Posted on: September 22, 2015
Angels, Part II
Can Angels be He or She?
Angels are pure intellect and do not have physical form. Indeed, angels do not reproduce at all; God created each of them out of nothing at the dawn of creation. They are numerous, non-material and immortal, so they don’t need to reproduce.
Angels may appear to have gender in visions or in artwork, but that is just symbolism that makes it easier for us to think about them. If we were being strictly literal, they couldn’t be seen in visions or depicted in artwork because, according to their non-material natures, they have no visible or physical forms at all.
We get our guardian angels at baptism
Is this true, and does it mean the babies of non-Christians do not have guardian angels?
The common opinion among Catholic theologians is that all people, regardless of whether they are baptized, have guardian angels at least from the time of their birth (see Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma (Rockford: TAN, 1974), 120); some have suggested that prior to birth, a baby is taken care of by his or her mother’s guardian angel.
The view that everyone has a guardian angel seems well founded in Scripture. In Matthew 18:10, Jesus 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.” He said this before the Crucifixion and was speaking about Jewish children. It would therefore seem that non-Christian children, not just Christian (baptized) children, have guardian angels.
Notice that Jesus says their angels always behold the face of his Father. This is not merely a declaration that they continually stand in the presence of God, but an affirmation that they have continual access to the Father. If one of their wards is in trouble, they can serve as that child’s advocate before God.
The view that all people have guardian angels is found in the Church Fathers, notably in Basil and Jerome, and it is also the view of Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologiae I: 113:4).
Posted on: September 8, 2015
Angels, Part I
Who are the Angels?
The angels are spiritual beings who have a free will and an intellect that is far superior to ours. The evil ones dwell in hell; the holy ones dwell in heaven and are therefore considered to be saints. (Whoever is in heaven is a saint.) God uses angels as messengers, guardians and all-around helpers to us – as well as to reflect his glory.
The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that the Bible usually call “angels” is a truth of faith.
St. Augustine says, “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.’” With their whole beings, the angels are servants and messengers of God.
As purely spiritual creatures, angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendour of their glory bears witness.
The work of angels
Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation, announcing this salvation from far and near and serving the accomplishment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise, protected Lot, saved Hagar and her child, stayed Abraham’s hand, communicated the law by their ministry, led the people of God, announced births and callings, and assisted the prophets.
They protected Jesus in his infancy, served him in the desert, strengthened him in his agony in the garden. They will be present at Christ’s return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgment.
In the meantime, the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels. In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the Triune God. The Church invokes their assistance. In the funeral liturgy’s In paradisum deducant te angeli, we pray “may the angels lead you into paradise.”
From infancy to death, human life is surrounded by angels’ watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him or her to life. Already here on earth, the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and people united in God.
Posted on: August 24, 2015
About Godparents and Sponsors
What is Expected of Them?
Have you ever wondered why some people have very involved godparents and sponsors, while others don’t even know theirs? Perhaps part of the problem is that many godparents and sponsors were chosen for the wrong reasons, or because those same people don’t really know what they’re supposed to do! Do you? This blog will help us to better understand those roles.
Most of us, at some point, have to choose either a godparent for our children or a sponsor for ourselves, but how do we choose these people? Or you yourself may someday be asked to be a godparent or sponsor. What is expected of a sponsor or godparent today?
Take for example Julie and John, a happy, “thirty-something” couple who have just had their first child. They’re really into their Catholic faith, so they’re excited to have their baby baptized. A big family celebration is planned, but John and Julie are wondering about godparents. What about John’s sister and her husband, who helped Julie out so much during her pregnancy? It would be a great way to thank them – but they don’t practise their faith. Or how about Julie’s best friend, Mary, who is actively involved in a Catholic young adult program, even though her husband is a devout practising Protestant? Will this be all right with the Church?
Or take Kevin, an eighth-grader who will be confirmed at the end of the school year. He has asked his cool older brother Mark, who goes to college 300 miles away, to be his Confirmation sponsor. Mark, who looks like he just stepped out of the latest teen TV show, knows how much Kevin idolizes him, but he feels a bit uneasy about being a sponsor. Mark respects Kevin’s faith and his decision to be confirmed, but he really hasn’t gone to church or practised his faith these last few years. Should Mark be honest with Kevin and “just say no”? Should he not say anything and just accept? Or should Mark accept, but take a new, more serious look at his own faith?
Adults going through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) may have the same questions. In reality, a lot of Catholics are confused over the difference between a godparent and a sponsor. Let’s look at the role of godparents.
Infant Baptism: How to Choose Godparents
This is a big day for your family, and you want to do the right thing. Choosing godparents is a decision not to be taken lightly. Too often, parents want to honour a special friend, repay a favour, or encourage a non-relative to have a closer relationship with their child. While all of these motives are well-intentioned, they are not ideal. If you want to be happy about your decision, consider the following.
Above all, a godparent serves a special role for the one to be baptized, whether it be a child or an adult. Godparents are to represent the Christian Catholic community, the Church. They are to assist in the preparation of adult candidates for Baptism and need to be supportive of them afterwards. When it comes to infant Baptism, godparents are to assist the child’s parents in raising their child in our Catholic faith, so that the child may profess and live it as an adult.
Thus, if we remember a few basic things about Baptism – it gives a person both a new and special status as a Child of God and it makes a person a member of the Body of Christ, the Church – then what you are looking for are godparents who can truly represent that Christian community. Basically, this means you want at least one active and committed Catholic. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states “The godfather and godmother … must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptized – child or adult – on the road of Christian life.” (#1255) This is the Church’s way of saying that being a godparent is truly a ministry in the Church, not simply an honour.
In fact, the whole Church community or parish bears some responsibility for the development and nurturing of the grace given your child at Baptism. Much of this will come later, in parish religious education and even classes for you on Christian parenting.
What does this mean for our friends John and Julie we mentioned above? As much as Julie and John appreciate all the help that John’s sister and brother-in-law have given them, this is not a good motive for having them be godparents. Rather, John and Julie should choose a firm believer, someone who is truly committed to the Catholic faith in which their new baby will be baptized. Thus, Julie’s best friend Mary, so active in her faith, is a perfect choice.
But what about Mary’s husband who is not Catholic, since John and Julie want a married couple to be godparents? The Church has a solution for this too.
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| Wed | 8:00am |
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| Mon | No Mass |