Feast of the Guardian Angel

October 2, 2024 Today we celebrate the liturgical Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, and the re-open of  the Plenary Session of the Synod of Bishops.

Homily of The Holy Father Francis
After listening to the Word of God, let us take three images as starting points for our consideration: voice, refuge and a child.

I do not know his name. I cannot see him. He has often been with me without me realizing it. Other times I have felt his presence and in retrospective he has seen me through in very difficult situations. 

 I refer to him as my personal Holy Guardian Angel. See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Exodus 23:20

Thursday September 29 we celebrated the Feast of the Archangels.

Today. Oct. 2nd,  we celebrate the Feast of The Guardian Angels. A prayerful and celebratory time. We live in an uber materialistic age where people refuse to take responsibility for their own actions but demand apologies and reparation for atrocities they never experienced, from people who never committed them. They like to cancel art, ideas, symbols, language, and history they don't agree with. We have a secular media and legacy media I refer to as the New Pharisees, because they would easily crucify Pope Francis for doing what Jesus did 2000 years ago. Just last week Reuters "reported" that "Proponents have welcomed the <Synod>  consultations as an opportunity to change the Church's power dynamics and give a greater voice to lay Catholics, including women, and people on the margins of society." The same people would have used Porphyry’s accusation against Saint Jerome 2000 years ago - "that the Christian communities were run by women and that the favor of the ladies decided who could accede to the dignity of the priesthood"

Not too difficulf for the illiminati to dismiss prayer and angels as medieval superstition, something unimportant to our faith, since "as purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness." CCC 330

Skeptics have difficulty believing in miracles or saints, even though the Church uses the scientific method to validate both. Cynics and the illuminati like the New York Times & Washington Post will simply dismiss it all as rubbish.  The New York Times going as far as stating that prayer may be hazardous to your health. So the Angel Concept may be even harder for others to accept.  So are Angels real? Or are angles simply a man-made construct? How do we know they exist? What is the difference between Archangels and Guardian Angels

An Angel is a pure spirit created by God. Discreet but ever faithful, the angels play a vital role in God’s plan for our lives. Created as spiritual beings who mediate between us and God, angels serve as our constant companions, advisers, and protectors, watching over us while standing before God’s throne in Heaven. If you doubt the existence of guardian angels, but, believe in the Bible as the final authority, it should be noted that Jesus made reference to guardian angels in Matthew 18:10. He said once, which is believed to be a reference to children, that “their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” He alone “hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto: whom no man hath seen, nor can see (1 Timothy 6:16). The Old Testament refers to Angels as well: Cherubim at entrance to Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:24. Appearing to Abraham, Genesis 18:1-33, Saved Lot and his family, Genesis 19:1-22, Intervened with Isaac, Genesis 22:11-18, Heavenly vision of Jacob's Ladder, Genesis 28:12, Accompanied Israel through the desert, Exodus 23:20 And Numbers 20:16 plus several other references found in the New Testament.

 St. Augustine differentiates between an angel's nature and his responsibility: Angel is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is 'spirit'; if you seek the name of their office, it is 'angel': from what they are, 'spirit,' from what they do, 'angel.'" In other words, the office of the angels is one of mission, as messengers of God, while their nature is defined as non-physical, personal spiritual beings created by God. The Church teaches that angels: "With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven' they are the mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word'" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 329; Mt 18:10). 

Holy Scriptures says there are nine choirs of angels, each with a name and a purpose. The Bible also recognizes seven archangels, although just three are known by name, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Whereas Archangels are recognized as leaders, God has assigned a Guardian Angel to each of us - an angel for our very own. John 3:16 tells us "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" As we reflect upon them our Guardian Angels , we are drawn toward a deeper and clearer understanding of God's love for man; for billions of angels, to be sure, are given the personal charge of looking after God's children. 

In the words of C. Austin Miles: " I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses, And the voice I hear falling on my ear, The Son of God discloses... And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other, has ever, known! He speaks and the sound of His voice, Is so sweet the birds hush their singing, And the melody that he gave to me, Within my heart is ringing . . . 

