Lord, give thine angels every day
Command to guard us on our way,
And bid them every evening keep
Their watch around us while we sleep.
--John Mason Neale
May loving angels guard and keep thee,
Ever pure as thou art now.
--Anonymous
God our Father,
in your loving providence
you send your holy angels to watch over us.
Hear our prayers
defend us always by their protection
and let us share your life with them for ever.
--from The LIturgy of the Hours, on the Feast of the Guardian Angels, October 2nd.
For an angel of peace, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us entreat
the Lord.
--Orthodox prayer
Hush my dear, lie still and slumber,
Holy angels guard thy bed.
Heavenly blessings without number
Gently fall upon they head.
--Isaac Watts
Four corners to her bed
Four angels at her head
Mark, Matthew, Luke and John
God bless the bed that she lies on.
New moon, new moon, God bless me
God bless this house and family.
--Irish blessing
Hail, Guardian Angels of the House!
Come to our aid,
Share with us our work and play.
Be with us that we may hear your wings,
And feel your breath upon our cheek.
--Geoffrey Hodson
Little eyelids cease your winking;
Little orbs, forget to beam;
Little soul, to slumber sinking,
Let angels rule your dream.
--Eugene Field
O passing Angel,
speed me with a song,
A melody of heaven
to reach my heart
And rouse me to the race
and make me strong
--Christina Rossetti
Angels on our shoulder take us by the hand,
and with gentle, tender guidance
lead us to the promised land.
--Source unknown
Guardian Angel from heaven so bright,
Watching beside me to lead me aright,
Fold thy wings round me, and guard me with love,
Softly sing songs to me of heaven above. Amen.
--Traditional prayer
Angel of God, my Guardian dear,
To whom God's love entrusts me here;
Ever this day be at my side,
To light and guard,
To rule and guide.
--Traditional Prayer
ASPIRATION
O my dear Angel Guardian, preserve me from the misfortune of offending God.
ST. GERTRUDE'S GUARDIAN ANGEL PRAYER
O most holy angel of God, appointed by God to be my guardian, I give you thanks for all the benefits
which you have ever bestowed on me in body and in soul. I praise and glorify you that you
condescended to assist me with such patient fidelity, and to defend me against all the assaults of my
enemies. Blessed be the hour in which you were assigned me for my guardian, my defender and my
patron. In acknowledgement and return for all your loving ministries to me, I offer you the infinitely
precious and noble heart of Jesus, and firmly purpose to obey you henceforward, and most faithfully
to serve my God. Amen.
FOR HELP AGAINST SPIRITUAL ENEMIES
Glorious St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly hosts, who standest always ready to give assistance to
the people of God; who didst fight with the dragon, the old serpent, and didst cast him out of heaven,
and now valiantly defendest the Church of God that the gates of hell may never prevail against her, I
earnestly entreat thee to assist me also, in the painful and dangerous conflict which I have to sustain
against the same formidible foe. Be with me, O mighty Prince! that I may courageously fight and
wholly vanquish that proud spirit, whom thou hast by the Divine Power, so gloriously overthrown,
and whom our powerful King, Jesus Christ, has, in our nature, so completely overcome; to the end
that having triumphed over the enemy of my salvation, I may with thee and the holy angels, praise the
clemency of God who, having refused mercy to the rebellious angels after their fall, has granted
repentance and forgiveness to fallen man. Amen.
A PRAYER TO THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS (Feast Day, October 2)
Dear Angel at my side, my good and loyal friend, you have been with me since the moment I was
born. You are my own personal guardian, given me by God as my guide and protector, and you will
stay with me till I die. He who created you and me gave me to you as your particular charge. You
assisted in great joy at my baptism, when I became part of the Mystical Body of Christ, and was
made a member of the household of God and an heir of heaven. You saw the dangers that beset my
path, and, if I sinned, it was in spite of you. You envied me when Christ came to me in Holy
Communion. Even though you probably were there among the angels that adored Him the night that
He was born, you have not been able to receive Him as I can. O, help me to appreciate these gifts!
