Tuesday, 10 June 2014
Tomorrow, I hope
I shall post several thoughts from St. Angela Foligno, the great mystic. Here is a site on her life.
Thank you to another Angela for sending me the book.
http://franwomen.sbu.edu/franwomen/woman_display.aspx?WID=76&PID=8&Sort=A
I am having trouble getting to wifi places in this fair town.
God bless you all and keep me in your prayers.
Thank you to another Angela for sending me the book.
http://franwomen.sbu.edu/franwomen/woman_display.aspx?WID=76&PID=8&Sort=A
I am having trouble getting to wifi places in this fair town.
God bless you all and keep me in your prayers.
Consecration to The Sacred Heart.
Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Thee I consecrate and offer up my person and my life, my actions, trials, and sufferings, that my entire being may henceforth only be employed in loving, honoring and glorifying Thee. This is my irrevocable will, to belong entirely to Thee, and to do all for Thy love, renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease Thee.
I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness. Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee. Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee.
I beseech Thee, through Thine infinite Goodness, grant that my name be engraved upon Thy Heart, for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants.
Amen.
.-- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
from the book
Devotion To The Sacred Heartby Fr. John Croiset, S.J.
Monday, 9 June 2014
Spiritual Warfare Is Real Folks
Those who do not believe in the activity of the demonic, or of the good angels around us cannot see that what is unseen is greater than what is seen.
Several of us who pray had a horrible weekend, despite the great joy and glory of three new priests and two new deacons in this diocese.
Some had terrible nightmares, some headaches, some nervousness and gross, unnatural anxiety.
Something happened for two days in this city to cause this. You can look up the reason, but talking to my prayer warrior friends last night, we were aware of a huge evil bearing down upon us all, reminding us all never to become complacent in the fight for goodness, for the Church, and as the Church Militant, there is no respite.
None.
If you want to find out the details, just look at several things happening in the Midwest this past weekend.
The jaws of evil are open, swallowing thousands, if not millions, of people who do not realize to where they are headed.
The jaws of hell open to those who flaunt God's natural and supernatural laws.
I cannot believe how many parents take their children to the various parades which wove through small cities in this part of the world this weekend.
June is official Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. It is REALLY the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Take your pick.
One must choose.
Ok, I am working on the book
The book by Cardinal Manning, sitting here on the table in the coffee shop, is fantastic. I can hardly decided what to highlight.
Three small points:
One, all people are given enough grace for salvation.
Two, there are, (I have written on this before, under "grace" tag), three types of grace. Preventing grace is "God going before us by His operations in every good thing we do."
In fact, preventing grace is why we were baptized in the first place. God thought of us from all eternity, planning our baptisms and our entries into grace.
The second type of grace is cooperating grace, which is not merely leading but helping grace. This grace strengthens us.
The third type is that which makes us perfect. This grace "accomplishes and crowns the work of God in us."
Imagine Divine Providence, God from all time thinking of each one of us, seeing us in sanctifying grace, desiring that we persevere in baptismal innocence, as do so many of the saints.
Each one of us is the object of God's special love. Faith, hope and charity spring from God's graces in us.
As Manning writes, "God is both the author and the perfecter of our salvation" However, our will is "actively at work in it from the beginning to the end." The Cardinal reminds us that there is only one grace in which our wills are not operative, and that is the grace of baptism.
God begins grace in us, as He does our natural existence. Manning notes, "It was the love of God which willed to create us; and His power following His will called us into existence out of the boundless multitude of possible creatures, leaving more than the mind of man can imagine non-existent still. This wonderful work of God's love to us, calling us into existence, was a preventing grace of His sovereign love, wisdom, and goodness towards us."
Stuff for meditation, indeed.
to be continued...
From SPUC
Saturday, 7 June 2014
Nigerian village chief astonished to meet English woman with six children
Here's how Antonia described her trip:
"The group was accompanied by Sister Cecilia, a Medical Missionary of Mary, who runs an outreach project to support and care for vulnerable families in the village of Dutse Alhaji.
