Readings & Reflections: Friday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time & Holy Guardian Angels, October 2,2020
One of the most consoling truths of our faith is that God’s providence does not only govern the cosmos from afar; he shows and intimate concern for the welfare of each person. A touching sign of this is that God gives us angels to serve as protectors and guides throughout our life. Our guardian angels’ mission is to conduct us safely through the perils of our earthly life into the joys of eternal life, so we can be assured of their powerful help in all things when we seek to win the joys of heaven. “Specially love and revere the Guardian Angel of the diocese in which you live, those of the friends who surround you, and your own. Commune with them frequently, join in their songs of praise, and seek their protection and help in all you do, spiritual or temporal” (St. Francis de Sales).
“Popular piety encompasses many forms of devotion to the Guardian Angels. Saint Basil the Great (+378 A.D.) taught that ‘each and every member of the faithful has a Guardian Angel to protect, guard, and guide them through life.’ This ancient teaching was consolidated by biblical and patristic sources and lies behind many forms of piety. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (+1153 A.D.) was a great master and a notable promoter of devotion to the Guardian Angels. For him, they were a proof ‘that heaven denies us nothing that assists us,’ and hence, ‘these celestial spirits have been placed at our sides to protect us, instruct us, and to guide us.’” (Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy, #216).
AMDG+
Opening Prayer
“Most High and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our hearts and give us a true faith, a certain hope and a perfect love. Give us a sense of the divine and knowledge of yourself, so that we may do everything in fulfilment of your holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Amen. (Prayer of Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226)
Please donate to St. Dominic Church CLICK HERE
Reading 1 (Friday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time)
Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:
Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning
and shown the dawn its place
For taking hold of the ends of the earth,
till the wicked are shaken from its surface?
The earth is changed as is clay by the seal,
and dyed as though it were a garment;
But from the wicked the light is withheld,
and the arm of pride is shattered.
Have you entered into the sources of the sea,
or walked about in the depths of the abyss?
Have the gates of death been shown to you,
or have you seen the gates of darkness?
Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all:
Which is the way to the dwelling place of light,
and where is the abode of darkness,
That you may take them to their boundaries
and set them on their homeward paths?
You know, because you were born before them,
and the number of your years is great!
Then Job answered the LORD and said:
Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again;
though twice, I will do so no more.
The word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Bless the LORD, all you angels,
you ministers, who do his will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 18:1-5, 10
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Reflection 1 – Who is the greatest?
Today Jesus reveals to us that the only way we can be great in our Father’s kingdom is to be like little children in our response to His word-humble and full of innocence. In order to be His true follower, He hopes that we are able to abandon thoughts of personal greatness and be able to take the lowly and humble position of a child. It is His desire that we accept our brokenness and our sinfulness and acknowledge our unworthiness. He wants all of us to place ourselves in His Hands so that He may be able to work in us, mold us and change us.
Jesus is our only hope for salvation and we should therefore allow Him to mold and transform us. “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” Mt 18:5 Jesus wants us to receive our brothers and sisters in love and never to judge anyone. We have to believe and act that we are all equal in the eyes of God and that we are no better than our neighbor. We should be able to welcome everyone into God’s fold especially those who have been separated from Him. We should care and love them in the Name of our Lord always trying to draw them closer to God. We are tasked to bring them back into the company of God’s people in love and mercy, not condescendingly judge and condemn them. “It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.” Mt 18:14
Sheep are helpless, weak and pretty much unable to defend themselves. They can be foolish in their ways and be prone to go astray. In the same light, we can be foolish in our ways and we may decide to stray away from God. “What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.” Mt 18:12 Jesus is our Shepherd. He is asking all Who shall believe in Him to be His undershepherds to do His work of gathering God’s people to repentance.
Are we going to seriously take the challenge of Jesus and try to be to others what the Lord is to us – a good shepherd- whose fondest desire and greatest pleasure is to walk with people and help them grow strong, healthy and happy?
Jesus is our only hope for salvation. He is the way, the truth and the life as such we should therefore allow Him to mold and transform us. We should never be scared as we encounter adversaries and difficulties in our work to bring back the lost to His fold as our Word for today says: “Be brave and steadfast, for you must bring this people into the land which the Lord swore to their fathers he would give them; you must put them in possession of their heritage. It is the Lord who marches before you; he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.” Dt 31:7-8
Direction
Bring God’s Word to everyone. We have to receive in love our brothers and sisters no matter how unlovely and lowly they may be.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me the grace to draw people into your fold. In Jesus, I pray and hope. Amen.
Reflection 2 – Their angels behold the Father in heaven
Why does Jesus warn his disciples to “not despise the little ones?” God dwells with the lowly and regards them with compassion. His angels watch over them as guardians. “For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11). God has not left us alone in our struggle “to refuse evil and to choose good” (Isaiah 7:15). The angels are his “ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation” (Hebrews 1:14).
The angels are God’s messengers and protectors for us
Scripture is full of examples of how the angels serve as messengers and protectors. When Peter was chained in prison and kept under guard, an angel woke him in middle of the night, released his chains, and brought him safely out of prison, past several guards and through locked gates. When Peter realized he wasn’t dreaming, he exclaimed: “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me” (Acts 12:11). When Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions, an angel protected him from harm (Daniel 6:22).
The angels show us that the universe is spiritual as well as material
John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), an early church father and renowned preacher, compared the guardian angels to the troops garrisoned in cities on the frontiers of the empire to defend it from the enemy. Basil the Great (329-379 AD) said, “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation in the wilderness and during his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43). The angels will be present at Christ’s return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgment (Matthew 25:31). The angels show us that this universe which God created is not just materialistic.
