Don't Name Your Guardian Angel

[Dorothy]

And, in the prayer to our Guardian Angel we start by saying…“Angel of God” .

Before I pray to my angel I say…“Guardian Angel”.

 

[MaryandJoseph]

With all due respect Elizium23, at the very beginning of my response I said that I understood the teachings of the Church on this issue and would be OBEDIENT!. I said I “Struggled” with this teaching not that I would go contrary to Church teachings.

Maybe I did not make myself clear enough, and if that is the case, I apologize.

 

[Rete]

Somebody told me to ask my guardian angel what name I could call him after communion. I did that, and the response I got was absolute silence. Not even a stray thought.

I think the problem with naming your guardian angel is that you do not have authority over him. He has authority over you. So I just continue calling him Angel.

 

[babochka]

First, let me begin by saying that I haven’t named my guardian angel and I always thought the practice was a bit strange.

The article quotes, out of context, a Vatican document entitled “*Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy”. *According to the quote, which is given with no context, the practice is discouraged, not forbidden. The level of the authority of the document is not given. Not everything that comes out of the Vatican carries equal authority (or a Bishop’s Conference - Art and Environment in Catholic Worship, anyone?)

The reasoning given in the article apparently belongs entirely to the author of the piece and is mostly based on the angel being of higher authority. My husband has authority over me, but I give him names other than his own. “Honey”, “Sweetheart”, etc. I don’t really see how “naming” one’s guardian angel is any different.

I would be interested in learning more about church teaching on this subject, but this article does not adequately make the case for me that naming one’s guardian angel is forbidden by the church.

 

[M-Dent]

First, let me begin by saying that I haven’t named my guardian angel and I always thought the practice was a bit strange.

I agree.

The article quotes, out of context, a Vatican document entitled “*Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy”. *According to the quote, which is given with no context, the practice is discouraged, not forbidden. The level of the authority of the document is not given.

Here is the official document on the Vatican website

I find the decree helps us understand it’s purpose.

In the light of this authoritative teaching and of other pronouncements of the Church’s Magisterium on the pious practices of the Christian people, and drawing on pastoral cases that have emerged in recent years, the Plenary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, held September 26-28 2001, approved this present Directory which considers, in general terms, the relationship between Liturgy and popular piety, restates the principles regulating that nexus, and stipulates guidelines for their fruitful implementation in the particular Churches, in accordance with their specific traditions. By cultivation of a positive and encouraging pastoral stance towards popular piety, therefore, it for the Bishops in a special way to value popular piety, whose fruits have been, and remain, of major importance in conserving the faith of the Christian people.

Having received the approval of the Supreme Pontiff JOHN PAUL II to publish this “Directory on Popular Piety. Principles and Guidelines” (Letter of the Secretariat of State, Prot. N. 497.514 of 14 December 2001), the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is pleased to publish it in the hope that both Pastors and faithful may draw from this instrument, encouragement to grow in Christ, through him and with him, in the Holy Spirit to the praise of God the Father in heaven.

Anything contrary not withstanding.

From the offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 17 December 2001.

Jorge A. Card. Medina Estévez
Prefect

The relevant section

Popular piety encompasses many forms of devotion to the Guardian Angels. St. Basil Great (+378) taught that “each and every member of the faithful has a Guardian Angel to protect, guard and guide them through life”(292). This ancient teaching was consolidated by biblical and patristic sources and lies behind many forms of piety. St. Bernard of Clarivaux (+1153) was a great master and a notable promoter of devotion to the Guardian Angels. For him, they were a proof “that heaven denies us nothing that assists us”, and hence, “these celestial spirits have been placed at our sides to protect us, instruct us and to guide us”(293).

Devotion to the Holy Angels gives rise to a certain form of the Christian life which is characterized by:

• devout gratitude to God for having placed these heavenly spirits of great sanctity and dignity at the service of man;

• an attitude of devotion deriving from the knowledge of living constantly in the presence of the Holy Angels of God;- serenity and confidence in facing difficult situations, since the Lord guides and protects the faithful in the way of justice through the ministry of His Holy Angels.Among the prayers to the Guardian Angels the Angele Dei(294) is especially popular, and is often recited by families at morning and evening prayers, or at the recitation of the Angelus

Popular devotion to the Holy Angels, which is legitimate and good, can, however, also give rise to possible deviations:

• when, as sometimes can happen, the faithful are taken by the idea that the world is subject to demiurgical struggles, or an incessant battle between good and evil spirits, or Angels and daemons, in which man is left at the mercy of superior forces and over which he is helpless; such cosmologies bear little relation to the true Gospel vision of the struggle to overcome the Devil, which requires moral commitment, a fundamental option for the Gospel, humility and prayer;

• when the daily events of life, which have nothing or little to do with our progressive maturing on the journey towards Christ are read schematically or simplistically, indeed childishly, so as to ascribe all setbacks to the Devil and all success to the Guardian Angels. The practice of assigning names to the Holy Angels should be discouraged, except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael and Michael whose names are contained in Holy Scripture.

 

[IA_Catholic]

My understanding was that one was not to seek the true name of their guardian angel as to avoid contact with a spirit not sent by God. The naming of your Guardian Angel in the way Mother Angelica suggests was more of providing a respectful endearment to encourage the development of a relationship.

I think there is some similarity between this and praying to relatives that have passed. While you would like to think Uncle Joe is a saint in heaven, you have no way of knowing that is true. Therefore, you should only pray to the Saints (those confirmed by the Church to be in Heaven), so that you know your prayers are getting to the correct location.

If I were to seek the name of my Guardian Angel and I was to sense it was “Robert” this could be a trick of a spirit not sent from God. In contrast, if I were to say to my Guardian Angel that I would like to refer to him as “Joseph” when I thank him for watching over me that day, there can be no trickery.

In reading the decree, I do not believe that my understanding is in conflict.

Having said that – I’ll keep reading

 

[M-Dent]

Msgr. Charles Pope offers some thoughtful advise and info on this topic —> .article here

Personally, there’s been no time or place that I truly believe I have felt the most familiar presence of my Guardian Angel than when worshipping – especially at a Missa Cantata. Why, I do not know. I have had the rare occasion of the most powerful sensation of an Angel of God chanting and singing. It’s not a voice or a vision by any means. Just a surreal sensation that helps me block out distractions. But it is good and it is incredibly comforting. If it’s simply my imagination…then thank you God for the gift of my imagination!

I have survived a few close calls with death (w/ unusual circumstances) but never sensed anything there protecting me. Yet, I know someone did. I thank God for my Guardian Angel. And thank God for another day on earth!

 

[Elizium23]

Babochka is correct that the Church has chosen to use soft language: “discouraged” rather than “prohibited” or “forbidden”. I don’t know if this corner of popular piety is a new thing, or has grown in recent years, or is a resurgence of an older practice. Perhaps the Church does not wish to draw a bright line here and leave people in the cold. It would be interesting to know whether the Church has taken a stance in the past, and whether it was different, more strict, or what have you.

But if it seems a bit strange to a Byzantine Catholic and the practice is indeed not found in the East, then perhaps it is a novelty and the Church is slowly moving toward a prohibition. But I am just conjecturing now, and I will step out of the room…

 

[austcatholic]

and My Guardian Angel and I have agreed on the name Ariel. If the Angel gives it’s constant to be called something is that a sin I wonder.

Loving Disciple, I noticed your post in particular as just the other day I had read a blog entry from someone about the name “Ariel” - I will quote below but please do go and read the original post by blogger ‘supertradmum’.

The Second point I want to make is very serious. There is a “church” in America, based on New Age heresies, which honors an angel named Ariel. There is no angel in the Catholic Tradition by that name, although it is used, of course, in literature. A church in the Quad-City area of Iowa and Illinois claims that Ariel has appeared and given special, that is Gnostic, knowledge to the people of that congreagation. Ariel is not an angel of the main Judeo-Christian tradition, but part ofcabal-ismand other forms of mysticism, which are not Christian.*

Confusion reigns. A daughter of a friend of mine was given a statue, bought at a Catholic religious supply shop, labeled “Ariel, Patron of Confirmation”. NO. NO, NO.

I explained that this angel, especially in the New Age mysticism of the local church in her area, could very well be an evil demon, or, at best, a hallucination. That someone is making statues,labelingthese as partons of Confirmation, and selling these in a Catholic shop, makes me wonder as to the intelligence or real spirituality of the makers, suppliers, and sellers.

Be on your guard for false teachings. Again, New Age groups are susceptible to this type of manifestation, as these “chuches” tend towards Gnosticism.

