 categories and pretending like we know what their roles are is just pretending. It isn’t the same as knowledge.
 
homesower said:
Is this Catholic doctrine? The information mentioned in the webpage above contains a lot of extrabiblical information.
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I’m not sure if it’s doctrine per se. I have a book called St. Michael and the Angels, published by TAN books (TAN has had a reputation as being overly conservative), and on the cover it says “compiled from approved sources” and yet it doesn’t bear an *Imprimatur *or a Nihil Obstat. The information about the “choirs” of angels is the same in my book as it is in the wikipedia article, which is why I posted it so I wouldn’t have to type so much. 😊

So there is definitely a tradition that has arisen about the angelic choirs, promulgated by various saints over the years. But clearly no one is bound to believe it necessarily as “public” revelation. This might be a good question for Ask an Apologist.

And really, thanks for the challenge. I’d always assumed that my book had an Imprimitur and a Nihil Obstat. I’m a little crestfallen, but it’s good to know.
 
Nom_the_Wise said:
The information about the “choirs” of angels is the same in my book as it is in the wikipedia article, which is why I posted it so I wouldn’t have to type so much. 😊

.
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Sorry but I just looked back and found that the wikipedia article was for Aquinas’ hierarchy of being (and they represent it accurately). I used catholic.org for the “choirs” so if they have posted that information as well, I can’t be that far off.
 
I would like to hear some information on what the catholic teaching is on Azreal the angel of death. I my memory serves me correctly the angel of death appeared in Exodus to take away the souls of the first born son. I’d love to hear about the angel of death.(trying not to sound morbid)
 
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