Do guardian angels really exist?

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Debora123

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So I know this isn’t really the right place for this question because it’s not a matter of morality, but I couldn’t find where else to post it. I do apologize.

I was wondering - is the idea that each person has her/his own guardian angel official Catholic teaching? Or is it just something we tell kids to SYMBOLIZE the fact that there is a higher power constantly looking over us?

The question here isn’t whether or not angels exist - I know they do, and I know they look over us like everything else heavenly. But does the Church actually officially teach that each individual person has a specifically assigned guardian angel?
 
Debora123 said:
So I know this isn’t really the right place for this question because it’s not a matter of morality, but I couldn’t find where else to post it. I do apologize.

I was wondering - is the idea that each person has her/his own guardian angel official Catholic teaching? Or is it just something we tell kids to SYMBOLIZE the fact that there is a higher power constantly looking over us?

The question here isn’t whether or not angels exist - I know they do, and I know they look over us like everything else heavenly. But does the Church actually officially teach that each individual person has a specifically assigned guardian angel?
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Does the Catholic Church teach they exist, and such teaching must be adhered to by all Catholics? No.

Do they exist? imho, yes.
 
Apollos said:
No “symbol” got Peter out of prison (Acts 12).
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Like I said, I believe in angels. I was asking if it is official Catholic teaching that each angel is assigned to one specific person as their guardian… OR if that notion is just something we tell kids to symbolize the higher power that is constantly looking over us.
 
Yes, it is in the Catechism 🙂

336 From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.202 **“Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.”**203 Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

There’s a great book about Angels called “All about the Angels”, from TAN publishers… it has a lot of useful information about them, and stories about the Saints

Some Saints, like St Gemma Galgani, St Faustina, and St Padre Pio (among others) - saw and conversed with their Guardian Angels.

God bless
 
Monica4316 said:
Yes, it is in the Catechism 🙂

336 From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.202 **“Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.”**203 Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

There’s a great book about Angels called “All about the Angels”, from TAN publishers… it has a lot of useful information about them, and stories about the Saints

Some Saints, like St Gemma Galgani, St Faustina, and St Padre Pio (among others) - saw and conversed with their Guardian Angels.

God bless
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Ah, I see 🙂

That’s just what I was looking for, thank you!
 
Was it a very brief strong force of wind or a loved one’s guardian angel that seemingly held her back from being killed by a falling tree branch one day some time back?

It was definitely a celestial being. They do exist. If they didn’t, who would save us from the falling tree branches?:angel1:
 
Vince1022 said:
Does the Catholic Church teach they exist, and such teaching must be adhered to by all Catholics? No.
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It may not be dogma, but it’s still a highly respected belief- up to the highest levels of the Church. If it wasn’t, why would the guardian angels have their own feast day (October 2nd)? This belief has the wisdom of the Church behind it, and shouldn’t be dismissed lightly.
 
m134e5 said:
It may not be dogma, but it’s still a highly respected belief- up to the highest levels of the Church. If it wasn’t, why would the guardian angels have their own feast day (October 2nd)? This belief has the wisdom of the Church behind it, and shouldn’t be dismissed lightly.
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I was not dismissing (lightly or otherwise) any belief of the Church.
 
I often wonder this also; is it an official teaching, or is it a nice story for kids. Even the prayer, which is quite nice, sounds rather childish.

However, it is a nice comforting thought that we all do have an individual angel for our protection. Sometimes I pray to my guardian angel as I want to believe the angel (angels do not have gender) exists. Prayer is never wasted.

The way I see it, there is one of three possibilities:
  1. We all have individual guardian angels because God intended it to be so
  2. We do not have individual angels but God understands the intent and will substitute the prayer in a way that is sufficient
  3. Out of God’s love and due to our belief or individual prayers, God creates an angel for us even if there is no official teaching on it.
One thing I wonder is how much appreciation is due to our guardian angels, assuming they exist. My understanding is angels have free will like humans but angels only have to make one decision–whether to serve God in Heaven or rebell and end up with Lucifer.

Is taking up the task of protecting us throughout our entire lives part of the deal with admittance into Heaven? Can these angels choose to say no to being our guardians and still choose Heaven? So in addition to thanking God for our angels perhaps we should also thank our angels rather than just taking for granted that the angel has to be there for us at all times.
 
wjp984;7352812 said:
Surely! I chat with mine at the beginning of each day, asking him/her to ask God to be able to access my thoughts and guide me accordingly.
👍
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Monica4316 said:
Yes, it is in the Catechism 🙂

336 From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.202 **“Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.”**203 Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

There’s a great book about Angels called “All about the Angels”, from TAN publishers… it has a lot of useful information about them, and stories about the Saints

Some Saints, like St Gemma Galgani, St Faustina, and St Padre Pio (among others) - saw and conversed with their Guardian Angels.

God bless
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I was always taught that we each have our own guardian angels growing up, so it has been one of those things that has been categorized as a “given” for me. In other words, it’s not something that I regularly questioned or wondered about. I never knew that it was actually in the catechism! Thanks for clearing that up, it’s great to know!
 
thistle said:
Its an official teaching of the Church which must be accepted. Its not only infallible teachings we must accept.
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Of course not only infallible teachings must be accepted. I never said otherwise.
 
**Matthew 18:10
**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.
 
I totally believe in Guardian Angels. I wish mine would help me more often. Guess I need to pray more. 👍
 
Vince1022 said:
Of course not only infallible teachings must be accepted. I never said otherwise.
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In your post #2 you said we do not have to accept the Church teaching on guardian angels!!

In case you forgot what you said:

"Does the Catholic Church teach they exist, and such teaching must be adhered to by all Catholics? No.
 
thistle said:
In your post #2 you said we do not have to accept the Church teaching on guardian angels!!

In case you forgot what you said:

"Does the Catholic Church teach they exist, and such teaching must be adhered to by all Catholics? No.
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You do have to accept what the scriptures say. And according to my post, they DO exist.
 
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