The devil seeks to destroy us
The fallen angels (Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelations 12:9), described in Scripture as evil spirits or devils (Mark 5:13; Matthew 25:41), seek our destruction (see 1 Peter 5:8). If they cannot persuade us to disown our faith and loyalty to Christ, they will attempt to divert us from doing the will of God by distracting us with good things that weigh us down or make us indifferent towards the things of God.
God provides us with spiritual protection from the evil one
God gives us the help of his angelic hosts and he gives us spiritual weapons, the shield of faith and the breastplate of righteousness (see Ephesians 6:1-11), to resist the devil and his lies. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we, too, join with the angelic choirs of heaven in singing the praises of God. Do you thank the Lord for his guidance and protection?
“Lord Jesus, you are our refuge and strength. May I always know your guiding hand and the help of your angels in protecting me from all that is evil. Give me strength of will and courage to refuse what is evil and to choose what is good.” – Read the source: https://www.dailyscripture.net/readings/CalYear2020/oct2a.htm
Reflection 3 – Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
In the Book of Exodus, Yahweh promises protection for His people as they journey through the desert towards the Promised Land: “See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.” But He warns them: “Be attentive to him and obey him. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority is within him.” But if they follow the angel in everything, Yahweh vows, “I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes” (Ex 23:20-22).
The journey of the People of God in the desert is symbolic of our life in this world. It is a long journey to our eternal home in heaven. And it is not without difficulties and dangers. Just as a good father will never send his child alone on the road that is dangerous, so also our heavenly Father makes sure we are not alone in this journey that is so full of snares and perils from the devil. Thus, He sends a guardian angel to each one. St Jerome said, “How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from birth an angel commissioned to guard it.”
Today we honor our Guardian Angels. This feast was originally celebrated with St. Michael the Archangel on September 29, but an independent feast, first found in Portugal in 1513, was later extended to the whole Church by Pope Clement X in 1670 and assigned October 2 as the feast day.
According to the belief of many Catholics (and some pagans and Jews before the time of Christ), guardian angels are spiritual beings who protect individual persons from spiritual and physical harm. The belief has some basis in the New Testament (ex. Mt 18:10; Acts 12:15). The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms their existence and traditional function: “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. ‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life’ (St. Basil). Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God” (CCC, 336).
St. Padre Pio de Pietrelcina exhorts us about the great spiritual benefits we get from our guardian angels. In a letter, he wrote:
“May your good angel be your breastplate to ward off the blows that the enemies of our salvation aim at you. How consoling it is to know one is always under the protection of a heavenly spirit who never abandons us, not even (what an admirable thing!) when we are actually offending God! How delightful is this great truth to the one who believes! Let me tell you that he is still powerful. His love has not lessened and he can never fail to defend you. Was he not, perhaps, one of the multitude who joined St. Michael up there in the heavens to defend God’s honor against Satan and all the other rebellious angels, to vanquish them in the end and drive them down to hell?
“This good angel is praying for you and offers to God all your good works, your holy and worthy desires. When it seems to you that you are alone and abandoned, don’t complain that you are without a friend to whom you can open your heart and confide your woes. For goodness sake, don’t forget this invisible companion who is always there to listen to you, always ready to console you….
“Call to mind his presence very often. Thank him and pray to him. He is so considerate and sensitive. Respect him. You must always be afraid to offend the purity of his gaze. Frequently invoke this kindhearted angel. At the hour of death, you will behold this good angel who accompanied you during life and was so generous in his motherly care of you! Often repeat the beautiful 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!” (Source: Fr. Mike Lagrimas, St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Amsterdam St., Capitol Park Homes, Matandang Balara, Quezon City 1119).
Reflection 4 – Faith Of A Child
Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:3
One Sunday I heard Mike talk about his relationship with his two fathers—the one who raised him as a child, and his Father in heaven.
First he described his childhood trust toward his earthly father as “simple and uncomplicated.” He expected his dad to fix broken things and to give advice. He dreaded displeasing him, however, because he often forgot that his father’s love and forgiveness always followed.
Mike continued, “Some years ago I made a mess of things and hurt a lot of people. Because of my guilt, I ended a happy, simple relationship with my heavenly Father. I forgot that I could ask Him to fix what I had broken and seek His advice.”
Years passed. Eventually Mike became desperate for God, yet he wondered what to do. His pastor said simply, “Say you’re sorry to God, and mean it!”
Instead, Mike asked complicated questions, like: “How does this work?” and “What if . . .?”
Finally his pastor prayed, “Please, God, give Mike the faith of a child!” Mike later testified joyfully, “The Lord did!”
That day Mike found closeness with his heavenly Father. The key for him and for us is to practice the simple and uncomplicated faith of a child.
— Joanie Yoder
Have you noticed that the childlike faith
Of a little girl or boy
Has so often shown to older folks
How to know salvation’s joy? —Branon
Faith shines brightest in a childlike heart (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).
Reflection 5 – Ice Cream For The Soul
Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. –Matthew 18:4
A father took his family to a restaurant. Before the meal, his 6-year-old son prayed, “Thank You for the food, and I would even thank You more if Mom got us ice cream. Amen!”
Amid the laughter, a woman nearby said indignantly, “That’s what’s wrong with this country. Kids today don’t even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream!” The lad overheard her and burst into tears. Just then an elderly gentleman came by, winked at the boy, and whispered to him, “Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.”
When dessert came, the boy picked up his sundae, walked to the lady’s table, and set it before her. With a big smile he said, “This is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is good already.”
This young boy showed the kind of selfless humility that Jesus talked about in Matthew 18. When the disciples asked Him, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He said that we must emulate the humility and trust of little children (vv.1-4).