You may recall that an angel was at Christ’s side in the Garden of Gethsemane, and an angel delivered Saint Peter from prison. The Fathers of the early Church wrote prolifically about the dense realm of the spirit inhabited by angels. The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that the angels belong to Christ. “They are his angels” (CCC #331). The Catechism also quotes Saint Basil, “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life” (CCC #336). 

The Church teaches that Angels are the protectors against demons, their fallen counterparts. Demons want to sow corruption, sin and evil, and lead you down a destructive path. Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar suggested we can follow one of two paths: The ego-drama path, or the theo-drama path. In the ego-drama, we write, produce and start in the drama. In the theo-drama, we are merely as upporting cast in a drama written and produced by God. The Church teaches that guardian angels are responsible for physically saving people on earth. There have been numerous stories, for example, of people being rescued from harmful situations by mysterious strangers who disappear without a trace.  While Catholic Online has a number of anecdotes related to angel activities, Church tradition documents saints who walked with Saints, such as Saint Isidore and Saint Germaine. 

Job Versus Steve Jobs If you are the New York Times, The Washington Post or Steve Jobs, you may ask. If Guardian Angels  are the protectors against  corruption, sin and evil, why is it corruption and evil is all around us:  There is the War in Ukraine, the Pakistani Floods, Hurricane Ian and so on and so forth, also referred to as when bad things happen to good people. That is the crux of the matter: It is a mater of perspective. Even after Job had lost everything instead of cursing Good, he exclaimed: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (Job 1:21). Perhaps Burt  F. Bacharach was having a Job Moment when he wrote: Raindrops are falling on my head:  Raindrops ae falling on my head And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed Nothing seems to fit Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling… So I just did me some talking to the sun And I said I didn't like the way he got things done Sleeping on the job Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling… But there's one thing I know The blues they send to meet me Won't defeat me, it won't be long

Till happiness steps up to greet me.." Job answered the LORD and said: I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes. Thus the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his earlier ones ( JB 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17 ).  No wonder empirically, anecdotally and scientifically, we are a happy bunch!  We claim a personal Guardian Angel!

Say Hello to Your Angel

To mark the Feast of the Guardian Angel, The Catholic Store offers advice from the saints to help you grow in your relationship with your guardian angel:


1. Talk to your angel. Let him know what is troubling you, what brings you joy. Padre Pio was known to always talk to his angel. “My guardian angel has been my friend since my infancy," he said. He even mentioned in his letters of his guardian angel’s great sense of humor.

2. Greet the angels and thank them. We know that angels are in the Mass. St. Josemaria used to thank the angels in the tabernacle for the adoration they give our Lord. Additionally with everyone he greeted, he would first greet their guardian angel and ask them how he could help the person he was meeting.

3. Offer your work to God through your angel. There was a very holy woman who would laugh in her sleep as a toddler. When asked by her mother why, she said “the angels sing around my bed and they sound so funny.” When she grew up and became a religious sister, she was embarrassed by her singing at Mass and in Adoration. Her guardian angel appeared to her and said the one thing he loved most was presenting her song before God. No matter your talent or skill, offer your heart through your work to God and put it in your angels hands

RELATED

The Promise

 never said that I would give you silver or gold
Or that you would never feel the fire or shiver in the cold
But I did say you'd never walk through this world alone
And I did say, don't make this world your home

I never said that fear wouldn't find you in the night
Or that loneliness was something you'd never have to fight
But I did say I'd be right there by your side
And I did say I'll always help you fight

'Cause you know I made a promise that I intend to keep
My grace will be sufficient in every time of need
My love will be the anchor that you can hold onto
This is the promise, this is the promise I made to you

I never said that friends would never turn their backs on you
Or that the world around you wouldn't see you as a fool
But I did say like me, you'll surely be despised
And I did say my ways confound the wise

I didn't say you'd never taste the bitter kiss of death
Or have to walk through chilly Jordan to enter into rest
But I did say I'd be waiting right on the other side (yeah, yeah)
And I did say I'll dry every tear you cry

'Cause you know I made a promise that I've prepared a place
And some day sooner than you think you'll see me face to face
And you'll sing with the angels and a countless multitude
This is the promise, this is the promise I've made to you

