Does each animal have a Guardian Angel like each person does?

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Holly3278

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Hello everyone. I just came up with this question. It seems like I am always coming up with questions about Catholicism! :o Its like as though there is always more to learn when it comes to Catholicism! Anyway, on to my question.

Does each animal have a Guardian Angel just like each person has a Guardian Angel? Or do animals don’t have Guardian Angels? If they don’t have a Guardian Angel, do any angels watch over the animals of the earth?
 
Hello!

The very existence of “personal” guardian angels (ie, one angel per person) is not a formal doctrine of the Church, but has been widely taught and upheld by many theologians and ancient scholars. And the concept has been expanded to include the idea that individual people gain additional “personal” guardian angels when they assume some particular important office, such as a priest, Bishop, or Christian King. And furthermore that guardian angels may be assigned to groups such as Christian nations. A greater angelic protection of such persons/groups is deemed necessary to counter the forces of the devil acting in opposition, who would find such persons/groups a target of opportunity. Again, none of this is defined Catholic Doctrine, but it is widely held by many respected Catholic theologians, drawing heavily upon Jewish understanding of the Angelic Choirs.

Animals, however, while possessing a life-giving soul, do not possess an eternal spirit. These act according to their own nature. They can be trained somewhat, but are still inherently governed by their animal nature. They are thus not subject to the corruption of demonic influences (despite what some owners of hound dogs and Siamese cats might think) and thus have no need of heavenly angelic countermeasures.

So, while I can assure you that the Catholic Church has never taken a definitive doctrinal position on the question, I have no doubt that the majority of Catholic theologians would agree that animals have no need of personal guardian angels, and thus do not have them.
 
DavidFilmer said:
Hello!

The very existence of “personal” guardian angels (ie, one angel per person) is not a formal doctrine of the Church, but has been widely taught and upheld by many theologians and ancient scholars. And the concept has been expanded to include the idea that individual people gain additional “personal” guardian angels when they assume some particular important office, such as a priest, Bishop, or Christian King. And furthermore that guardian angels may be assigned to groups such as Christian nations. A greater angelic protection of such persons/groups is deemed necessary to counter the forces of the devil acting in opposition, who would find such persons/groups a target of opportunity. Again, none of this is defined Catholic Doctrine, but it is widely held by many respected Catholic theologians, drawing heavily upon Jewish understanding of the Angelic Choirs.

Animals, however, while possessing a life-giving soul, do not possess an eternal spirit. These act according to their own nature. They can be trained somewhat, but are still inherently governed by their animal nature. They are thus not subject to the corruption of demonic influences (despite what some owners of hound dogs and Siamese cats might think) and thus have no need of heavenly angelic countermeasures.

So, while I can assure you that the Catholic Church has never taken a definitive doctrinal position on the question, I have no doubt that the majority of Catholic theologians would agree that animals have no need of personal guardian angels, and thus do not have them.
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Okay, but if the Guardian Angel thing isn’t a doctrine, why is it in the Catechism?

Also, if animals don’t have a Guardian Angel, could my own personal Guardian Angel protect my pet since she belongs to me?
 
PeterK said:
Protect your pet from what? seems to be the question.

PeterK
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What I was asking is if I could ask my own personal Guardian Angel to protect my cat from accidents and such. What I mean is that my cat does not have very good balance and so could I ask my Guardian Angel to protect my cat from falls when she climbs onto cabinets or jumps onto them and such. The reason being that since she has poor balance there is a chance that she could fall when jumping up onto cabinets and such.

I assure that there is absolutely no animal abuse or anything like that going on if that’s what you mean.

It seemed to me like you were implying that I abuse my cat and personally I found that to be very offensive. I would never do such a thing to my cat. I love my cat and could never abuse her!
 
Nope. No implications attempted or intended. Just seemed a reasonable probing question to get at some details which you have now provided.

I’m sure your guardian angel will help you in every way it can. However, if an accident does happen with your cat (and I hope it does not) do not blame your guardian angel or God for being negligent toward the well being of your pet.