"By western standards, Dutse Alhaji presents a shocking picture. The houses are crumbling, roughly-built brick dwellings with corrugated iron roofs. Families cook over open fires. The narrow pathways between the houses are umade dirt tracks, with open waste waterways criss-crossing the village. This is a very poor place.
"The visiting party was welcomed by the village chief, a Muslim, who invited the group into his palace - a lowly building only slightly better than the surrounding houses.
"Having removed their shoes, the other visitors and I sat on the floor while the chief presided over the gathering from his sofa, dressed in his regal robes.
"I introduced myself saying that I was married with six children and in my role at SPUC I do a lot of work with Muslim mothers in England, helping them to protect their children from immoral sex education.
"Replying to his visitors, the village chief expressed his astonishment at meeting a white woman who has six children. 'Why are we being told that we should only have two children?' he exclaimed.
"The chief spoke of the common ground tween Islam and Christianity ... that the people of both religions should strive to lead Godly lives and protect unborn children. The chief also said that he wanted to give a message to the people of his village that men and women must be faithful to their partners.
"The purpose of the visit to Dutse Alhaji was to witness at first hand the target of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the other agencies of the culture of death.
"Yes, the villagers of Dutse Alhaji are living in very poor circumstances. Yes, every effort must be made to improve their material circumstances.
"But bribing and cajoling the villagers of Dutse Alhaji, as the population control lobby commonly does, into accepting contraception and abortion, is not the solution. Offering the poor people of villages like Dutse Alhaji contraception and abortion is not the answer to their daily hardships."
Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
How Did These Kids Become This Way?
I was in a waiting room today and the twenty-something girl next to me was playing a game on her phone. Ping, ping, ping..
The receptionist's phone was ringing as the waiting room was crowded. The young gamer said out loud, "Answer your phone. It bothers me." No one said anything. No one corrected her.
I was so amazed, I could hardly believe the insanity.
Sigh....the future does not look good here, folks.
The receptionist's phone was ringing as the waiting room was crowded. The young gamer said out loud, "Answer your phone. It bothers me." No one said anything. No one corrected her.
I was so amazed, I could hardly believe the insanity.
Sigh....the future does not look good here, folks.
My Weekend
My "second son". Guillermo Trevino, was ordained a transitional deacon this weekend. He is one of my son's best friends. I have another second son in a seminary in London, plus supertradson. I have promised to pray for these men for the rest of my days.
I suggest you choose three sems, deacons and priest to pray for especially.
Lots of photos. See if you can find my Aged Ps. The Deacon served at the Mass on Sunday in the parish where I was baptized, received First Confession, First Communion and Confirmation. The ordination, one of several, was in the Cathedral.
Viva Christo Rey.
I suggest you choose three sems, deacons and priest to pray for especially.
Lots of photos. See if you can find my Aged Ps. The Deacon served at the Mass on Sunday in the parish where I was baptized, received First Confession, First Communion and Confirmation. The ordination, one of several, was in the Cathedral.
Viva Christo Rey.
A Positive And A Negative in The Dark Night
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| http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/2012-mule-deer-male.jpg |
A double-edged sword of the Dark Night is the revelation of the depth of one's sins, and more specifically, the deep-rooted predominant fault.
The down-side is the realization that one should and does deserve hell for one's sins. To face the pure God and see the horror of sin is part of the purgation of the Dark Night.
The upside of this is the gaining of the virtue of humility.
Being in the Dark Night and sensing one's sins is very much like an experience I have been having for three weeks, since about May 23rd.
As a star-gazer, I go out at night and study the sky. But, on that night dated above, I could hear the loud snorting of a large deer. Now, most of the deer in this area are White-Tails, but this deer which I could barely sense in the darkness, was much larger and probably a Mule Deer.
Since that time, almost every night, this large deer has passed through the property, snorting, pawing, making noises which indicate that it is claiming the farmyard for its territory.
I have not been able to see this large, loud deer, most likely a buck.
