Pope Francis and Guardian Angels

“Angels are spirits, but it is not because they are spirits that they are angels.
They become Angels when they are sent.
For the name Angel refers to their office, not their nature.
You ask the name of this nature, it is spirit;
it is that of an Angel, which is a messenger.”
~Saint Augustine (354-430)

Pope Francis continues to amaze me  He's so refreshing.  At the Feast of the Guardian Angels Catholic celebration on October 2, he made the statement that guardian angels exist and people who listen to their advice are less likely to make the wrong decisions.   

During mass in the small residence chapel at the Vatican, he said, “The doctrine on angels is not fantasist. No, it’s reality. According to church tradition we all have an angel with us, who protects us and helps us understand things." 

Pope Francis asked: “How often have we heard ‘I should do this, I should not do this, that’s not right, be careful ...’. So often! It is the voice of our travelling companion.”

The Pope advised skeptics to ask themselves: “How is my relationship with my guardian angel? Do I listen to him? Do I say good morning to him? Do I ask him to watch over me when I sleep? No one journeys alone and no one should think that they are alone,” he said. 

His message that humans are helped along in life by an otherworldly guardian angels is in contrast to former Pope Benedict’s comments that angels did not sing at the birth of Christ.  

 

I'm reminded of what I've written before about my growing up as a non-Catholic and feeling left out because all my Catholic friends had their guardian angels. Of course, I was to later become aware that I always had my own guardian angels and spirit guides around me, and still do.  And yes, I do communicate with them, and listen to them.

"Listen for the flutter of an angel's wing as it softly touches you with love. Embrace it and join in the dance!" ~Linda Pendleton