You have a guardian angel—but what exactly does your guardian angel do? And can you give your guardian angel a name? Dr. Sri explains what the Catholic Church teaches about guardian angels, from the moment we receive them to their role in protecting and guiding us toward heaven.

Shownotes

What Is an Angel?

Angels are spiritual, non-bodily creatures who possess intellect and will. The word angel describes their office or function: they are messengers and servants of God who assist in His plan of salvation.

Throughout Scripture, angels appear at key moments in salvation history, including the Annunciation, the birth of Jesus, His temptation in the desert, His agony in Gethsemane, and the Resurrection.

What Is a Guardian Angel?

The Catechism teaches that human life is surrounded by the angels' watchful care and intercession. The Church teaches we receive our guardian angel from the beginning of our life, and that our guardian angel remains with us throughout our earthly life. Guardian angels are not simply there to protect us from physical danger. Their primary mission is to help us on our journey toward heaven, including protecting us from spiritual harm and helping us resist temptation.

Guardian Angels and Spiritual Warfare

We can turn to our guardian angels when we experience temptation, anxiety, discouragement, envy, or other spiritual struggles. At the same time, we should not attribute every difficulty to demons or every good thing to our guardian angel. Some things have natural causes, and we have a responsibility to recognize our own actions and choices.

Can You Name Your Guardian Angel?

Many people wonder whether they can discover or assign a name to their guardian angel. While the desire for a personal relationship with our guardian angel is good, the Church discourages assigning names to angels whose names have not been revealed to us. The names of the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are known because they are revealed in Scripture. There is also the possibility of extraordinary experiences involving guardian angels, emphasizing that these would fall under the category of private revelation and should be approached with discernment.

How Can We Grow in Relationship With Our Guardian Angel?

• Pray the Guardian Angel Prayer, especially during moments of temptation, anxiety, suffering, or discouragement.
• Turn to your guardian angel in times of difficulty, remembering that God has given your guardian angel to assist you on your journey toward heaven.

Guardian Angel Prayer

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

Scripture & Church Teaching Mentioned

• Isaiah 6 — Angels worshiping before God's throne
• Revelation 4 — Angels worshiping God
• Genesis 22 — An angel stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac
• Judges 6 — An angel appears to Gideon
• Luke 1 — The Annunciation
• Matthew 4 — Angels minister to Jesus after His temptation
• Genesis 3 — Cherubim guard the way to the tree of life
• Tobit — St. Raphael
• Daniel — St. Gabriel
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§329 and 336
• Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy — guidance concerning devotion to angels and assigning names to them