For Catholics, belief in angels is not optional. Angels are part of the doctrine of the faith.
They appear at key points in the gospel, and they are always serving God - whether it is helping Tobias in a time of need, offering counsel to a troubled Joseph or announcing to the Virgin Mary that she would become the Mother of Our Lord.
Celebrated Catholic author Peter Kreft offers the following:
Angels: The Twelve Most Important Things to Know About Them
They really exist. Not just in our minds, or our myths, or our symbols, or our culture. They are as real as your dog, or your sister, or electricity.
They’re present, right here, right now, right next to you, reading these words with you.
They’re not cute, cuddly, comfortable, chummy, or “cool”. They are fearsome and formidable. They are huge. They are warriors.
They are the real “extra-terrestrials”, the real “Super-men”, the ultimate aliens. Their powers are far beyond those of all fictional creatures.
They are more brilliant minds than Einstein.
They can literally move the heavens and the earth if God permits them.
There are also evil angels, fallen angels, demons, or devils. These too are not myths. Demon possessions, and exorcisms, are real.
Angels are aware of you, even though you can’t usually see or hear them. But you can communicate with them. You can talk to them without even speaking.
You really do have your very own “guardian angel”. Everybody does.
Angels often come disguised. “Do not neglect hospitality, for some have entertained angels unawares”—that’s a warning from life’s oldest and best instruction manual.
We are on a protected part of a great battlefield between angels and devils, extending to eternity.
Angels are sentinels standing at the crossroads where life meets death. They work especially at moments of crisis, at the brink of disaster—for bodies, for souls, and for nations.
Your Guardian Angel protects you out of service to God. He or she has seen you at your best and your worst, and knows all of your sins and good works.
It must hurt our Guardian Angels terribly when they see the offenses to God we cause when we sin.
So, I offer apologies and gratitude to my Guardian Angel.
I am sorry for any pain I have caused you.
And thank you so much for loving and serving the Lord by watching over me.
With Jesus' help, I will try to make your job a little more enjoyable.
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