But, I know it is here, even tonight, underneath my window.
It lets me know who is boss. It is intelligent enough to avoid the motion lights.
The same is true for my predominant fault. I can sense it and see the results of it, but to shine the light on it fully seems impossible. But, I must ask God to shine the light on this sin, or I shall never be one with Him, the Bridegroom.
He will not come until the Bride is purified.
Like the buck, the sin comes and goes, making noises in the dark. I must pray for complete sight and this is scary, as one immediately realizes how unlovely one actually is and of all things, we all want to be loved.
Disclosure brings risk, but without taking the risk, one can never be united with God until after purgatory.
And, the Church needs saints.
To see one's sins humbly and humbly to accept the radical love of God forms the basis for the journey into the Dark Night.
There are times when one is persuaded one is going to hell,.
This is not a bad insight but a truthful one.
Such are some of the notes from the Dark Night....
BTW, the Mule Deer have a black bit on the tail and the White-Tails do not.
Repost Out of Frustration
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
The Rational Catholic....needed
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| by Vivian Forbes (1927) for Parliament’s History of the “Building of Britain” © Palace of Westminster |
Which brings me to the point of debate with atheists and even fallen-away Catholics. As a former teacher of
argumentation and debate, I taught my students to look at both sides and argue point by point.
This is the classical way of debating. One must understand the opponents' points of views before engaging in debate.
Most modern people do not know how to argue from reason. They have knee-jerk reactions, and very low
levels of rational discourse. Logic has not been required in secondary education for two generations in the States.
Many of the huge cultural problems which will be and are facing Catholics today are owing to the lack of the
ability to argue one's point from reason. We have been let down both by Catholic politicians and Catholic clergy
on the moral issues of the day in this fair land of common law.
Argumentation was part of the training of and used by some of the great martyrs of England, Wales,
Scotland, and Ireland. I think especially of SS. Thomas More, Edmund Campion and Oliver Plunkett.
You can read the transcripts. One may call their methods "apologetics", such as Campion's Brag.
The knew how to put forth the Catholic position and engaged those of opposing beliefs.
Doncha' think we need to teach our children and grandchildren how to engage the enemy with the question
and answer method of Thomas Aquinas, for one example?
I always start by asking questions, such as "Well, what do you think of this?"
Learn how to debate before you will not be able to do so, before freedom of speech disappears in Great Britain
and in America.
Sunday, 8 June 2014
Called to Be A Cell Within A Cell
The pitfalls are discouragement and pride. But, one must go forward and not falter. Contemplative prayer begins with hard work, and for the proficient, ends up in infused contemplation.
This type of prayer leads to the infused knowledge of God, but begins with acquired contemplation. One cannot confuse the two, and Garrigou-Lagrange is clear on the definitions. But, this is the prayer which begins when one gives time to God in order to meet Him as He wants to be found. One cannot rush this type of prayer, nor expect God to work in every person in the exact same way. Yet, we are all called to this.
Because intellectuals have such active lives and imaginations, time must be set aside for the emptying of memory, understanding, and will. I have written on this before on this blog.
The happy correspondence of this type of prayer for me is that it follows a life of reading and thinking in overlaps involving the Maritains, Garrigou-Lagrange, and, of course, Thomas Aquinas.
We are all called to this type of prayer, but I could not arrange my life to answer this deepening call until today. My health did not let me stay in Tyburn, but i still need the door to open for me to be in a place where I have the freedom to follow this call. One needs strict privacy and time to be with God, to wait on God. I can become more of a cell within a cell in quiet but not in noise or interruption. As a beginner, I want to share the trials and tribulations of contemplation.
I shall share insights with you all as I go along, as I am, always, a teacher as well as a pray-er.
This is not a prayer of visions, by the way. One moves into a mental and spiritual state where God can finally reveal Himself as He wants to be known. This is the way of emptying. I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue the Bridegroom, Who removed Himself from me for a time. But, I need the space.
All preconceived ideas of how He meets us pass away. One is not in control of the relationship, but God is totally.
