The Traditional Catholic Liturgy
Adapted from The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Guéranger OSB.
Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels (October 2)
Although the solemnity of September 29 celebrates the praises of all the nine glorious choirs of angels,
yet the piety of the faithful, in the more latter ages, desired to have a special day consecrated to the Guardian Angels.
Several churches having taken the initiative, and having kept the Feast under various rites and on different days,
Pope Paul V (1608) authorized its celebration ad libitum. Pope Clement X (1670) established it by precept as a Feast of
double rite on October 2, which was then the first free day after the Dedication of St. Michael (also called Michaelmas).
It was thus intended as a complement of that Feast. Pope Leo XIII raised it to the rank of double major in 1883.
In many places its celebration was permitted (before the Pontificate of St. Pius X) on the first Sunday of September.
It is of faith, on the testimony of the Scriptures and of unanimous tradition, that God commits to His angels
the guardianship of men, who are called to contemplate Him together with these blessed spirits in their common fatherland.
Catholic theology teaches that this protection is certainly given to the baptized, and very probably extended to every member
of the human race, without any distinction of just and sinners, infidels and baptized. To ward off dangers;
to uphold man in his struggle against the demons; to awaken in him holy thoughts; to prevent him from sinning, and even,
at times, to chastise him; to pray for him, and present his prayers to God: such is the office of the Guardian Angel.
So special is his mission, that one angel does not undertake the guardianship of several persons simultaneously;
so diligent is his care, that he follows his ward from the first day (at least from his Baptism) to the last of his
mortal existence, receiving the soul as it quits this life, and bearing it from the feet of the sovereign Judge to the place
it has merited in Heaven, or to its temporary sojourn in the place of expiation and purification.
It is from the lowest of the nine choirs, the nearest to ourselves, that the Guardian Angels are for the most
part selected. God reserves to the Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones the honor of forming His immediate court.
The Dominations, from the steps of His throne, preside over the government of the universe; the Virtues watch over the
course of nature's laws, the preservation of species, and the movements of the heavens; the Powers hold the
spirits of wickedness in subjection. The human race in its entirety, as also its great social bodies,
the nations and the churches, are confided to the Principalities; while the Archangels, who preside over smaller communities,
seem also to have the office of transmitting to the Angels the commands of God, together with the love and light which come
down even to us from the first and highest hierarchy. O the depths of the wisdom of God! Thus, then, the admirable
distribution of offices among the choirs of heavenly spirits terminates in the function committed to the lowest rank,
the guardianship of man, for whom the universe subsists. Such is the teaching of Scholastics (Suarez, De Angelis, lib. 6,
ch. 18, 5); and the Apostle St. Paul, in like manner, says: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent for service,
for the sake of those who shall inherit salvation?
(Heb. 1: 14)
But God, magnificent as He is towards the whole human race, honors in a special manner the princes of His people,
those who are most favored by His grace, or who rule the earth in His name; the Saints testify that a supereminent perfection,
or a higher mission in Church or State, ensures to the individual the assistance of a superior spirit, without the angel that
was first deputed being necessarily removed from his charge. Moreover, with regard to the work of salvation,
the Guardian Angel has no fear of being left alone at his post; at his request, and at God's command, the troops of his
blessed companions, who fill Heaven and earth, are ever ready to lend him their aid. These noble spirits, acting under the
eye of God Whose love they desire to second by all possible means, have secret alliances between them, which sometimes induce
between their clients, even on earth, unions the mystery whereof will be revealed in the light of eternity.
How profound a mystery,
says Origen, is the apportioning of souls to the angels destined for their
guardians! It is a divine secret, part of the universal economy centered in the Man-God. Nor is it without ineffable order
that the ministries of earth, the many departments of nature, are allotted to the heavenly Virtues; fountains and rivers,
winds and forests, plants, living creatures of land and sea, whose various functions harmonize together by the angels
directing them all to a common end
(In Josue, Hom. 23). Again, on these words of Jeremias: How long shall the
land mourn?
(Jerem. 12: 4), Origen, supported by the authority of his translator St. Jerome
(In Jerem., Hom. 10, juxta Hieron. 8), continues: It is through each us that the earth rejoices or mourns;
and not only the earth, but water, fire, air, all the elements; by which name we must here understand not insensible matter,
but the angels who are set over all things on earth. There is an angel of the land, who, with his companions, mourns over
our crimes. There is an angel of the waters, to whom are applied the words of the psalm: The waters saw Thee,
and they were afraid, and the depths were troubled; great was the noise of the waters; the clouds sent out a sound,
for Thy arrows pass (Ps. 76: 17-18).
How grand is nature viewed in this light! It is thus the ancients, more truthful as well as more poetical
than our generation, always considered the universe. Their error lay in adoring these mysterious powers, to the detriment
of the only God, under Whom they stoop that bear up the world (Job 9: 13).
Air and earth and ocean, everything is full of angels,
says St. Ambrose (In Ps. 118, Serm. i. 9, 11, 12).