Lord, help us to learn this lesson and become more childlike in our relationship to You. — Dennis J. De Haan
God, give me the faith of a little child
Who trusts so implicitly,
Who simply and gladly believes Thy Word,
And never would question Thee. –Showerman
Faith shines brightest in a childlike heart (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).
Reflection 6 – Leaping With Joy
Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. –Matthew 18:4
One nice thing about having a young daughter is the frequent reminders she gives me about joyful trust. Debbie still jumps into my arms from the stairs, the porch, or the picnic table with a shout and a great big smile. We never have a long discussion ahead of time about whether or not I’ll catch her. She just looks at me and leaps.
As adults, we tend to become more cautious with age. That may be all right in driving a car or spending money, but it is stifling in our relationship with God.
When the disciples of Jesus wanted to know who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven, the Lord pointed to a child as He spoke of conversion and humility: “Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 18:4).
How I long to become more childlike each year with my heavenly Father instead of more hesitant, more calculating, more insistent that He guarantee the results before I’ll take a step of faith. Rather than becoming more cautious as I age, I want to become more daring in my walk with God. Instead of being obsessed with landing safely and looking good, I want to leap with humble, joyful abandon toward my heavenly Father’s arms. — David C. McCasland
I take my Father’s hand in faith,
Though where He leads I may not see;
My hand is given into His–
I trust Him as my child trusts me. –Shoemaker
Childlike faith focuses on our heavenly Father, not on our fears (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).
Reflection 7 – Angels guard you in all your ways
Many cradle Catholics remember praying to their Guardian Angel: “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.” This prayer reflects the tradition of the Bible and the formal teaching of the Church that God is the creator of all things both spiritual and corporal that is to say, angelic and earthly. This latter statement is part of the Constitution on the Cahtolic Faith enacted by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 A.D. The role of angles as guardians of individual persons or groups of people is found in the tradition of the Bible and in the teaching of the fathers of the church. Today’s memorial honors that tradition.
From the beginning of the Judeo-Christian tradition there has been the conviction that God watches out for his people. Angels led Lot out of Sodom (Gen 19:1). And angel led Israel out of Egypt (Ex 14:9). An angel provided Elijah with food (1 Kgs 19:5). Angels ministered to Jesus in the desert (Mt 4:11). An angel released Peter from prison (Acts 12:7).
God’s promise to protect his people in the face of the weakness of human nature stands behind Jesus’ expectation that his disciples be like children if they are to enter the kingdom of heaven. Children in Jesus’ day had no power; they were more vulnerable than in our time. Hence Jesus’ teaching that humility makes a person great in the kingdom of God was extreme and countercultural. Jesus further warned that these humble children must be treated with respect because their angels will bring mistreatment of the lowly and unpretentious before the judgment seat of God.
Jesus’ insistence on his disciples becoming like little children remains a challenge for the church and church leaders to this very day. There has always been the temptation to conform to the standards of the world. Popes leading armies into battle, bishops dressed in ermine, pastors intimidating their parishioners – these are inconsistent with Jesus’ message.
Today’s gospel (Mt 18:1-5,10) challenges the way we do things: “Unless you turn and become like children you will not enter the kingdom” (Mt 18:3). Today’s memorial honoring the guardian angels provides encouragement that if we do things Jesus’ way we can still be successful: “God commands his angels to guard you in all your ways: (Ps 91:11). (Source: Norman Langenbrunner, Weekday Homily Helps. Ohio: St. Anthony Messenger Press, October 2, 2009).
Reflection 8 – Guardian angels
Jesus warned his disciples to “not despise the little ones.” God dwells with the lowly and regards them with compassion. His angels watch over them as guardians. “For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways” (Ps 91:11). God has not left us alone in our struggle “to refuse evil and to choose good” (Is 7:15). The angels are his “ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation” (Heb 1:14). Scripture is full of examples of how the angels serve as messengers and protectors. When Peter was chained in prison and kept under guard, an angel woke him in middle of the night, released his chains, and brought him safely out of prison, past several guards and through locked gates. When Peter realized he wasn’t dreaming, he exclaimed: “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me” (Acts 12:11). When Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions, an angel protected him from harm.
John Chrysostom, a 5th century father, compared the guardian angels to the troops garrisoned in cities on the frontiers of the empire to defend it from the enemy. Basil the Great said, “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation in the wilderness and during his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. The angels will be present at Christ’s return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgment (Mt 25:31). The angels tell us that this universe is not just materialistic. The fallen angels, led by Satan, seek our destruction. If they cannot induce us to disown our faith and allegiance to Christ, they attempt to divert us from doing the will of God by distracting us with good things that weigh us down and make us indifferent towards the thing of God. God gives us the help of his angelic hosts and he gives us spiritual weapons, the shield of faith and the breastplate of righteousness (cf. Eph 6:1-11), to resist the devil and his lies. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we, too, join with angelic choirs in singing the praises of God. Do you thank the Lord for his daily guidance and protection?
“Lord, you are our refuge and strength. May we always know your guiding hand and the help of your angels in protecting us from all that is evil. Give me strength to refuse what is evil and to choose what is good.”
Reflection 9 – His angels will guard you in all your ways
When we contemplate the beauty of God’s creation and our place in it, we should not forget the beauty and role of the angels. Today we celebrate the memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels. We praise God and thank him for assigning an angel to each one of us.
In the Catechism, we read: “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by the watchful care and intercession of the angels. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life” (CCC, 336).
Our first reading tells us about an angel sent not just to protect and guide an individual, but rather sent to guide the entire people of Israel. Different angels are given different missions by God. The angels belonging to the highest choirs worship God before his throne and minister to him, while angels from the other choirs are sent out to assist us and the world according to God’s providential plan for all creatures and according his plan of salvation for man.