Here is the goal of giving this time to God.
Song of Solomon 3
Douay-Rheims
3 In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not.
2 I will rise, and will go about the city: in the streets and the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and I found him not.
3 The watchmen who keep the city, found me: Have you seen him, whom my soul loveth?
4 When I had a little passed by them, I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him: and I will not let him go, till I bring him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that bore me.
Virgin of The Order of Malta
St. Flora, 1347A.D. Patron of abandoned, converts, single laywomen, and victims of betrayal. Flora was born in France about the year 1309. She was a devout child and later resisted all attempts on the part of her parents to find a husband for her. In 1324, she entered the Priory of Beaulieu of the Hospitaller nuns of St. John of Jerusalem. Here she was beset with many and diverse trials, fell into a depressed state, and were made sport of by some of her religious sisters. However, she never ceased to find favor with God and was granted many unusual and mystical favors. One year on the feast of All Saints, she fell into an ecstasy and took no nourishment until three weeks later on the feast of St. Cecelia. On another occasion, while meditating on the Holy Spirit, she was raised four feet from the ground and hung in the air in full view of many onlookers. She also seemed to be pierced with the arms of Our Lord's cross, causing blood to flow freely at times from her side and at others, from her mouth. Other instances of God's favoring of his servant were also reported, concerning prophetic knowledge of matters of which she could not naturally know. Through it all, St. Flora remained humble and in complete communion with her Divine Master, rendering wise counsel to all who flocked to her because of her holiness and spiritual discernment. In 1347, she was called to her eternal reward and many miracles were worked at her tomb.
A reader gave me this tip. Now, Flora's feast day is either on June 11th or October 5th, but as I have been thinking of my single, laywomen friends, I wanted to highlight her today.
She is also a Virgin of the Order of Malta, which is highly interesting to me.
More here about her.
I think it would be very cool to be a woman saint of the Order of the Knights of Malta.
Prayer:
Almighty and merciful God, who wished blessed Fleur to love and live as a virgin in the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, grant that, following her example, we also may love you more and more. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(From: The Missal with readings of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes, & of Malta, London 1997)
Saturday, 7 June 2014
Lest there be confusion concerning one's conscience
from the CCC
1795 "Conscience is man's most secret core, and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths" (GS 16).
1796 Conscience is a judgment of reason by which the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act.
1797 For the man who has committed evil, the verdict of his conscience remains a pledge of conversion and of hope.
1798 A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. Everyone must avail himself of the means to form his conscience.
1799 Faced with a moral choice, conscience can make either a right judgment in accordance with reason and the divine law or, on the contrary, an erroneous judgment that departs from them.
A Repost Sort Of...
Monday, 28 January 2013
Part Five: Saints on the Illuminative State-on the way to the one thing necessary
Sometimes people do not read footnotes in texts.
I do. Garrigou-Lagrange has these three in his section on the Illuminative State, which I think will be helpful for all of us. Garrigou-Lagrange's next chapter highlight St. Catherine and Bl. Henry, and here are some of his extensive points. My boldface type highlights.................
8. In the prologue of his Rule, St. Benedict wrote: "Let us therefore at length arise, since the Scriptures stir us up, saying: 'It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep' (Rom. 13:11). And our eyes being now open to the divine light, let us hear with wonderment the divine voice admonishing us, in that it cries out daily and says: 'Today if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts.' " That is to say: It is time to rise from the sleep of negligence and to walk courageously in the way of God.
Garrigou-Lagrange rightly and clearly expresses that the Illuminative State is a second conversion. This waking up is absolutely a gift from God, but one has to cooperate with this.
It does not happen if one is NOT ORTHODOX and if one is orthodox and falls away from the Church, the Illuminative State ends in heresy and condemnation. Now, one may be "outside" the Catholic Church and receive great graces for the very purpose of God calling one to become Catholic. This can be a painful decision.
One falls because of pride, mostly, and stupidly thinking that one is arriving at these stages by one's own efforts and not by grace.
