Memorial for The Holy Guardian Angels - October 2 Today is the feast day of the Guardian Angels and,

as St. Bernard of lair!au" said in his sermon# $% let us be de!oted and grateful to such great &rotectors' let us return their lo!e and honor them as much as (e can and should.) *o&e lement + ele!ated the ,east of Guardian Angels to the ran- of an obligatory double to be celebrated on October 2. *o&e .eon +/// raised this feast to the ran- of a double ma0or in 1223.

The hurch teaches that (e all recei!e a guardian angel at birth, an angel assigned to guide and &rotect us, to (atch o!er us. So let us remember in this day and all days to come, that (e are not alone in the (orld, (e ha!e our guardian angel (atching o!er us.

$And so the angels are here' they are at your side, they are (ith you, &resent on your behalf. They are here to &rotect you and to ser!e you. But e!en if it is God (ho has gi!en them this charge, (e must nonetheless be grateful to them for the great lo!e (ith (hich they obey and come to hel& us in our great need.)

$4!en though (e are children and ha!e a long, a !ery long and dangerous (ay to go, (ith such &rotectors (hat ha!e (e to fear5 They (ho -ee& us in all our (ays cannot be o!er&o(ered or led astray, much less lead us astray. They are loyal, &rudent, &o(erful. 6hy then are (e afraid5 6e ha!e only to follo( them, stay close to them, and (e shall d(ell under the &rotection of God7s hea!en.

),rom a sermon by St. Bernard of

lair!au", 8oman Office of 8eadings

*rayer to the Angel of God# Angel of God, my guardian dear, to (hom God7s lo!e commits me here, e!er this day 9or night:, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

*rayer Source# 4nchiridion of /ndulgence, ;une 2<, 1<=2