So just keep on walkin', don't turn to the left or right
And in the midst of darkness, let this be your light
That hell can't separate us and you're gonna make it through
This is the promise, this is the promise I made to you, oh
This is the promise, this is the promise I made to you

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Brian Gene White / Don Poythress

The Promise lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group

Of Saints, The Devil's Advocate and the Grunt Padre's Sainthood Process

While the sainthood cause for the Grunt Padre, Father Vincent Capodanno - who died from 27 bullet wounds on a Vietnam battlefield as a military chaplain to U.S. Marines is experiencing a snag since Consultants to the Vatican body tasked with judging possible saints have recommended the suspension of Capodanno’s cause, the process is illustrative of the Devil's Advocate:  The Devil's Advocate is a Church's construct. In the early days of Christianity, local communities would determine who was a saint, post mortem.  To better authenticate the canonization, the Church at around 1450 devised a position known as Diaboli Advocatus - Devil's Advocate. The Devil's Advocate job was to cast doubt on the virtues and miracles reported when a holy man or woman was brought to the pope to be recognized as a saint. Sort of what the New York Times does today.

The Church knew that miracles can often be confused with other things, and that, unfortunately, fallen humans sometimes make up stories for the purposes of fame or attention. She also knew that demons have certain powers that can make certain things appear miraculous. The Church has also developed a protocol to validate miraculous occurrence, focusing on those that have public repercussions, such as the miraculous healings attributed to the saints that, if validated, will advance their cause for canonization. Eucharistic miracles are another form of miracle that often warrants her attention, since they draw venerators and it is important to ensure that the miracle is authentic. 

In all these investigations, the Church is careful, not only using a Devil's Advocate but also doctors, scientists, and competent authorities in order to rule out natural explanations or to understand the phenomenon better. Only when she has completed this stringent process does she validate the miracle. In response to my piece celebrating the Unsung American Heroines during the recent International Women’s Day, Norinda Rosario Yancey has this to say about Saint Mother Teresa “I would recommend reading a little more about Mother Teresa. She was quite troubled emotionally and spiritually. Though morbid, there is speculation based on her writings that she was oddly fascinated and may have even taken some pleasure in witnessing the starvation and illness of those she is said to have cared for. It’s fascinating really, but I no longer regard her as a hero.” Yancey describes herself as an educator and a Metro Parks Tacoma, Washington employee and a JEDAI

Servant of God Father Vincent Capodanno died shielding a fellow Marine. He died from 27 bullet wounds. (photo: Public domain / Public domain)

Meanwhile, Vincent Robert Capodanno was born on Staten Island, New York, to Italian immigrant parents. In 1957, he was ordained a Catholic priest by Cardinal Francis Spellman, then vicar of the U.S. Military Ordinariate. He entered the Maryknoll religious order and served as a missionary in Taiwan and Hong Kong from 1958 to 1965. After he successfully petitioned his Maryknoll superiors to release him to serve as a U.S. Navy chaplain. In Vietnam, he held the rank of lieutenant and took part in seven combat operations. During the Operation Swift campaign, Father Capodanno was injured by an exploding mortar round that caused multiple injuries to his arms and legs and severed part of his right hand. He continued to tend to the wounded and nearly lost his hand to shrapnel. Despite his wounds, he refused care so that medical supplies could go to his injured Marines.The priest directed Marines to help the wounded and continued to move about the battlefield, encouraging them with his words and example. While seeking to aid one particular Marine, he put his own body between the wounded man and an enemy machine gunner who opened fire. He died from 27 bullet wounds. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Navy Bronze Star medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, and the Purple Heart Medal.

In May, an advisory panel of theological consultants considered the positio document prepared by the postulator and its arguments in favor of and against Father Capodanno’s beatification. In the Catholic Church, a positio is a document or collection of documents used in the process by which a person is declared Venerable, the second of the four steps on the path to canonization as a saint. The consultants voted to recommend to the dicastery that Father Capodanno’s cause be suspended. At the Vatican, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints is responsible for canonization decisions. The piece by Kevin J. Jones titled, Sainthood Cause for Father Vincent Capodanno Sees Setback illustrates the Devil's Advocate position for Father Grunt, as well as that of his supporters and concludes that Fagther Grunt's "supporters remain hopeful that an appeal will resume the efforts