9. We shall see farther on that, as St. Catherine of Siena says in her Dialogue (chaps. 60, 63), the second conversion of the apostles took place more properly at the end of the Passion when Peter wept over his denial, and that Pentecost was like a third conversion or more properly a transformation of the soul, which marks the entrance into the unitive way.
This is absolutely spot on.
Garrigou-Lagrange should be canonized. His insights as to Catherine of Siena's Dialogue, a book I recommend to all, shows that Catherine received graces for the Unitive Way, which I have not discussed yet.
One cannot enter the Illuminative State without purgation and one finishes purgation in the Illuminative State.
No pain, no gain. Sorry, but the Protestants miss this point by insisting that a sign of election is wealth. Nope.
I shall write about the Third Transformation when I have exhausted the Illuminative State explanations. I have never personally met a living man, woman or child in the Unitive State, although I have met several in the Illuminative State. Age, by the way, does not matter. Catherine died at 33.
Here is G-L on her contribution: Christ is speaking to Catherine.
We read in chapter 60: "Some there are who have become faithful servants, serving Me with fidelity without servile fear of punishment, but rather with love. This very love, however, if they serve Me with a view to their own profit, or the delight and pleasure which they find in Me, is imperfect. Dost thou know what proves the imperfection of this love? The withdrawal of the consolations which they found in Me, and the insufficiency and short duration of their love for their neighbor, which grows weak by degrees, and oft-times disappears. Toward Me their love grows weak when, on occasion, in order to exercise them in virtue and raise them above their imperfection, I withdraw from their minds My consolation and allow them to fall into battles and perplexities. This I do so that, coming to perfect self-knowledge, they may know that of themselves they are nothing and have no grace, and, accordingly in time of battle fly to Me as their benefactor, seeking Me alone, with true humility, for which purpose I treat them thus, withdrawing from them consolation indeed, but not grace. At such a time these weak ones of whom I speak relax their energy, impatiently turning backward, and so sometimes abandon, under color of virtue, many of their exercises, saying to themselves: This labor does not profit me. All this they do, because they feel themselves deprived of mental consolation. Such a soul acts imperfectly, for she has not yet unwound the bandage of spiritual self-love, for had she unwound it, she would see that, in truth, everything proceeds from Me, that no leaf of a tree falls to the ground without My providence, and that what I give and promise to My creatures, I give and promise to them for their sanctification, which is the good and the end for which I created them."
and again,
St. Catherine of Siena shows in this passage that the imperfect soul which loves the Lord with a love that is still mercenary, ought to follow Peter's example after his denial of Christ. Not infrequently this time Providence permits us also to fall into some visible fault to humiliate us and oblige us to enter into ourselves, y at as Peter did, when immediately after his fall, seeing that Jesus looked at him, he "wept bitterly." (1)
And more, and a warning: this second conversion is not obvious, nor is it necessarily "charismatic".
The second conversion may also take place, though we have no grave sin to expiate, for example, at a time when we are suffering from an injustice, or a calumny, which, under divine grace, awakens in us not sentiments of vengeance, but hunger and thirst for the justice of God. In such a case, the generous forgiving of a grave injurysometimes draws down on the soul of the one who pardons, a great grace, which makes him enter a higher region of the spiritual life. The soul then receives a new insight into divine things and an impulse which it did not know before. David received such a grace when he pardoned Semei who had outraged and cursed him, while throwing stones at him.(3)
This has been in my experience and forgiveness opens the door to grace. But, this
"yes" opens the door to great suffering as well.
A more profound insight into the life of the soul may originate also on the occasion of the death of a dear one, or of a disaster, or of a great rebuff, when anything occurs which is of a nature to reveal the vanity of earthly things and by contrast the importance of the one thing necessary, union with God, the prelude of the life of heaven.
