A catechesis on the Holy Angels.

1. Angels
Religion Class
Mr. Pablo Cuadra

2. “Beside each believer stands
an Angel as protector and
shepherd, leading him to life.”
– St. Basil the Great

3. What does the word Angel Mean?
• The word Angel comes from the Hebrew
word ‫ך‬ ָ‫א‬ ְ‫ל‬ ַ‫מ‬ /mal’akh which means “messenger”
• The word for angel in Greek is “aggelos”
• The equivalent word in Latin is “angelus”
• Angels are ministers of God, they are
the messengers of his saving plan.
• According to St. Augustine, the word “angel”
describes their office not their nature. T

4. Angels – Who are they?
• Angels are invisible beings created by God
(CCC 328)
• They are pure spirits (incorporeal) with intellect
and will.
• They are ministers of Christ for whom
and through whom they were created:
Colossians 1:16.
• Angels are created creatures belonging to the
invisible or angelic world which precedes the
created world.
*CCC stands for Catechism of the Catholic Church

5. Angels- Attributes
• Angels are supernatural beings, they are immune from death,
suffering, fatigue, passion, and ignorance. Luke 20:35-36
• Angels do not have genders (they are not male or female)
• Angels are not constrained by space and time, however, they
are not omnipresent which is an attribute that belongs only
to God in relation to his creation.
• Angels have incredible powers, these are endowed by God for
the fulfillment of his will
• Each angel is unique in their essence and personality

6. Choir of Angels
• Early Christian writer Dionysius the Areopagite, in the
6th century, divided the “Choir of angels” into nine
ranks.
• St. Thomas Aquinas, in the West, explained that these
nine choirs are divided into three triads.
• Each triad is made up of three choirs.
• Each triad of Angels serves a different purpose.
• First triad: Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones
• Second triad: Dominions, Virtues and Powers
• Third triad: Principalities, Archangels, and Angels

7. Choirs of Angels
• Did you know?
• Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones: are the highest and
closest to the Most Holy Trinity (Isaiah 6:2; Dan 7:9) They
contemplate the “perfection and glory” of God.
• Dominions, Virtues, and Powers: these are angels entrusted
to the created world; they are concerned with the ordering
of the cosmos and its protection.
• Principalities, Archangels, and Angels: these angels are
entrusted with the protection of nations and the welfare of
humanity.

8. Archangels
• There are three Archangels named in the Canonical Books in Western
Catholicism:
• Michael , Gabriel and Raphael
• Michael and Gabriel are the only ones mentioned in both the Old
Testament and the New Testament.
• Raphael is mentioned only in the Old Testament (Septuagint) in
the Deuterocanonical book of Tobit
• The feast of the Holy Archangels is celebrated in the West on
September 29th and in the East on November 8th

9. Archangel Michael
• Archangel Michael his name means: Who is like God?-- Daniel
10:13, 10:21, and 12:1; Jude 1:9; Revelation Chapter 12
• Michael is the only angel in the bible specifically referred as an
Archangel –Jude 1:9
• St. Michael Archangel is regarded in both Western and Eastern
Traditions as the “Chief Prince” of all the angels
• St. Michael Archangel has four offices according to Christian
Tradition:
• A. To defend us from Satan
• B. To rescue the souls of the faithful at the time of death
• C. To protect the people of Israel
• D. To bring the souls of men to Judgement

10. Archangel Gabriel
• Archangel Gabriel his name means: God’s strength-- Daniel 8:16
and 9:21; Luke 1:26-38
• Gabriel is venerated by the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions.
• Gabriel was entrusted by God to announce to the Theotokos (Virgin
Mary) the Incarnation of the Son of God.
• Gabriel also announced the birth of John the Baptist cousin of our
Lord.
• Gabriel is the patron saint of Diplomats, and Broadcasters

11. Archangel Raphael
• "I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the
Lord." Book of Tobit 12:15
• The name Raphael means “God has healed”
• Raphael only appears in the Deuterocanonical book of Tobit.
• In this book Raphael heals the elder Tobias from Blindness and
saves Sara his future daughter in law from the malevolent action of
the demon who had previously murdered seven of her previous
husbands.
• St. Raphael is the patron saint of : Doctors, Christian Marriage,
Travelers

12. Who are the seven angels
before the throne of God?
• "I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand
before the Lord." Book of Tobit 12:15
• Of these seven "archangels" which appear in the
angelology of post-Exilic Judaism, only three, Gabriel,
Michael and Raphael, are mentioned in the canonical
Scriptures of Western Catholicism.
• Names like Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Jeremiel are only
found in the canonical books of the Oriental, and
Orthodox Christian traditions such as: the Book of Enoch,
fourth book of Esdras, and in rabbinical literature. These
books are considered apocryphal by Roman Catholics
• These other “archangels” although not venerated by
Roman Catholics are venerated in the Liturgy of Orthodox
Christians and Eastern Catholics on November 8th.

