St. Michael's Chaplet - Correct order of the Choirs of Angels

[AdonaiSeeker83]

I know that prayer said with a faithful heart with proper intention and good will is more effective in God hearing our prayers than anything else, but chalk this up to my compulsive nature.

I’ve taken to learning St. Michael’s Chaplet because in addition to Mother Mary they’re the saints that I’ve always identified with. However depending on the sources the orders of the choirs of angels vary between the orders of #5 &#6 as follows:

1. Seraphim
2. Cherabim
3. Thrones
4. Dominions (sometimes called Dominations)
   5. Virtues*
5. Powers*****
6. Principalities
7. Archangels
8. Angels

Catholic Encyclopedia - newadvent.org/cathen/01476d.htmSt. Thomas (Summa Theologica I:108), following St. Denis (De Coelesti Hierarchia, vi, vii), divides the angels into three hierarchies each of which contains three orders. Their proximity to the Supreme Being serves as the basis of this division.
In the first hierarchy he places the Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones;
in the second, the Dominations, Virtues, and Powers;
in the third, the Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.

ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/chaplet-of-st-michael.htm - Also cites the above order.

On the iPieta app, the card that came with my St. Michael’s Chaplet, and almost every other website that has the chaplet written out uses the below order.
5. Powers
6. Virtues

Am I missing some church doctrine where the order was set?

Any help would be much appreciated. God Bless

*Saint Michael, appearing one day to Antonia d’Astonac, a most devout Servant of God, told her that he wished to be honored by nine salutations corresponding to the nine Choirs of Angels, which should consist of one Our Father and three Hail Marys in honor of each of the Angelic Choirs.

Promises of St. Michael
Whoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching the Holy Table, an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the Choirs. In addition, for the daily recital of these nine salutations, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy angels during life, and after death deliverance from Purgatory for themselves and all their relations.*

 

[wild_thing]

Since there is no scriptural evidence for the exact order of the choirs of angels, we depend on Church tradition and private revelation, which can often contradict each other. In this matter, there is no right or wrong way to pray the chaplet. When I pray it, I go with my gut, which tells me that the Powers are a higher choir than the Virtues. This contradicts what St. Thomas Aqiunas said- who was a genius and is a Doctor of the Church- but I feel personally very strongly that the Powers are a higher choir, so that is who I place first in the prayer.

 

[Mount_Carmel]

I personally feel there is no real issue to sweat over regarding which order comes first, or indeed last, since there is no pride in Heaven.

St. Michael is a ‘mere’ Archangel, and yet is the most senior/leader of the Angel Choirs.

[Our Lady proclaimed herself a ‘mere’ hand maid of the Lord, and yet she is Queen of Heaven and Earth. - and ‘higher’ than all Angels.]

 

[AdonaiSeeker83]

Thank you all for your help and God bless!

 

[oldgraymare2]

I have this chaplet too, and I have been thinking carefully about your post, AdonaiSeeker, since you wrote it. I too don’t think that there is any “right or wrong way” to say this chaplet, either.

I am being sincere when I say this, but I personally feel that sometimes I think that we just have to use our best judgment when given conflicting information, and place our trust in God that He will make the best use of what we give Him out of our love for Him when we pray.