In her Dialogue St. Catherine also speaks often of the necessity of leaving the imperfect state in which a person serves God more or less through interest and for his own satisfaction, and in which he wishes to go to God the Fatherwithout passing through Jesus crucified.(4) To leave this imperfect state, the soul which still seeks itself must be converted that it may cease to seek itself and may truly go in search of God by the way of abnegation, which is that of profound peace.
There is no short-cut.
Staying with the Dominicans today, on the Feast of the Greatest, I pick up on G-L's reference to Henry Suso, who I first discovered in about 1980. Here is a section of his writings to help us. Again, read footnotes, as they are good for you! They led up to the following chapter.
10. For example, the second conversion of Blessed Henry Suso, of St. Catherine of Genoa, of Blessed Anthony Neyrot, O.P., and of many others, is well known.
The works of Blessed Henry Suso contain a number of instructions relative to the second conversion. He himself experienced this conversion after a few years of religious life, during which he had slipped into some negligences. Particular attention ought to be given to what he says about the necessity of a more interior and deep Christian life in religious who give themselves most exclusively to study, and in others who are chiefly attentive to exterior observances and austerities. In the divine light he saw "these two classes of persons circling about the Savior's cross, without being able to reach Him," (5) because both groups sought themselves, either in study or in exterior observances, and because they judged each other without charity. He understood then that he should remain in complete self-abnegation, ready to accept all that God might will, and to accept it with love, at the same time practicing great fraternal charity. (6)
Do not circle the Cross. Embrace it.
And I end with a helpful footnote and also section on St. Thomas Aquinas.......
15. This mode of acting conforms perfectly to what St. Thomas says of the difference between acquired prudence (a true virtue, already described by Aristotle) and infused prudence. and the gift of counsel (IIa IIae, q.47, a.14 and q. 52). Should a man tend to perfection under the almost exclusive direction of acquired prudence (which is, nevertheless, not that of the flesh), he would never reach true Christian perfection, which belongs to the supernatural order; such perfection requires the frequent exercise of infused prudence and of the gift of counsel. These three sources of actions (habitus) are among themselves a little like what agility of the fingers, the acquired art which is in the practical intellect, and musical inspiration are in the musician. Without art, properly so called, and this inspiration, a man will certainly never produce a masterpiece, and will never be able even to comprehend one.
And, so that we do not become full of pride, God allows us to fall......
In connection with Peter's second conversion, we should recall that St. Thomas teaches (2) that even after a serious sin, if a man has a truly fervent contrition proportionate to the degree of grace lost, he recovers this degree of grace; he may even receive a higher degree if he has a still more fervent contrition. He is, therefore, not obliged to recommence his ascent from the very beginning, but continues it, taking it up again at the point he had reached when he fell. A mountain climber who stumbles halfway up, rises immediately, and continues the ascent. The same is true in the spiritual order. Everything leads us to think that by the fervor of his repentance Peter not only recovered the degree of grace that he had lost, but was raised to a higher degree of the supernatural life. The Lord permitted this fall only to cure him of his presumption so that he might become more humble and thereafter place his confidence, not in himself, but in God. Thus, the humiliated Peter on his knees weeping over his sin is greater than the Peter on Thabor, who did not as yet sufficiently know his frailty.
To be perfect is to be conformed to Christ. We become like Him. We are His Face in the world...........
Does Everyone Have A Guardian Angel?
In recent times, it has been brought to my attention that the Church has not made a definite statement as to whether all humans have a guardian angel, or whether just the baptized.
The CCC states this:
334 In the meantime, the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels.201
335 In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. She invokes their assistance (in the funeral liturgy's In Paradisum deducant te angeli. . .["May the angels lead you into Paradise. . ."]). Moreover, in the "Cherubic Hymn" of the Byzantine Liturgy, she celebrates the memory of certain angels more particularly (St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and the guardian angels).
336 From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.202 "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life."203 Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.
The footnote is to a work by St. Basil, which indicates that only those who are baptized have an angel.
203 St. Basil, Adv. Eunomium III, I: PG 29,656B.
St. Thomas Aquinas, as well as St. Jerome, write that all humans have a guardian angel.
