Guardian Angels

Question from Nancy on 4/7/2008:

How do we choose our Guardian Angel ??? Is our angel someone deceased; a saint; an un-named person or spirit ??? How do we know who our Guardian Angel is ?? Can we name our angel after a deceased person or one who is living???

Thank you and God bless you,

Nancy Connecticut

Answer by Matthew Bunson on 4/7/2008:
Traditionally, the Guardian Angel is considered a companion to every soul, watching over it and striving to serve as a guide against the intrusion of evil and temptation. While the Church has never defined that every individual soul has a guardian angel, it is attested in constant tradition, is based on Scripture (e.g., Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:14) and is found in the teaching of the Fathers of the Church and elsewhere. St. Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologiae (I:113:4) taught that only the lowest orders of angels are given the responsibility of serving as guardians (against this were the writings of less famous theologians who argued that any angel could be a guardian).

In general terms, it is not possible to state categorically that every day has its own guardian angel, just as one cannot state with absoluter certainty that it is not possible for angels to serve as guardians over groups or regions. There is a custom of angels of the weeks, but there are various lists and the names change from list to list. Common names on the list, however, are the archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. Angel lore is replete with legends and traditions relating to different angels and their functions according to the different choirs (or groupings) of angels.

The Church honors the Guardian Angels on their feast day, October 2.

I hope this helps!