Can guardian angels be family members?

jwillett717 · #1 May 10, '11, 8:43 pm

I am doing a 15 page research paper on guardian angels, and the religious beliefs of catholics, protestants, and mormons on the subject. I have grown up in the catholic church. I read that mormons believe that guardian angels can be family members, do catholics believe that? why or why not?

Rolypoly · #2 May 10, '11, 9:15 pm

I'll take a stab at this...

Angels are not humans, never were and never will be, and vice versa. Angels are spirits, while human beings who have died and are in Heaven are souls (spirits) temporarily separated from their bodies. Your guardian angel was chosen for you by God before the creation of the world. So the answer is no, a guardian angel cannot be a family member. I hope this helps

ConstantineTG · #3 May 10, '11, 9:40 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwillett717

I am doing a 15 page research paper on guardian angels, and the religious beliefs of catholics, protestants, and mormons on the subject. I have grown up in the catholic church. I read that mormons believe that guardian angels can be family members, do catholics believe that? why or why not?

No. Angels are created beings to be angels. Humans are different from angels. Humans cannot be guardian angels, and angels cannot become human. We are two distinct creations of God.

PattiDay · #4 May 10, '11, 10:00 pm

Guardian Angels are appointed to care for us throughout our lives. They are creatures without bodies, but with an intellect greater than that of a human. A Guardian Angle belongs to heaven and is on loan, as it were, to protect us from the time of our conception until our life is over. Your angel is always with you, but cannot enter into family life. Your angel has an identity known to God, so do not give your angel a foolish name or try to make it like a family pet. Be respectful and pray the sweet prayer that we learn as children.

Angel of God, my guardian dead,
to whom God's love commits me here.
Ever this day be at my side, to light,
to guard, to rule, and to guide. Amen

stephe1987 · #5 May 10, '11, 10:34 pm

Angels and humans are two different creatures.

Can guardian angels be dolphins? Of course not! A dolphin is a dolphin, an angel is an angel, and a human is a human.

Angels were created at the time of creation. Humans were created much later; human souls are created with human bodies at the time of conception. The soul leaves the body for heaven, purgatory, or hell, at the time of death.

From what I understand, Catholics and most Protestants agree with this view.
Mormons believe angels are humans who have died and gone to heaven.
Seventh-day Adventists believe that Jesus is Michael the Archangel, so God is also an angel.

LarryGold · #6 May 10, '11, 10:51 pm

In my understanding of Catholic Theology , Guardian Angels or Angels in general are spirit beings , endowed with supernatural beauty and power, perfect yet with free will, created by God before man to minister to mankind and carry out his orders. They are appointed by God to each human the moment that human comes into existence. So in Catholicism Guardian angels can't be family members. Family members who had gone before us may assist or minister to us or pray for us through the mystery of the Communion of Saints made to work through Jesus and the Holy Spirit ("I am the vine you are the branches"; Jesus being the head of His Body, The Church; and Saints in Heaven, and "saints" on earth and souls purgatory as members of that Body). These departed loved ones though do not act independently. Their mission to the living is dependent only upon God's will. They cannot be summoned as in a Seance or Necromancy. The Church condemns this practice as mortal sin. As a general rule, the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit in our sacramental lives plus the ministry of our guardian angels are already sufficient to help us in our earthly existence.

Mormons on the other hand believe there are two kinds of Angels as revealed by their "Angel" Moroni: the disembodied spirit types and the disembodied human types in a translated or resurrected state to which dead friends, relatives or members of our family belong. They can minister to humans, or even appear to humans ( they cite the example of Elijah and Moses appearing and ministering to Jesus) to assist them. This seems to suggest that these spirits may act independently (hope I'm wrong).

Mormons do not actually subscribe to the concept that each person has a Guardian Angel. According to Joseph Smith:"...our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.”

Hope this helps.

jwillett717 · #7 May 11, '11, 9:37 pm

Thank you! very helpful. What do catholics believe about passed on family members.. like when theyve passed away, are they cut off from their family that is still alive on earth? Im not sure how to explain my question, hopefully its understandable. Back to the question.. I feel like that would make them a little sad.

Bohm Bawerk · #8 May 11, '11, 9:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwillett717

Thank you! very helpful. What do catholics believe about passed on family members.. like when theyve passed away, are they cut off from their family that is still alive on earth? Im not sure how to explain my question, hopefully its understandable. Back to the question.. I feel like that would make them a little sad.