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. But God'sprovidence acts differently as regards men and as regards other corruptible creatures, for they are related differently to incorruptibility. For men are not only incorruptible in the common species, but also in the proper forms of each individual, which are the rational souls, which cannot be said of other incorruptible things. Now it is manifest that the providence of God is chiefly exercised towards what remains for ever; whereas as regards things which pass away, the providence of God acts so as to order their existence to the things which are perpetual. Thus the providence of God is related to each man as it is to every genus or species of things corruptible. But, according to Gregory (Hom. xxxiv in Evang.), the different orders are deputed to the different "genera" of things, for instance, the "Powers" to coerce the demons, the "Virtues" to work miracles in things corporeal; while it is probable that the differentspecies are presided over by different angels of the same order. Hence it is also reasonable to suppose that different angels are appointed to the guardianship of different men.
Reply to Objection 1. A guardian may be assigned to a man for two reasons: first, inasmuch as a man is an individual, and thus to one man one guardian is due; and sometimes several are appointed to guard one.
Secondly, inasmuch as a man is part of a community, and thus one man is appointed as guardian of a whole community; to whom it belongs to provide what concerns one man in his relation to the whole community, such as external works, which are sources of strength or weakness to others. But angel guardians are given to men also as regards invisible and occult things, concerning the salvation of each one in his own regard. Hence individual angels are appointed to guard individual men.
And here....
Article 5. Whether an angel is appointed to guard a man from his birth?
Objection 1. It would seem that an angel is not appointed to guard a man from his birth. For angelsare "sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation," as the Apostle says (Hebrews 1:14). But men begin to receive the inheritance of salvation, when they are baptized. Therefore an angel is appointed to guard a man from the time of his baptism, not of his birth.Objection 2. Further, men are guarded by angels in as far as angels enlighten and instruct them. But children are not capable of instruction as soon as they are born, for they have not the use of reason. Therefore angels are not appointed to guard children as soon as they are born.
Objection 3. Further, a child has a rational soul for some time before birth, just as well as after. But it does not appear that an angel is appointed to guard a child before its birth, for they are not then admitted to the sacraments of the Church. Therefore angels are not appointed to guard men from the moment of their birth.
On the contrary, Jerome says (vide A, 4) that "each soul has an angel appointed to guard it from its birth."
I answer that, as Origen observes (Tract. v, super Matt.) there are two opinions on this matter. For some have held that the angel guardian is appointed at the time of baptism, others, that he is appointed at the time of birth. The latter opinion Jerome approves (vide A, 4), and with reason. For those benefits which are conferred by God on man as a Christian, begin with his baptism; such as receiving the Eucharist, and the like. But those which are conferred by God on man as a rational being, are bestowed on him at his birth, for then it is that he receives that nature. Among the latter benefits we must count the guardianship of angels, as we have said above (1,4). Wherefore from the very moment of his birth man has an angel guardian appointed to him.
Reply to Objection 1. Angels are sent to minister, and that efficaciously indeed, for those who shall receive the inheritance of salvation, if we consider the ultimate effect of their guardianship, which is the realizing of that inheritance. But for all that, the angelic ministrations are not withdrawn for others although they are not so efficacious as to bring them to salvation: efficacious, nevertheless, they are, inasmuch as they ward off many evils.
Reply to Objection 2. Guardianship is ordained to enlightenment by instruction, as to its ultimate and principal effect. Nevertheless it has many other effects consistent with childhood; for instance to ward off the demons, and to prevent both bodily and spiritual harm.
Reply to Objection 3. As long as the child is in the mother's womb it is not entirely separate, but by reason of a certain intimate tie, is still part of her: just as the fruit while hanging on the tree is part of the tree. And therefore it can be said with some degree of probability, that the angel who guards the mother guards the child while in the womb. But at its birth, when it becomes separate from the mother, an angel guardian is appointed to it; as Jerome, above quoted, says.
It is interesting that the CCC takes the older definition or opinion and not the latter one of Thomas.
to be continued...
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