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The belief in guardian angels is deeply rooted in Catholic theology, with references in the Bible, the writings of saints, and the teachings of the Church. While the Church does not mandate belief in guardian angels as doctrine, it is a widely held view among Catholics that each person has a guardian angel from birth or even conception, guiding and protecting them throughout their life. This belief is supported by passages in the Bible, such as Matthew 18:10, where Jesus refers to these little ones having angels in heaven who always behold the face of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also mentions that each believer has an angel as a protector and shepherd. The idea that guardian angels are present from birth is further reinforced by Saint Jerome and Saint Thomas Aquinas. However, there is ambiguity regarding whether non-Christians have guardian angels, with some saints suggesting that this privilege is exclusive to Christians.
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What You'll Learn
Guardian angels are for everyone, not just Christians
The idea of guardian angels is a broadly held belief in the Church, but it is not a doctrine of the Church. This means that it is not a belief necessary for salvation or binding upon Catholics. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "from its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession". The Catechism also says that "each believer" has an angel, but it is ambiguous about whether this applies to all humans or just Christians.
Some Catholic theologians argue that all people, regardless of whether they are baptised, have guardian angels from birth. This view is supported by St. Thomas Aquinas, who wrote that "each man has an angel guardian appointed to him". Similarly, St. Jerome commented on a passage from the Gospel of Matthew, saying, "The worth of souls is so great that from birth each one has an angel assigned to him for his protection".
The idea that we get our guardian angels at baptism is a speculation, not a teaching of the Church. Scripture indicates that people may have more than one angel looking out for them. For example, in the case of Lot, additional guardians were assigned as needed. Furthermore, Jesus' statement in Matthew does not rule out the possibility that a single angel could guard more than one person.
While the Church celebrates a feast for the guardian angels on October 2, the belief in guardian angels is not limited to Christians. The concept of guardian angels is also found in the monuments of the Babylonians and Assyrians. For example, Nabopolassar, the father of Nebuchadnezzar the Great, is recorded as saying, "He (Marduk) sent a tutelary deity (cherub) of grace to go at my side; in everything that I did, he made my work to succeed."
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They are present from birth until death
The idea that guardian angels are present from birth until death is a broadly held belief in the Catholic Church, although it is not a doctrine of the Church. This means that it is not a belief necessary for salvation, or binding upon Catholics. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that from its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by the watchful care and intercession of guardian angels.
Saint Jerome, a fourth-century Church father, theologian, and Doctor of the Church, famously said of guardian angels: "How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard". Saint Thomas Aquinas also agreed with this view, stating that "Each man has an angel guardian appointed to him. This rests upon the fact that the guardianship of angels belongs to the execution of Divine providence concerning men".
The common opinion among Catholic theologians is that all people, regardless of whether they are baptised, have guardian angels from the time of their birth. Some have even suggested that prior to birth, babies are taken care of by their mothers' guardian angels. This view is supported by the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:10, where he states, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven". This statement was made before the Crucifixion, and Jesus was speaking about Jewish children, indicating that non-Christian children also have guardian angels.
The presence of guardian angels from birth until death is also reflected in an Angelus address by Benedict XVI, who stated: "Dear friends, the Lord is ever close and active in humanity’s history and accompanies us with the unique presence of his Angels, whom today the Church venerates as 'Guardian Angels', that is, ministers of the divine care for every human being. From the beginning until the hour of death, human life is surrounded by their constant protection".
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They can act upon our senses and imaginations
Guardian angels are believed to be spirits assigned to guard a particular person, especially with respect to helping that person avoid spiritual dangers and achieve salvation. They may also help the person avoid physical dangers, particularly if this will help the person achieve salvation.
The concept of guardian angels is mentioned in the Bible, with angels acting as the executors of God's wrath and delivering his chosen people from danger. For instance, in Genesis, angels deliver Lot from danger, and in Exodus, an angel is the appointed leader of the host of Israel.
According to Catholic teachings, every human being, including unbelievers, has a guardian angel from birth. This belief is reflected in the words of Benedict XVI, who stated that "the Lord... accompanies us with the unique presence of his Angels, whom today the Church venerates as 'Guardian Angels', that is, ministers of the divine care for every human being."
St. Thomas Aquinas supported the view that all human beings are assigned guardian angels at birth. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also states that "from its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession."