Again, do not buy anything “iffy” just because it is popular. I have written on this before, but the great angels in the window at St. Mary of the Angels reminded me both of the glory and the dangers of angels, of whom there are, dear readers, two varieties-those from heaven and those from hell.

Link to original post on etheldredasplace.

Please be careful and perhaps talk to a priest.

 

[choliks]

I think the article points to the principle of naming as an exercise of authority. The same can be applied with exorcisms. The exorcist usually demands the name of the demon so he can authority over it.

 

[DaveBj]

For the record, Ariel (“lion of God”) is the name of a sub-chief in the post-Diaspora return under Ezra (chapter 8). It is also an epithet for Jerusalem in one of Isaiah’s woe messages (chapter 29). It is an appropriate name for an angel, but there is no angel revealed to have that name.

Off-topic, and at the risk of alienating all the Disney-ites, I will opine that Ariel is not an appropriate name for a mermaid.

 

[janeway529]

So the Church has forbidden us to do something, and speaks with the authority given to her by Christ, the authority to bind and loose, and so people will continue with private revelation and disobedience “as long as God/the angel says it’s OK?” God has said it’s not OK! Any angel who whispers in your ear that it’s OK is not of God!

You do realize private revelation and disobedience are not synonymous with each other, right? There have been many private revelations over the years that have been denounced by the Church, only to be rescinded at a later date once the understanding of their purpose becomes clear. Discovering a name does not necessarily imply authority over another. Do you have authority over friends, parents, children, or family because you know their names?

 

[Demetra2]

I wonder if I have broken this rule.and My Guardian Angel and I have agreed on the name Ariel. If the Angel gives it’s constant to be called something is that a sin I wonder.

If the Pope has advised that you don’t do it then just be obedient. Your angel would approve. That was easy!

 

[TK421]

It’s probably for the best. I would have given my Guardian Angel the name “Iron Mustang XL-5000” or something, and he would be facepalming big time.

Adam was given authority over the land and animals in the Garden of Eden, and this was demonstrated by him naming them. Angels are messengers of God and are not animals. If this were to become practiced, guardians angels would be treated less as guardian angels and more like a pet spirit animal or something.

 

[Elizium23]

If the Pope has advised that you don’t do it then just be obedient. Your angel would approve. That was easy!

Well, this pope today has apparently repudiated the “discouragement” of this practice because he recounted tenderly the letter of a young disabled boy who named his angel Eusebius.

Anything else I’d have to say would be flagrant violations of forum rules at this point. Peace out!

 

[Rence]

Naming Your Guardian Angel: Don’t Do It
by Dr. Taylor Marshall

You are not allowed to name your Guardian Angel. Some Catholics practice a devotion of giving personal names to their guardian angels. However, the Holy See does not allow this practice and formally discourages it. Read More]

Ah well, I didn’t know that when I was a child and I named my guardian angel. Oh well.

 

[Philosoraptor]

The solution is easy: your guardian angel has name given it by the Blessed Trinity. Barring direct revelation, knowledge of this name is beyond our ken. But some find calling out “Guardian Angel” to be a clumsy invocation, so they assign their guardian a nickname, with the understanding that this name does not reflect the being’s reality. Since that is what the Vatican document discourages, creating a personal form of address for one’s guardian angel seems quite permissible.

 

[Elizium23]

That’s quite a circumlocution to rationalize something trivial that needn’t be messed with at all. But H.H. Franciscus, P.P. wants us to do it, so everyone just ignore the pesky old document.

 

[Jokoangel]

Oops, too late - I have done this a long time ago. I had asked God to place my hand in his and to show me 3 times in Scripture his name. Randomly I was brought to find Daniel (el) meaning of God to me. Still doubting it I felt like my shoulders were pleasantly being shaken and hearing “Daniel. Daniel, Daniel - don’t you get it!” How can something that brings me closer to God be wrong?

 

[Credo_in_Deum]

The name for my Guardian Angel is; Guardian Angel.

Now if you were to ask my GA for my name, I’m sure there would be a whole slew of colorful names. The best one my GA has come up with thus far is; “Sadd”. It stands for Savior Attention Deficit Disorderd.

Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
To whom God’s love
commits me here,
Ever this day,
be at my side,
To light and guard,
Rule and guide.
Amen.