Help me to realize, as you do, with every fiber of my being, that to serve Christ is to be a King! Help
me steadfastly to avoid evil and do good and always guard my soul from sin. Protect me as well from
physical evils as I go about my daily work. You will be with me all my life, and at the hour of my
death. Help me to face death bravely, patiently, with great love of God, knowing that it is only
through death that I can come to Him in heaven! Then, come with me to my Judge, and when the
hour of my salvation comes, take me home to my Father, God. Amen.
TO OUR LADY, QUEEN OF ANGELS
A Bernardine Sister was shown in spirit the vast desolation caused by the devil throughout the world, and at the same time she heard the Blessed Virgin telling her that it was true, hell had been let loose upon the earth; and that the time had come to pray to her as Queen of the Angels and to ask of her the assistance of the heavenly legions to fight against these deadly foes of God and of men.
"But my good Mother," she replied, "you who are so kind, could you not send them without our asking?" "No," Our Lady answered, "because prayer is one of the conditions required by God Himself in obtaining favors." Then the Blessed Virgin communicated the following prayer, bidding the Sister to have it printed and distributed:
August Queen of Heaven! Sovereign Mistress of the angels! Thou who from
the beginning hast received from God the power and mission to crush the head
of Satan, we humbly beseech thee to send thy holy Legions, that, under thy
command and by thy power, they may pursue the evil spirits, encounter them on
every side, resist their bold attacks and drive them hence into the abyss of
eternal woe. Amen.
TO THE HOLY ARCHANGEL WHO STRENGTHENED OUR LORD IN HIS AGONY
I salute thee, holy Angel who didst comfort my Jesus in His agony, and with thee I praise the most holy
Trinity for having chosen thee from among all the holy Angels to comfort and strengthen Him who is the
comfort and strength of all that are in affliction. By the honor thou didst enjoy and by the obedience,
humility and love wherewith thou didst assist the sacred Humanity of Jesus, my Savior, when He was
fainting for very sorrow at seeing the sins of the world and especially my sins, I beseech thee to obtain for
me perfect sorrow for my sins; deign to strengthen me In the afflictions that now overwhelm me, and in all
the other trials, to which I shall be exposed henceforth and, in particular, when I find myself in my final
agony. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH CONCERNING ST. GABRIEL
May the offering of our service and the prayer of the blessed Archangel Gabriel be acceptable in Thy
sight, O Lord; that he whom we venerate on earth, may be our advocate before Thee in heaven.
Through Our Lord. Amen.
TO ST. GABRIEL, FOR INTERCESSION
O Blessed Archangel Gabriel, we beseech thee, do thou intercede for us at the throne of divine
Mercy in our present necessities, that as thou didst announce to Mary the mystery of the Incarnation,
so through thy prayers and patronage in heaven we may obtain the benefits of the same, and sing the
praise of God forever in the land of the living. Amen.
TO ST. GABRIEL, FOR OTHERS
O loving messenger of the Incarnation, descend upon all those for whom I wish peace and happiness. Spread your wings over the cradles of the new-born babes, O thou who didst announce the coming of the Infant Jesus.
Give to the young a lily petal from the virginal scepter in your hand. Cause the Ave Maria to re-echo in all hearts that they may find grace and joy through Mary.
Finally, recall the sublime words spoken on the day of the Annunciation-- "Nothing is impossible with
God," and repeat them in hours of trial--to all I love--that their confidence in Our Lord may be
reanimated, when all human help fails. Amen.
HOLY MICHAEL, THE ARCHANGEL, DEFEND US IN BATTLE
Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
To Saint Michael For Powerful Aid
Glorious Prince of the heavenly hosts and victor over rebellious spirits, be mindful of me who am so
weak and sinful and yet so prone to pride and ambition. Lend me, I pray, thy powerful aid in every
temptation and difficulty, and above all do not forsake me in my last struggle with the powers of evil.
Amen.
TO ST. MICHAEL, FOR PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH AND HER MEMBERS
O glorious St. Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ, come to the assistance
of this Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained, guard with especial care her august
Head, and obtain that for him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive. O glorious
Archangel St. Michael, watch over us during life, defend us against the assaults of the demon, assist
us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us a favorable judgment, and the happiness of beholding
God face to face for endless ages. Amen.