Peterk
 
PeterK said:
Nope. No implications attempted or intended. Just seemed a reasonable probing question to get at some details which you have now provided.

I’m sure your guardian angel will help you in every way it can. However, if an accident does happen with your cat (and I hope it does not) do not blame your guardian angel or God for being negligent toward the well being of your pet.

Peterk
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Oh okay. Thanks for clearing that up for me Peter. I am sorry if I assumed that you were rashly judging me of abusing my cat. I guess I rashly judged you of rashly judging me. Please do forgive me.

That said, I wouldn’t blame my Guardian Angel or God if Precious did get injured somehow. However, I just wonder if my Guardian Angel can protect my cat from danger if I ask my Guardian Angel to do so?
 
We just don’t know. In fact, it makes sense that we don’t know. The bible is written about man’s salvation history, not the animals (who are unable to read it.) It doesn’t mean that your angel can’t protect your pet. In fact, Jesus said ‘Ask and you shall receive’. There were no conditions there, simply faith.
 
Holly3278 said:
What I was asking is if I could ask my own personal Guardian Angel to protect my cat from accidents and such. What I mean is that my cat does not have very good balance and so could I ask my Guardian Angel to protect my cat from falls when she climbs onto cabinets or jumps onto them and such. The reason being that since she has poor balance there is a chance that she could fall when jumping up onto cabinets and such.

I assure that there is absolutely no animal abuse or anything like that going on if that’s what you mean.

It seemed to me like you were implying that I abuse my cat and personally I found that to be very offensive. I would never do such a thing to my cat. I love my cat and could never abuse her!
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Sounds like your worshipping the creationg “” the cat"" More than the creator " the Lord" to me. I cant say if animals do or dont have gaurdian angels but the ones I get during hunting season must not have any… Or mine are stronger lol.
 
brierpatch1974 said:
Sounds like your worshipping the creationg “” the cat"" More than the creator " the Lord" to me. I cant say if animals do or dont have gaurdian angels but the ones I get during hunting season must not have any… Or mine are stronger lol.
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Having love for an animal does not detract from God at all, anymore than having love for a person does. It is not worship to want good for an animal. I can love both animals and people, without worshiping either. Just as you can kill a deer for food without hating it.
 
You are exactly right and forgive my sarcasm. I love and respect my pets and want the best for them and their lives. Just the same as I love nature and the bounty it provides thanks to the Lord. My favorite time of day is the sun rise. Even when its cloudy you can tell when its day break and all the critters start waking up. I always thank the Lord for giving this ole sinner another day to enjoy his creation. Lot of things I dont understand and may never will but I am so happy and honored to get to experience it.
 
Holly3278 said:
Does each animal have a Guardian Angel like each person does?
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No!

If you believe yes then at what point does it become no?

Dog, cat, mouse, spider, fly, whatever a fly eats etc.

Would God give man dominion over the animals if they had Guardian Angels too?
 
Holly3278 said:
Okay, but if the Guardian Angel thing isn’t a doctrine, why is it in the Catechism?

Also, if animals don’t have a Guardian Angel, could my own personal Guardian Angel protect my pet since she belongs to me?
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It is doctrine that we all have a guardian angel but it is not doctrine that each person has his own guardian angel (i.e. one on one). It might be, for example, that one guardian angel is assigned to 10 people.
 
Well actually in my book called “The Guardian Angels our Heavenly Companions” ( A Catholic book ) It says “The protecting love of the holy Angels is carried to such an excess that, not satisfied with thus guarding the souls of men, they even watch over beasts and over the physical world. According to St. Augustine, there are Angels who reside over every visible things and over all different species of creatures in the world whether animate or inanimate.” So there you have it the words of St. Augustine. Believe it or not.
 
Christine85 said:
Believe it or not.
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Not. I’ve been on here long enough to know not to believe it when someone makes a crazy claim about some saint. Animals do not have guardian angels since they have no supernatural end.
 
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