What the Book of Exodus says about the Angel who guided Israel applies as well to our guardian angels. Our angel goes before us and knows the way that leads to life, the path that leads to the spiritual place that God has prepared for each one of us. We are called to listen to his voice and heed it. When we disobey and rebel, we are refusing and rebelling against God’s will.
Our Guardian Angel has been granted authority and power. At the same time, no angel, good or evil, can force us to do something against our will. Good angels present good things to our minds, evil angels present evil disguised as good. Today’s psalm recalls that God has given knowledge to each good angel about us. With this knowledge they can guard us in all of our ways. They can direct us into the way of salvation and peace. But in the end, we are the ones who choose good or evil, we are the ones who choose either to act as free children of God or to abuse our freedom by choosing evil. When we listen to our guardian angel we are assured of God’s protection from our enemies and foes.
Our knowledge of the angels is very imperfect. Here on earth, we can only distinguish them in a general way. In heaven, we will know them distinctly. We will see their relation to God and how they have acted to bring about God’s loving plan. Based on Scripture, Sacred Tradition and Sacred Theology distinguish nine choirs of angels. These nine choirs, organized in three sets of three, are a reflection of the Trinity: the first three choirs are closest to God and contemplate him and the goal of his creation; the next three choirs consider what is to be done to reach this goal; the last three choirs apply this knowledge to God’s effects.
Of those angels who apply this knowledge in a practical way, the Principalities are said to hold the highest place. Their role is compared that of generals and officers in battle. Our guardian angels belong to the lowest choir, because they are the ones who carry out what is to be done.
Our veneration of the Holy Guardian Angels today fills us with gratitude, for we have a heavenly protector who enlightens us, defends us, guides us, and intercedes for us. The contemplation of God’s creation, both visible and invisible, fills us with wonder and awe – for there are things we will see in heaven which surpass our imagination and are more beautiful than anything here on earth. Lastly, we are filled with hope, for we know that the history of the world is in God’s hands and that the heavenly hosts of heaven work tirelessly to accomplish God’s merciful and loving plan. – Read the source: http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/daily-homily-his-angels-guard-you-in-all-your-ways
Please follow Romeo Hontiveros at Twitter click this link: https://twitter.com/Trumpeta
Reflection 10 – Feast of the Guardian Angels
Perhaps no aspect of Catholic piety is as comforting to parents as the belief that an angel protects their little ones from dangers real and imagined. Yet guardian angels are not only for children. Their role is to represent individuals before God, to watch over them always, to aid their prayer and to present their souls to God at death.
The concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a development of Catholic doctrine and piety based on Scripture but not directly drawn from it. Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:10 best support the belief: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”
Devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition. St. Benedict gave it impetus and Bernard of Clairvaux, the great 12th-century reformer, was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.
A feast in honor of the guardian angels was first observed in the 16th century. In 1615, Pope Paul V added it to the Roman calendar.
Comment:
Devotion to the angels is, at base, an expression of faith in God’s enduring love and providential care extended to each person day in and day out until life’s end.
Quote:
“May the angels lead you into paradise;
may the martyrs come to welcome you
and take you to the holy city,
the new and eternal Jerusalem.” (Rite for Christian Burial)
Read the source: http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1156
SAINT OF THE DAY
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God’s invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint. Click here to receive Saint of the Day in your email.
Related Articles/ Videos click below:
18 Questions on Angels answered by the Church
9 Choir Hierarchy of the Angels in Scripture and Tradition
Celebrating the Archangels: 7 Things to know and share
Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Rafael, the Archangels Feast Day September 29
Holy Guardian Angels Memorial October 2
Your Guardian Angel Audio Podcast by Dr. Taylor Marshall
Video presentation on Angel by Archbishop Fulton Sheen
Video presentation on Guardian Angels by Jimmy Akin
Readings & Reflections: Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels, September 29,2016 http://www.pagadiandiocese.org/2016/09/28/readings-reflections-feast-of-saints-michael-gabriel-and-raphael-archangels-september-292016/
THE VORTEX: ST. MICHAEL, DEFEND US – Time to bring back St. Michael http://www.pagadiandiocese.org/2016/09/29/the-vortex-st-michael-defend-us-time-to-bring-back-st-michael/
St Michael vs. Lucifer: Why St Michael Won! Catholic Video Lesson http://www.pagadiandiocese.org/2016/09/30/st-michael-vs-lucifer-why-st-michael-won-catholic-video-lesson/
The Angels are purely spiritual creatures, incorporeal, invisible, immortal, and personal beings endowed with intelligence and will. They ceaselessly contemplate God face-to-face and they glorify him. They serve him and are his messengers in the accomplishment of his saving mission to all (CCC:328-333;350-351). The Church joins with the angels in adoring God, invokes their assistance and commemorates some in her liturgy. “Beside each believer stands an angel as a protector and shepherd leading him to life” (St. Basil the Great; CCC: 334-336; 352).
Sacred Scripture says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The Church in her profession of faith proclaims that God is the Creator of everything, visible and invisible, of all spiritual and corporeal beings, that is, of angels and of the visible world and, in a special way, of man (CCC: 325-327).
 |
|
| FOUNDED | 1979 |
|---|---|
| FOUNDER | Curtis Sliwa |
| FOCUS | Public Safety |
| LOCATION |
|
|
AREA SERVED
|
Global |
| WEBSITE | www.guardianangels.org |
The Guardian Angels is a non-profit international volunteer organization of unarmed crime-prevention patrollers. The Guardian Angels organization was founded February 13, 1979, in New York Cityby Curtis Sliwa and has more than 130 chapters around the world.[1]
Sliwa originally created the organization to combat widespread violence and crime on the New York City Subway system. The organization originally trained members to make citizen’s arrests for violent crimes. The organization patrols the streets and neighborhoods but also provides education programs and workshops for schools and businesses.