13. Fallen Angels
• Fallen Angels were good angels who blinded by PRIDE and their own
perfection rebelled against God before the creation of the visible world.
• Their irrevocable sin is called the Fall
• “It is the irrevocable character of their choice, and not a defect in the
infinite divine mercy, that makes the angels' sin unforgivable. "There is no
repentance for the angels after their fall, just as there is no repentance for
men after death.“ (CCC # 393)
• The chief of all fallen angels is Satan, the “Father of all lies”
• All Demons and lost souls have been destined to the eternal fire of Hell
• The influence of the Devil over humanity is only temporary from a
chronological, human, and historical perspective. The devil has not power
over those who live by God’s Grace. In fact, the devil’s scheme has already
been defeated forever by Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection
from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
• Evil has no place in the New Creation of the Life To Come at the end of
times. Revelation 12:10; Revelation 21:4

14. Guardian Angels
• "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in
heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:10
• The Church teaches that all the baptized and every human being have been entrusted
to the protection of a Guardian Angel (CCC #336)
“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” Pope Benedict XVI
• Guardian Angels have three important roles in the life of each individual person:
• 1) To intercede for us
• 2) To protect us
• 3) To shepherd us to eternal life
• Prayer: 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, to rule and guide. Amen.
• In Western Catholicism, the feast of the Guardian Angels is celebrated on October 2nd

15. Angels in the History of
Salvation
• “Angels are interested in the life of man” (St. John Paul II, General
Audience, August 6, 1986).
• Angels are witnesses of the “creation of man” (Job 38:4-7), of God’s
plan of salvation (Hebrews 1:14; Galatians 3:19) and of God’s
judgement (Luke 12:9)
• Angels announced the Incarnation of the Son of God (Luke 1:26-38)
• Angels were the first to announce Christ (his birth among men) (Luke
2:8-20)
• Angels offer the prayers of the People of God (Revelation 8:3-4)
• Christ will appear with his angels in his Second Coming (Matthew 25:31)
• We will live with the angels and all the saints forever in heaven.
(Matthew 22:30)

16. Did you Know?
• In 1986, Pope St. John Paul II gave a Catechesis on
the Angels at 6 General Audiences from July 9th to
August 20th.
The topic were as follows:
1)Creator of all things
2)Angels in the history of salvation
3)Creator of the angels who are free beings
4)The fall of the rebellious angels
5)Creator of things unseen, the angels
6)Christ's victory conquers evil
Link to Catechesis’ text:
http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2angel.htm

17. Angels and the
Liturgy of the Church
• In the West :
• Angels are mentioned in the Confiteor (“I confess…”)
• We sing the Gloria… the song of praised announced by the angels to the
Shepherds (Luke 2:14).
• In the Creed … “of all things visible and invisible”.
• In the Canon of the Mass (Eucharistic prayer) we sing the Holy, Holy, Holy
(Sanctus) of the Cherubim and Seraphim (Revelation 4:8; Isaiah 6:3)
*Also, in Eucharistic Prayer I, the priest says:
“Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in Heaven.”
• In the celebration of their proper Feasts, on September 29th “Archangels”
and October 2nd “Guardian Angels”
• In the practice of naming Churches after the Holy Archangels
• In the “Divine Praises”
*Source: Father Ben Reese

18. Angels and the
Liturgy of the Church
• In the East:
• Art: The Iconostasis, for instance, depicts on the
deacon’s doors, as a rule, icons of the Holy
Archangels Michael and Gabriel—those heavenly
deacons of God.
• Divine Liturgy: In the Trisagion Hymn (the Eastern
version of the Western Sanctus)
• Cycle of Feasts: In the celebration of their Synaxis, on
November 8th
• Festal Week: Mondays are dedicated to
remembrance of the Holy Angels in our Liturgy.
• In the practice of naming Churches after the Holy
Archangels
• Piety: In the prayers of the faithful and the
veneration of their Holy Icons.

19. The Angel of Fatima
• In 1916 the visionaries of Fatima, cousins: Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco experienced three
apparitions from a heavenly messenger who identified himself as the “Angel of Peace”, the
guardian angel of Portugal.
• The Angel acted as a catechist, teaching the children different prayers during each of his three
apparitions. Below are the prayers and instructions given by the Angel.
• First Apparition: “Do not be afraid. I am the angel of peace. Pray with me… My God, I believe, I
adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not
hope, and do not love You.” (Spring of 1916)
• Second Apparition: “In every way you can offer sacrifice to God in reparation for the sins by
which He is offended, and in supplication for sinners. In this way you will bring peace to our
country, for I am its guardian angel, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, bear and accept with
patience the sufferings God will send you.” (Summer of 1916)
• In the Third and final apparition (Fall of 1916) the angel appears holding a chalice with a host
over the chalice and teaches the children this prayer.
“Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the Most
Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the
world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. And
by the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the
conversion of poor sinners.”
After the recitation of the prayer the Angel gives Holy Communion to the children and leaves.
Source: EWTN

20. Prayer to St. Michael the
Archangel
Prayer to St. Michael
Saint Michael Archangel,
defend us in battle,
be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
may God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God, cast into hell
Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking
the ruin of souls.
Amen
This prayer is attributed to a vision Pope Leo XIII had. This prayer was
Included in the Mass from 1886 to 1964

21. “Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints”
The Divine Praises