TO ST. MICHAEL, FOR PERSONAL PROTECTION
St. Michael, the Archangel! Glorious Prince, chief and champion of the heavenly hosts; guardian of the souls of men; conqueror of the rebel angels! How beautiful art thou, in thy heaven-made armor. We love thee, dear Prince of Heaven!
We, thy happy clients, yearn to enjoy thy special protection. Obtain for us from God a share of thy
sturdy courage; pray that we may have a strong and tender love for our Redeemer and, in every
danger or temptation, be invincible against the enemy of our souls. O standard-bearer of our
salvation! Be with us in our last moments and when our souls quit this earthly exile, carry them safely
to the judgement seat of Christ, and may Our Lord and Master bid thee bear us speedily to the
kingdom of eternal bliss. Teach us ever to repeat the sublime cry: "Who is like unto God?" Amen.
SAINT RAPHAEL
O God who in Thy ineffable goodness hast rendered blessed Raphael the conductor of thy faithful in
their journeys, we humbly implore Thee that we may be conducted by him in the way of salvation,
and experience his help in the maladies of our souls. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
TO ST. RAPHAEL, PATRON OF HAPPY MEETINGS
O Raphael, lead us towards those we are waiting for, those who are waiting for us! Raphael, Angel of Happy Meetings, lead us by the hand towards those we are looking for! May all our movements, all their movements, be guided by your Light and transfigured by your Joy.
Angel Guide of Tobias, lay the request we now address to you at the feet of Him on whose unveiled Face you are privileged to gaze. Lonely and tired, crushed by the separations and sorrows of earth, we feel the need of calling to you and of pleading for the protection of your wings, so that we may not be as strangers in the Province of Joy, all ignorant of the concerns of our country.
Remember the weak, you who are strong--you whose home lies beyond the region of thunder, in a
land that is always peaceful, always serene, and bright with the resplendent glory of God. Amen.
THANKS TO MY GUARDIAN ANGEL
O Angel of God, my blessed protector, to whose care I have been committed by my Creator from the moment of my birth, unite with me in thanking the Almighty for having given me a friend, and instructor, an advocate, and a guardian in thee. Accept, O most charitable guide, my fervent thanksgiving for all thou hast done for me; particularly for the charity with which thou didst undertake to accompany me through life; for the joy with which thou wert filled when I was purified in the waters of Baptism; and for thy anxious solicitude in watching over the treasure of my innocence. Thou knowest the numberless graces and favors which my Creator has bestowed on me through thee, and the many dangers, both spiritual and temporal from which thou hast preserved me. Thou knowest how often thou didst deplore my sins, animate me to repentance, and intercede with God for my pardon. Ah! why have I so little merited a continuance of thy zealous efforts for my salvation? Why have I so often stained my soul by sin, and thereby rendered myself unworthy of the presence and protection of an angel, of so pure a spirit as thou art, who never sinned? But as my ingratitude and thoughtlessness have not lessened thy charitable interest for my salvation, so neither shall they diminish my confidence in thy goodness, nor prevent me from abandoning myself to thy care, since God Himself has entrusted thee with the charge of my soul. Penetrated with sorrow for the little progress I have made in virtue, though blessed with such a Master, and sincerely determined to correspond in future with thy exertions for my salvation, I most earnestly entreat thee, O protecting spirit, to continue thy zealous efforts for my eternal interest; to fortify my weakness, to shield me from innumerable dangers of the world and to obtain by thy powerful prayers that my life may rather be shortened, than that I should live to commit a mortal sin. Remember, O most happy spirit, that it was one act of profound humility, and one transport of ardent love for thy Creator, that caused God to establish thee forever in glory; obtain that those virtues may be implanted in my soul, and that I may seriously endeavor to acquire docility, obedience, gentleness and purity of heart. Conduct me safely through this world of sin and misery; watch over me at the awful hour of my death; perform for my soul the last charitable office of thy mission, by strengthening, encouraging, and supporting me in the agonies of dissolution, and then, as the angel Raphael conducted Tobias safely to his father, do thou, my good angel and blessed guide, return with me to Him who sent thee, that we may mutually bless Him, and publish His wonderful works for a happy eternity. Amen.