Contents
[hide]
History[edit]
In the beginning, New York City Mayor Ed Koch publicly opposed the group. Many government officials also opposed the group whenever they attempted to open a chapter in their cities, including Toronto Mayor David Miller and Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair.[citation needed] Over the years, the controversy has died down in many cities; and as citizen involvement and outreach has increased, there has been less public opposition to the group by administration officials. Ed Koch later reversed his stance on the organization,[2] and former New York City Mayors Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg have publicly supported the group.
In 1992, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa issued a public apology for staging several subway rescues in the 1980s in order to get publicity for the group.[3] Since the statute of limitations on filing false police reports had expired, no charges were brought against him or the organization. Sliwa also admitted that the New York City Chapter primarily patrolled the Restaurant Row section of midtown Manhattan, except for occasional well-publicized patrols in other neighborhoods and subway patrols to recruit new members.
Rules and activities[edit]
The original and main Guardian Angels activity is “Safety Patrol” in which members walk the streets or ride transit. Guardian Angels must be in uniform to represent the organization. They can be identified by their red berets and red jackets or white T-shirts with the red Guardian Angels logo of an eye inside a pyramid on a winged shield.
Chapters operate similar to franchise networks supporting one another regionally under standard rules, regulations, and training. The Guardian Angels states that it is an equal opportunity organization that encourages diversity.
The organization accepts volunteers who do not have a recent or serious criminal record and are not members of a gang or racial-hate group. In order to join the Safety Patrol program, members must be at least 16 years old; youth programs for younger applicants are offered. Safety Patrol members are prohibited from carrying weapons and are physically searched before patrolling. They are trained in first aid and CPR, law, conflict resolution, communication, and basic martial arts. Members are paired up and follow the directions of a Patrol Leader. If their own or other citizens’ lives or health are endangered, they are allowed to do whatever is lawful and necessary.
The Guardian Angels have also begun to include youth programs, teacher programs, disaster response, an Internet safety program called the CyberAngels, and self-defense courses, as well as community outreach addressing issues beyond crime.
CyberAngels[edit]
CyberAngels was founded in 1995 by Gabriel Hatcher as an online “neighborhood watch.” Originally the group monitored chat rooms directly with the intent of apprehending sexual predators. Later the group took what it had learned and changed its focus to educating police, schools, and families about on-line abuse and cyber crime. In 1998, CyberAngels received a Presidential Service Award. MacSupport.com founder Tony Ricciardi was an early member of the group.
Training[edit]
In 2009, at the Angels’ 30th-anniversary celebration held in New York City, and then again in 2010 at the World Conference held in San Francisco, founder Curtis Sliwa announced the plan to develop Internet-based training for the organization.
The plan as announced was first to solidify the standards for the organization so that members from around the world could easily interact and patrol effectively together without much re-training. The other goal for the training included an effort towards reducing the liability potential for members and for the organization during their physical interventions of crime deterrence.
In 1992, a New York Times article discussed the lack of training faced by recruits and members of the organization.[4]
At the 2011 International Conference held in Chicago Illinois USA, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa signed into effect the Official Guardian Angels’ primary defensive tactics system. The program was also endorsed by National Director Miguel “3rdRail” Fuentes and International Director, Keiji “Duke” Oda. The Defensive Tactics program is a modular program which was designed to instruct safety patrol members in a variety of domains including self-defense techniques, ground survival, weapons survival, and arrest and control tactics. The program was designed by Defensive Tactics Instructor and Chicago safety patrol member Fernan Vargas with input from Miguel Fuentes. The program, designed by a certified law enforcement defensive tactics instructor, offers appropriate use of force training to safety-patrol members based on a law enforcement model. Safety-patrol members are taught how to properly place their defensive tactics onto the use of force continuum to ensure appropriate action and minimize liability. A website was launched to support the program.[5] Travel to spread the training organization wide is one of the goals of the founder. Modules of the Guardian Angels Defensive Tactics Program have been taught to chapter members from Illinois, Indiana, Washington DC, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Washington, Virginia, and other states.
Chapters[edit]
Guardian Angels in Miami
Outside of New York City, the Guardian Angels first established chapters in Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, London, Toronto, Dallas, Tokyo, Houston, Cape Town,Auckland, Savannah, Las Vegas, Reno, Seattle, and York. Subsequently, the organization established chapters in smaller cities, such as the cities of Springfieldand Brockton, Massachusetts; Sacramento and Stockton, California; and Portland, Maine. In May 2011, a chapter was organized in Indianapolis. The Los Angeles, York, and Sacramento Chapters worked with official law enforcement officers and agencies.
Los Angeles Chapter[edit]
The organization’s first West Coast chapter was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, California. It grew quickly, reaching its peak in membership in the mid-1980s with six sub-chapters and over 250 members. However, membership dropped in the 1990s and by 2000 there was only one Venice Beach sub-chapter remaining in the city.
There were a few attempts to restart the Los Angeles Chapter in 2003 and 2004 with eventual success in 2006. Alex Makarczyk, who previously served in the Los Angeles Chapter in the mid-1980s, worked to restore the chapter after James Richards, a fellow Guardian Angel was shot to death outside his home on October 18, 2000. He was not on patrol when he was gunned down in the early morning hours, but he was assisting local law enforcement with information about drug-related crime in his neighborhood.