Eliseus, besieged by a whole army, felt no fear; for he beheld invisible cohorts assisting him. May the prophet open
thine eyes also; may the enemy, be he legion, not terrify thee; thou thinkest thyself hemmed in, and thou art free:
there are more with us than with them (4 Kings 6: 16).
But let us return to our own specially-deputed angel, and meditate on this other testimony:
The noble guardian of each one of us sleeps not, nor can he be deceived. Close thy door, and make the darkness of night;
but remember, thou art never alone; he has no need of daylight in order to see thy actions.
And who is it that speaks thus? Not a Father of the Church, but a pagan, the slave philosopher Epictetus
(Ap. Arrian. Diss. l. 14).
In conclusion, let us listen to the Abbot of Clairvaux, who here gives free rein to his eloquence:
In every place show respect to thy angel. Let gratitude for his benefits incite thee to honor his greatness.
Love this thy future coheir, the guardian appointed for thee by the Father during thy childhood.
For though we are sons of God, we are as yet but children, and long and dangerous is our journey.
But God hath given His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands they shall bear thee up
lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk; and thou shalt trample under
foot the lion and the dragon (Ps. 90: 11-13). Yes; where the road is smooth enough for a child, they will content
themselves with guiding thee, and sustaining thy footsteps, as one does for children. But if trials threaten to surpass
thy strength, they will bear thee up in their hands. Oh those hands of angels! Thanks to them, what fearful straits we
have passed through, as it were without thinking, and with no other impression left upon us, than that of a nightmare
suddenly dispelled!
(In Ps. 90, Serm. 12).
And in his commentary on the Canticle of Canticles, St. Bernard thus describes the triumph of the angel:
One of the companions of the Spouse, sent from Heaven to the chosen soul as mediator, on witnessing the mystery accomplished,
how he exults, and says: 'I give Thee thanks, O God of majesty, for having granted the desire of her heart!'
Now it was he that, as a persevering friend, had not ceased, on the way, to murmur into the soul's ear: 'Delight in the Lord,
and He will give thee the requests of thy heart;' and again: 'Expect the Lord, and keep His way;' and then:
'If He make any delay, wait for Him, for He will surely come and will not tarry.' Meanwhile he represented to Our Lord
the soul's desire, saying: 'As the hart panteth after the fountains of water, so this soul panteth after Thee, O God;
have pity on her, hear her cries, and visit her in her desolation.' And now the faithful guardian, the confidant of
ineffable secrets, is not jealous. He goes from the Spouse to the bride, offering desires, bringing back gifts;
he incites the one, he appeases the other. Sometimes, even in this world, he brings them into each other's presence,
either by raising up the bride in ecstasy, or by bringing down the Bridegroom; for he is one of the household,
and well known in the palace; and he fears no rebuff, for every day he beholds the face of the Father.
(In Cant. Serm. 31)
Blessed be ye, O Holy Angels, for that your charity is not wearied out by the crimes of men;
among so many other benefits, we thank you for keeping the earth habitable, by deigning to dwell always therein.
Solitude often weighs heavily upon the hearts of God's children, in the great towns, and in the paths of the world,
where one meets only strangers or enemies; but if the number of the just grows less, yours never diminishes.
In the midst of the excited multitude, as well as in the desert, there is not a human being (at least of the Baptized)
that has not beside him an angel, the representative of universal Providence over wicked and good alike.
O blessed Spirits! you and we have the same fatherland, the same thought, the same love; why should the confused noises of
a frivolous crowd disturb the heavenly life we may lead even now with you? Does the tumult of public places hinder you
from holding your choirs there, or prevent the Most High from hearing your harmonies? We also, beholding by faith the face
of our Heavenly Father, which you ever delightedly contemplate, we wish to sing in every place the praises of Our Lord and
to unite at all times our adorations with yours. Thus, when our manners have become altogether angelic, the present life
will be full of peace, and we shall be well prepared for eternity.
The first we look for in this sanctuary of recollection and peace is Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the masterpiece
of the Holy Ghost, the Church of the Living God, from whom is to be born on the morrow, and by the action of the same
Divine Spirit, the Church Militant; for this Second Eve represents and contains it within Herself. Well, indeed,
does this incomparable creature now deserve our honor! Have we not seen Her glorious share in all the mysteries of the
Man-God? And is She not to be the dearest and worthiest object of the Paraclete's visit? Hail, then, O Mary full of grace!
Thou art our Mother, and we rejoice in being Thy children. The Holy Church expresses this joy of ours, when She thus comments
on the words of David’s canticle (Ps. 86): The dwelling in Thee is as it were of all rejoicing,
O holy Mother of God!
(Office BVM, Ant. 2nd Noct.) In vain wouldst Thou decline the honors that await Thee
on the morrow! Mother Immaculate! Temple of the Holy Ghost! there is no escape, receive Thou must a new visit of the
Divine Spirit, for a new work is entrusted to Thee: the care of the infant Church for years to come!
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