Family members aren't cut off from their family. At least not if the family member reached Purgatory or Heaven. In these places, it is highly possible that family members pray for their relatives who are still on Earth, which we term "intercession". And because the deceased family members are closer to God than those on Earth, their prayers will be more effective. After all, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).

Family members in Hell on the other hand eternally lose any possible relationship with their relatives on Earth. They can not pray for themselves or for others.

Thank you,
Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk

jtodisco · #9 May 12, '11, 7:07 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwillett717

Thank you! very helpful. What do catholics believe about passed on family members.. like when theyve passed away, are they cut off from their family that is still alive on earth? Im not sure how to explain my question, hopefully its understandable. Back to the question.. I feel like that would make them a little sad.

Family members who have passed on and are in heaven still have a relationship with their loved ones on earth or in purgatory. Deceased family who are in heaven are like the "official" saints of the Church who we the faithful can ask to pray for us and help us. But this is all dependent on the deceased loved one being in heaven, which we can't ever know for certain whether they are or not. If they died and are in purgatory then we can help them through our prayers as they make their way from purgatory to heaven. So even in this case the relationship between the living and the deceased remains. However, if the deceased are damned then no prayers of ours can help them and they pray for no one.

LarryGold · #10 May 12, '11, 10:13 pm

Family members who have passed on are not totally cut off from us. If they are in Heaven or Purgatory, they may pray for us. This is the essence of the Communion of Saints. The Church Triumphant (Heaven) and Church Suffering (Purgatory) are praying for the Church Militant (saints on earth) and 'are watching over us' ("we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses" Hebrews 12:1). This intercessory power is not their own but the Trinity's. In the writings of certain Saints, prayers of souls in purgatory are also very dear before God so we may invoke them in our prayers only in their intercessory capacity. I'm presently practicing this devotion to the Holy Souls and have received many graces so far. In my experience, this devotion can inspire sorrow for sin and a Holy Fear of God.

There are also instances that God allows souls in Purgatory or Heaven (like in the case of St.Therese of Lisieux appearing to St. Faustina) to counsel or instruct the living, but this happens rarely and if it happens, the Bible requires us to test the spirit (1 john 4:1). I believe though that it is wrong to assume that these departed loved ones are still earthbound and are literally with us. They may only see us or be with us for a while if God wills it. They are either enjoying the beatific vision in Heaven or paying the penalty for lesser sins in Purgatory.

mariafransisca1 · #11 May 14, '11, 5:36 am

St. Therese of Lisieux call her guardian angel as her brother.

Read her life here: http://www.catholicplanet.com/ebooks...obiography.pdf

You can also read this: http://saintsarefamily.blogspot.com/

It includes our guardian angels, st. michael the archangels, st. gabriel, st raphael, they are our brothers

May the merciful Jesus Bless you

FCEGM · #12 May 14, '11, 11:50 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariafransisca1

St. Therese of Lisieux call her guardian angel as her brother.

She meant this figuratively, not literally, maria, since St. Therese knew the difference between angels and the souls of our dearly departed.

Saint Catherine · #13 Aug 15, '11, 8:34 am

Found some info on what Latter-day Saints believe

Guardian Angels areBeings in the heavenly realm, especially ancestors, have an interest in man's doings on earth and are occasionally sent to protect, physically save, comfort, or uphold mortal men. There is no evidence that guardian angels constantly attend every earthly being. The companionship of the Holy Ghost helps one perceive angels sent to comfort an individual. Deceased loved ones occasionally are allowed to visit mortal relatives, and there are many accounts of such happenings in the journals of Latter-day Saints.

Whether or not each individual has a “guardian angel” is a topic addressed some years ago by Elder John A. Widtsoe: Undoubtedly angels often guard us from accidents and harm, from temptation and sin. They may properly be spoken of as guardian angels. Many people have borne and may bear testimony to the guidance and protection that they have received from sources beyond their natural vision. Without the help that we receive from the constant presence of the Holy Spirit, and from possible holy angels, the difficulties of life would be greatly multiplied.

The common belief, however, that every person born into the world has a guardian angel assigned to be with that person constantly, is not supported by available evidence. … An angel may be a guardian angel though he come only as assigned to give us special help. In fact, the constant presence of the Holy Spirit would seem to make such a constant, angelic companionship unnecessary.

So, until further knowledge is obtained, we may say that angels may be sent to guard us according to our need; but we cannot say with certainty that there is a special guardian angel, to be with every person constantly.