Sacramento Chapter[edit]
The Sacramento chapter of the Guardian Angels was the third chapter formed in California, following the Los Angeles and San Francisco chapters. At its height, the Chapter consisted of over 50 people ranging in age from 16 to 50 years old. There, the police worked closely with the local chapter and supplied a phone number and a liaison officer for them to use within their People Oriented Police (P.O.P.) division. The chapter headquarters was a rent-free half of a commercial medical duplex for several years. The Sacramento Chapter also featured a bike patrol to help provide additional eyes and ears along the American River Parkway. Using CB radios, patrols could call back to the headquarters and have the freedom not to depend upon public pay telephones to call the Sacramento Police.[citation needed]
Patrols ranged from 20 to as few as two Angels, though a minimum of three people was the standard. Members were assigned positions and specific locations in a patrol: the Patrol Leader was at the front; Communications was beside or behind; and Runners came next and would usually be the majority of the patrol, along with the second, who was in charge of keeping the patrol organized at the rear. Angels unable to go on patrols typically monitored the CB radio at the headquarters. Thus, a chapter could enlist volunteers who were legally considered handicapped. When a situation required immediate physical action on a patrol, the Patrol Leader would send the Runners under the direction of the second and either send the Communications person (with another Angel) to find a phone and call police, or to radio the situation to Chapter Headquarters to call a P.O.P. officer. When on bicycles, the second and a Runner would leave bikes with the Patrol Leader. Long-distance communications between the parts of a patrol were achieved by specific patterns of blown whistles, which every member was required to have along with a working pen, pad of paper, and flashlight.
The Sacramento chapter went freely throughout the entire city and surrounding areas, ranging from North Highlands to the then (1980s) gang-infested Oak Park neighborhood, then further south into the Meadowview and Pocket Areas. Walking sometimes 10 miles during the course of a four-hour patrol, Angels even crossed the Sacramento River into neighboring Yolo County to patrol what were then the communities of Bend and Brite, now incorporated into West Sacramento. The Oak Park patrols went through what was Crips territory, a gang originating in Los Angeles. The Crips were identified by blue rags hanging from their pockets; their rival gang, theBloods, did the same thing but used red rags. Since the uniform of the Guardian Angels is a red and white T-shirt, the Crips at the time considered them enemies while the Bloods saw them as weak fakes of their own gang.
On occasion, the Sacramento Chapter patrols used cars to reach areas that were too far to walk, and several times the Sacramento Chapter was called into service in other cities, helping launch the chapter in Stockton CA. Both helped with special events in San Francisco, such as the Halloween-time Erotic Exotic Ball. They traveled as far away as Los Angeles, where with the local chapter they officially assisted the police with crowd control during the Rose Bowl Parade.
The Guardian Angels were mostly greeted favorably in the city, and sought out by the media to comment on crime and local issues. Press conferences were held during the tense time before Eric Royce Leonard, dubbed the “Thrill Killer”, was arrested in 1991; and during the controversial Sacramento debut of Colors about the Bloods and Crips. Because of the stance of the Guardian Angels in response to Leonard’s murders of three Round Table Pizza employees, the Old Sacramento restaurant offered free dinner for one patrol every Saturday and Sunday night.[citation needed] [6]
Other chapters[edit]
The Tampa Bay region of Florida has always been an active area within the group’s history. There have been 2 chapters serving the Tampa Bay area since the group was originally founded. In 1984 the first Tampa chapter was established but lasted until 1992. A second chapter was established in 1999. The Guardian Angels have been active in Orlando, Florida due to the increase in murder and crime rates.[7] A group in Boston was also formed in 2007; at first, Mayor Tom Menino opposed them, but when the public welcomed the group, he eventually supported it. Residents of nearby Brockton, Massachusetts launched a chapter in March 2008 in response to a rise in street violence, and they were quickly able to build a working relationship with the city’s police chief.
In 2007, they started recruiting in Kansas City, Missouri, and a chapter was started with five Guardian Angels in October 2008. In 2010, they started recruiting inPortland, Oregon. After being told by the National Training Director that they had to make 3 arrests per month, the chapter asked about this new directive and at that time was told they never even had a chapter, despite reports to the contrary; the Kansas City chapter soon disbanded and now patrol their city on their own from vehicles seeking persons of interest and criminal activity.
In 2016, the Washington, DC chapter announced they would increase their presence on the DC Metro System following an increase in violent crime.[8]
Outside the United States[edit]
Japan[edit]
A local organization of the Guardian Angels was formed in Japan in 1996. The Guardian Angels Japan has chapters in most of the major cities and is second only to America in membership and activities. Keiji Oda, the founder and president of the Guardian Angels Japan, joined the Boston and New York City chapters in the 1980s. The Guardian Angels concept faced opposition in Japan, but Oda succeeded in convincing Japanese officials that the organization would be run by Japanese members for the Japanese people[citation needed], and the principles of the organization were not just American but universal. Official acceptance culminated with a meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2005. The Guardian Angels were the first community organization in Japan to ever be awarded non-profit status.[9][10]
Four members of the Japanese Guardian Angels appear in an episode of Insomniac with Dave Attell filmed in Tokyo. Dave interviews them before their attention is diverted to an (apparently) drunk and disorderly individual.
Israel[edit]
A chapter of the Guardian Angels was established in the State of Israel. The Guardian Angels Israel is led by Jill Shames a social activist and martial artist who had migrated there. Guardian Angels Israel has completed a few Safety Patrols but primarily works with at risk youth in the Jewish Ethiopian (Falasha) immigrant population.