Guardian angels can act upon our senses and imaginations, but not upon our wills, except by working on our intellect and thus upon our will through our senses and imagination. The imagination is the faculty of representing sensible objects independently of an actual impression of those objects on our senses. It is one of the four internal senses, according to scholastic psychology.
The imagination interacts with the intellect by supplying it with sensory data that has been put into a form that the intellect can act on and understand. This sensory data is acquired through our senses, with visual and auditory images being the most common. The imagination can also combine separately perceived elements to form new objects, which is essential for artistic and intellectual initiatives.
The cessation of imaginative activity leads to the end of intellectual function, indicating that the intellect borrows from the imagination. The most abstract ideas, such as God or virtue, are understood through analysis of their sensible elements, which are presented by the imagination. Thus, the imaginative faculty plays an objective role in the phenomenon of ideation.
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They can provide physical and spiritual protection
The idea of guardian angels is deeply rooted in Scripture, as well as in the writings of the saints and the teachings of the Catholic Church. While the concept of personal guardian angels is a widely held belief in the Church, it is not a doctrine, meaning it is not a belief necessary for salvation or binding upon Catholics.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that from infancy to death, human life is surrounded by the "watchful care and intercession" of guardian angels. It also mentions that "each believer" has an angel as a "protector and shepherd leading him to life". This is reflected in the Angelus address by Benedict XVI, who acknowledged the presence of guardian angels as "ministers of the divine care for every human being".
The Bible also provides evidence of guardian angels. In Matthew, Jesus says, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven". The term "little ones" refers to Jewish children, indicating that even non-Christian children have guardian angels. The Psalms further reinforce this belief, stating, "For he commands his angels with regard to you, to guard you wherever you go. With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone".
Saint Jerome, a fourth-century Church father, theologian, and Doctor of the Church, supports this idea, stating, "How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard". Similarly, Saint Thomas Aquinas asserts that "each man has an angel guardian appointed to him", and that these guardians would never forsake those they are protecting.
Guardian angels are believed to provide both physical and spiritual protection. This is reflected in some blessings used by the Church, such as the blessing for travellers, which invokes the protection of guardian angels for the journey. They are considered mediators, entrusted by God with His divine power to act on His behalf, deliver His grace, reveal His truth, guide us, and protect us from evil.
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They are not just intercessors, but mediators
The concept of guardian angels is deeply rooted in Catholic theology, with references in Scripture, the writings of saints, and the teachings of the Church. While the idea of personal guardian angels is not a doctrine of the Church, it is a broadly held belief. According to Pope Saint John Paul II, "God has entrusted to the angels a ministry in favour of people." This belief is further supported by Saint Basil, quoted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, who says, "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life."
However, the role of guardian angels extends beyond mere intercession. They are also mediators, entrusted by God with His divine power to act in His name and on His behalf. This mediation includes delivering God's grace, revealing His truth, directing humans down the right path, and protecting them from evil. This understanding of the role of guardian angels is reflected in the words of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: "The Supreme Majesty has given charge to the angels... To those sublime beings... He has given charge over you!"
The idea that guardian angels act as mediators is further supported by the writings of Saint Jerome, who commented on the Gospel of Matthew, saying, "The worth of souls is so great that from birth each one has an angel assigned to him for his protection." Similarly, Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote, "Each man has an angel guardian appointed to him... The guardianship of angels belongs to the execution of Divine providence concerning men." Aquinas further emphasised the protective role of guardian angels, stating that they would never forsake those they guard.
The belief in guardian angels as mediators is also reflected in various prayers and blessings within the Catholic Church. For example, the well-known prayer, "Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule, to guide. Amen," recognises the mediating role of angels in guiding and protecting the faithful. Additionally, blessings such as the blessing for travellers invoke the protection of guardian angels, further emphasising their role as mediators between God and humanity.
While the specific mechanisms of how guardian angels work may remain a mystery, Catholics find comfort in the belief that these celestial beings are not just intercessors but also mediators, entrusted by God to guide, protect, and lead humanity towards salvation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that "from its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession". The common opinion among Catholic theologians is that all people, regardless of whether they are baptized, have guardian angels from birth. However, some, like St. Basil, believe that only Christians have guardian angels.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life". The Church also teaches that angels are mediators, meaning that God entrusts them with His divine power to act in His name and on His behalf.
Scripture mentions angels assisting mankind, but it does not specifically state that each person is guarded by a particular angel. The first mention of angels regularly guarding individual humans is in Matthew, where Jesus says, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven".