United Kingdom[edit]
In London the Guardian Angels have been active since 1989; by 2007 their numbers had dwindled to a group of around 12. In the United Kingdom, the law requires that people use only “reasonable force” as appropriate to the situation, which leads Guardian Angel training to centre on using the minimum possible force, and to only use force to prevent a dangerous situation from escalating. All violent crimes are reported to the police, and intervention leading to citizens’ arrests (legal in Britain) or use of force is only employed in extreme cases.[11]
Their presence in London was controversial in the first decade of existence, with press articles accusing the group of vigilantism or attempting to avoid paying for travel on the London Undergroundwhilst wearing their colours. In 1989, discussion in Parliament raised the possibility of American members of the Guardian Angels being declared persona non grata owing to their presence being “not conducive to the public good”, but this was rejected.[12]
The Manchester Chapter was established around 1991 and ceased operating in ’96. The Chapter was run by Ian ‘Mach One’ McMahon and then Amanda ‘Lynx’ Quinn who dealt with the actual closure of the chapter and its final patrols.
South Africa[edit]
The Guardian Angels South African Chapter was started by Carl Viljoen in 2004 in Cape Town.[13][14] Other chapters are in Kuilsriver, Cape Town, Western Cape andPotchefstroom, North West Province.[15][16]
Canada[edit]
.jpg)
A Toronto, Ontario chapter was originally formed in 1982 and ran until 1984. A smaller chapter ran briefly in the Parkdale area of Toronto in 1992–1993 but disbanded. The 2005 “Boxing Day shooting” resulted in the death of teenager Jane Creba on a busy downtown street, and provoked renewed attention to law-and-order issues in Canada, and Curtis Sliwa stated that he had been contacted by many Torontonians interested in having a local chapter. On July 13, 2006, a new chapter of the Guardian Angels Canada formed in Toronto. However, both mayor David Miller and police chief Bill Blair stated they were not interested in trying what had not worked twice before.[17] When Sliwa arrived with three other Angels, Miller declined to meet with them, stating that police work was best left to the police. Despite the opposition of the Mayor, community groups, and the police chief, the Toronto Chapter moved ahead. 2006 mayoral candidate Jane Pitfield expressed her support for the Guardian Angels as did former television anchor Peter Kent and former professional boxer (and now radio talk show host) Spider Jones. Toronto’s first group of Guardian Angels hit the streets Thursday, July 13 for their inaugural patrol in the city’s downtown core. The group’s official launch in Toronto came just two days after members were forced to move their graduation ceremony from a seniors residence on Dundas Street.
A Vancouver chapter was in operation as of November 2006. There was a chapter there in the early 1980s. Some of the alumni from that group are assisting with the new chapter.
An attempt to organize a chapter in Ottawa failed after the police and city refused to cooperate plus a negative reaction and lack of interest from the majority of its population.
A Calgary chapter was set up, with the first group finishing its training in March 2007.[18]
A Halifax chapter is in operation as of May 2008. Recent outbreaks of violent crime in Halifax had prompted citizens to contact the Guardian Angels, urging them to start a chapter.[19][20]
New Zealand[edit]
In January 2006, the Guardian Angels opened its New Zealand Headquarters in Henderson, a suburb of Waitakere City west of Auckland, New Zealand’s fifth-largest and largest cities respectively (to be amalgamated with others into a “super-city” in 2010). The NZ National Director is Andy “Chieftain” Cawston.
New Zealand’s inaugural Guardian Angels Patrol was held on January 13, 2006. Since then, Guardian Angels have also been active in South Auckland; however the activities of that Chapter have been temporarily halted for logistical purposes.
On August 30, 2007 Curtis Sliwa graduated the Auckland CBDChapter, led by Anna “Kimodo” Cruse. This Chapter’s first official Patrol was on the following evening.[citation needed]
Members of the Wellington Chapter held their inaugural training and orientation Patrol on October 6, 2006 in the Auckland CBD.
Within New Zealand, The International Alliance of Guardian Angels is recognized and registered as a Charitable Trust for tax purposes. Their headquarters is the Henderson Returned Services Association Inc. offices on Railside Avenue, Henderson, NZ.
The Philippines[edit]
Cybertanod, Role Model Cop, and the Barangay PeaceKeeping Action Team (BPAT) program of The Philippine National Police are some of the contributions of The Guardian Angels Philippines Chapter in Police organization. Joint police programs of the Guardian Angels resulted in national awards for officers and local police stations where the Guardian Angels works. The chapter covered Southern Mindanao and recently expanded into Northern Luzon. Today, the Philippines Chapter aims to spread the program in the South East Asia region and is currently developing an independent Citizen Police Organization concept for the region. The local chapter presently gathers support to host the 1st Joint Police and Guardian Angels Annual International Citizen Safety Patrol as its beyond border initiatives on Guardian Angels violence prevention — Global Public Safety awareness campaign. The effort in South East Asia is under the watch of Mike Zarate as National Director for Philippines.
Mexico[edit]
In 2007, a chapter formed in Mexico City led by the Canadian professional wrestler Vampiro.[21]
Australia[edit]
A Guardian Angels chapter actively patrolled in Sydney in the early nineties, but disbanded after a short time.
A chapter was formed in Canberra, the capital city of Australia, in 2008, but has yet to begin patrolling. Some school and internet-safety programs have been conducted.
Italy[edit]
Seven chapters are currently present in Italy, from east to west and north to south: Milan, Brescia, Padova, Bologna, Sassari, Olbia and Cagliari. Operations will be starting soon in Udine and Avezzano. The Italian Guardian Angels share the common trait of the organization in serving their communities, but a great deal of their work is focussed on helping the homeless and elders in need, in providing first aid to people in distress. Future developments involve youth programs. ………………………
In popular culture[edit]
The 1981 CBS made-for-TV movie We’re Fighting Back, featuring Bronx-born Ellen Barkin, was based on the Guardian Angels.
The 1982 Tom Skerrit movie Fighting Back shows newsreel footage of them on one of their patrols.
The 1982 song “Red Angel Dragnet” by The Clash was inspired by the murder of Frank Melvin,[22][23] and praises the Guardian Angels for their work.
“Footsteps”, a short comics story written by British writer Alan Moore and drawn by Joe Orlando for Secret Origins #10, uses a schism in the Guardian Angels (identified in the story as “Subway Angels”) as a modern-day metaphor for the War in Heaven. One of the story’s protagonists is a young Angel reluctant to side with either the Angels’ leadership or the subway “survivalists” looking to subvert the leadership, and is as a result spurned and beaten by both groups. He is subsequently comforted by the Phantom Stranger, whom Moore identifies as a literal angel that neglected to take sides during the “real” War in Heaven.
In season 3 of 21 Jump Street, a group of young vigilantes called the “Street Rangers”, try to clean the streets of crime in a tough neighborhood. In that episode, their goal is to bring down an untouchable drug dealer, without knowing about the young undercover cops trying to convict him first. The logo on the uniforms that the Rangers wear is inspired by the Guardian Angels’ – instead of wearing red, they wear black.
Professional wrestler Ray Traylor wrestled under the moniker “The Guardian Angel” in WCW from 1993 to 1995 after his character “The Boss” was deemed too similar to his WWF character “The Big Bossman”, whom Traylor also portrayed. Traylor wore the trademark red jacket and beret of the organization, as well as their T-shirts when competing. Traylor, a former corrections officer, actually went through Guardian Angel training and was inducted into the Angels as part of the gimmick.
The Guardian Angels are featured in a FirstRun.tv Network (www.FirstRun.tv) [24] reality TV series called Angels in Action. In the first episode, Curtis Sliwa opens the series, and it follows the Philadelphia Guardian Angels spread information about a neighborhood rapist and make a drug bust. Later on, it follows the Guardian Angels in Atlantic City as they investigate a massage parlor they believe is a front for illegal prostitution, and actually find a way to get inside.[25]
“The Guardian Angel Is Watching Over Us”, a tribute to the Guardian Angels, is a soul-funk-disco song recorded in New York in 1979 by the Golden Flamingo Orchestra featuring Margo Williams.[26]
In an episode of Grounded For Life, Eddie tries to defend himself as having been a Guardian Angel, but it’s soon revealed that he had simply stolen a red beret in an attempt to impress women.
In the season 3 episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, “Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City”, Mac and Dee become vigilantes to fight against the homeless who masturbate in the streets, adopting a uniform with a red beret inspired by the Guardian Angels.
In season 2, episode 10 of In Living Color, Jim Carrey plays a pathetic character who calls himself a Cherub of Justice, a reference to the Guardian Angels.
In season 7, episode 13 of The Office, Dwight runs an organization called “Knights of the Night” which is essentially the same thing as the Guardian Angels (Dwight initially describes it as “nothing like the Guardian Angels,” except, when he elaborates, says, “in broad strokes, think the Guardian Angels”).
In an episode of the 1982-1983 game show Child’s Play, a boy given the task of describing the term “Guardian angel” actually described members of this organization.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- Jump up^ “About the Angels”. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
- Jump up^ “Guardian Angel’s Growing Pains”. Time. January 18, 1982.
- Jump up^ Gonzalez, David (November 25, 1992). Sliwa Admits Faking Crimes For Publicity. New York Times. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
- Jump up^ Gonzalez, David (November 29, 1992). “Guardian Angels Training Inadequite, Critics Say”. The New York Times. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
- Jump up^ GuardianAngelsTraining.org
- Jump up^ “05/17/2008: Volunteers Warning Residents About Serial Stabber — CBS13 TV, 03/26/2007: Curtis Sliwa Launches Bicycle Patrol — Sacramento Bee Newspaper, 10/21/2005: Anti-crime walk for Del Paso Boulevard — Sacramento Bee Newspaper, 10/20/2005: Red Angel dragnet — SN&R News Review Magazine”.sacramento.guardianangels.org.
- Jump up^ Smalley, Suzanne (March 31, 2007). “Guardian Angels launch city patrol, expand across US”. Boston Globe. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
- Jump up^ Hedgpeth, Dana (January 8, 2016). “DC Guardian Angels group says it will patrol Metro more this weekend after attacks”. Washington Post.
- Jump up^ Japan Today article about the Angels
- Jump up^ Angels running an anonymous tip line in Japan
- Jump up^ Fallen Angels
- Jump up^ Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs
- Jump up^ Guardian Angels South Africa | Dare to Care
- Jump up^ Guardian Angels – South Africa
- Jump up^ Guardian Angels Potchefstroom
- Jump up^ Guardian Angels Chapter List
- Jump up^ ‘Guardian Angels get bumpy ride in Toronto’, CBC News, January 14, 2006
- Jump up^ “Angels test their wings”. Calgary Herald. March 25, 2007. p. B3. Retrieved2007-03-25.
- Jump up^ “Guardian Angels visiting Halifax”. The Daily News. September 11, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
- Jump up^ Nova Scotia News – TheChronicleHerald.ca
- Jump up^ Schapiro, Rich (December 5, 2007). “Former wrestler ‘Vampiro’ to take bite out of Mexico City crime”. Daily News. New York.
- Jump up^ Gray, Marcus (2005) [1995]. The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town (5th revised ed.). London: Helter Skelter. p. 380. ISBN 1-905139-10-1.OCLC 60668626.
- Jump up^ Monday, Jan. 18, 1982 (1982-01-18). “Time Magazine article 18 January 1982Guardian Angels’ Growing Pains“. Time.com. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- Jump up^ FirstRun.tv Network website
- Jump up^ Angels in Action website