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LLR4
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Oh my goodness! I am grateful for the responses here. I have read through the thread quickly. but want to read it more attentively as soon as I can, as well as visit all of the links. I had no idea there was varying notions about this topic.
My children have not yet thought much about guardian angels. It was yesterdays Feast Day that we really talked about such a thing for the first time, more in depth. We did not even discuss naming them, really. They asked me what the name of theirs was, after they learned they had one, from this (below..having a hard time linking)that I read to them, that prompted all of my own questions.
Thanks for all of your input. I can't wait to really get into this thread and see we can all learn from it. http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/kids/saints/1002_guardi anangels.asp
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Blessed: Mama to dd{A}13 y.o., and 7 y.o. triplets ds{J}, dd{O}, ds{S} and wife to Michael
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Michaela
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Thank you, Laura, for bringing this up!
I am sure I've read somewhere to name our Guardian Angels, specifically to pray for the name to be known, but I just never could. My children have even asked about naming their guardian angel or how to find out the name, and it just felt so strange to say "John" is here or something.
Thanks Jenn, Helen, and Elizabeth for taking the time to share the information.
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Michaela
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glinNC
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At the risk of stirring the pot, I must say that I asked our Monsignor after Mass today about this, and he stated that he didn't see anything wrong with naming our guardian angels. The archangels are named (although not by us). He also was not familiar with any document that said that we couldn't.
I have also been talking with devout Catholics who also weren't aware of this. It was stated that we can "ask that our angels names be known," which leads one to believe that they can have a name.
Also, the Faith & Life 5th grade book also states that we can name our guardian angels. F&L is a well respected religious series used by many home schoolers and parish CCD programs alike.
So, although I understand where you are all coming from, I did want to share what I learned today to comfort those of us who have been naming our angels all along. 
Thanks,
glinNC
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Jen L.
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I had also been told that I could name my guardian angel, but I never "felt it" so I didn't. I'm glad to hear the reasoning behind this and read a Vatican document that addresses it. Faith and Life is a great religious series (written/supervised by my husband's childhold next door neighbor!) but I believe it was published before The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy came out. Of course it's not "evil", but I love being guided down the best path. (I need ALL the help I can get )
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MaryM
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I have found this thread to be very informative for me personally. Like Jen, I appreciate that the discussion has brought to my attention this Vatican document on popular piety - Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy. I have not yet had a chance to read much but the highlighted portions, but am anxious to read it in its entirety. It seems there is much food for thought there for refining our personal devotions and making sure they point us back to the liturgy.
Undoubtedly there are many good and holy individuals who ascribe to this practice of piety and may not be aware of this document. There may also be some who are aware but have discerned and are still practicing this. I think we always need to prayerfully discern and seek counsel, while using resources given to us by the Church to guide us.
I did find it interesting that a primary organization which seemed to have promoted this practice for quite some time, did change their recommendations when they were made aware of it.
And again I would say that this is not about a sinful or heretical practice. It doesn’t say it is forbidden – rather that it should be discouraged. The reasoning given in the other links makes sense. And as I said it makes me anxious to read the rest of the document - I think there is much food for thought there.
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CatholicMommy
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I know I've had this conversation before with others who were definitley more "in the know" than myself... I admit I don't remember much (I was very pregnant at the time and gave birth 2 days later, actually! Those days are a blur).
What I did take away from the conversation was that there is a difference between *naming* one's guardian angel (similar to naming your child or a pet or something that has been placed in your care) and in one way or another learning your guardian angel's name (whether asking, or it being revealed in some manner). I think this has been alluded to above, but thought I'd share the explicit thought.
I think there are saints and others who have had their guardian angels' names revealed to them - and at least one saint who actually saw her guardian angel. Can I remember any of those saints' name now? Nope.
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JennGM
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CatholicMommy wrote:
What I did take away from the conversation was that there is a difference between *naming* one's guardian angel (similar to naming your child or a pet or something that has been placed in your care) and in one way or another learning your guardian angel's name (whether asking, or it being revealed in some manner). I think this has been alluded to above, but thought I'd share the explicit thought.
I think there are saints and others who have had their guardian angels' names revealed to them - and at least one saint who actually saw her guardian angel. Can I remember any of those saints' name now? Nope. |
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I've heard and read this argument before. That was the way I originally heard it encouraged to me, to "let" my angel reveal me his name.
But when I reread this sentence: "The practice of assigning names to the Holy Angels should be discouraged, except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael and Michael whose names are contained in Holy Scripture" it makes me wonder how can I be sure what I *think* has been "revealed" to me isn't just a suggestion of my mind?
And either way you look at it, in the end, it's still *assigning* a name to an angel, a name used outside of the Holy Scripture.
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missionfamily
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I don't have much insight to add to the conversation over the practice of naming angels...I was in circles as a youth when it was encouraged and then later heard that it was not, so just moved forward in what the Church guidance asked of me....however, I do like the idea of encouraging a personal devotion to one's guardian angel, and since the Guardian Angel Prayer addresses the angel as "my guardian dear", that's what I've always encouraged the kids to call theirs when they pray...it seems personal and intimate, yet appropriate.
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JodieLyn
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Understand that this is not to argue *for* naming an Angel.. but the assumption is usually that you name an "inferior" (someone who is under you) a child, a pet, etc.
But there are instances of the younger naming an elder.. the baby that is just big enough to say an approximation of a sibilings name or something like "sissy" or "bubba" and the rest of the family starts calling that person by that name as well. And again with grandparents letting the child come up with their "name". Like I know one person who's grandchild named him "Baba".. it could have been an approximation of grandpa but became the name and is used even when the name "grandpa" could be said.
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Mackfam
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MaryM wrote:
| I have found this thread to be very informative for me personally. |
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Me too! Although I'm standing here printing 200 pages of the Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy...  of course it's out of print in book form. I'm really looking forward to digging into this document, and I'm really grateful for the discussion here ladies! Thank you!
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nissag
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Interesting discussion. From what I've learned so far in the classes we've been taking, assigning a name to someone/thing has traditionally shown ownership or control over that person or thing.
Mary is correct that assigning a name can also set up a situation where you are relying more upon your angel than upon God. But also beware that there are many, many Catholics who rely more upon the saints than upon the Trinity. It is for us to take care that we are interacting with the angels in saints in a responsible way, otherwise it can open the door to the evil one to take advantage.
I believe very firmly that our Guardian Angels can and do reveal their names to us. Whether we ask, or whether their names are revealed at a time of our need to know, makes no difference. It is not surprising to me that our GA might also reveal a name that is familiar to us (i.e. a name that doesn't sound foreign to our ears).
I'll have to read the document carefully to see if what it says jibes with what my current understanding is.
I wouldn't worry too much about it if you've been taught, or practiced, something different. You can always make the change - for yourself and for your children - and start anew. We're a faith of hope, not condemnation.
Blessings,
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amyable
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So are you all saying there's a difference between "naming" your guardian angel and being "revealed" a name by your guardian angel, in tems of Church acceptibility?
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nissag
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There is a difference between assigning a name (i.e. you have chosen the name), and its being revealed to you.
After a re-read of the section of DPPL, the teaching is against *assigning* a name to your guardian angel. Our Church understands and recognizes revelations (sec. 90 of the same document), both public and private, in the form of visions, etc. Private revelations are difficult for the Church to officially recognize (validate) for practical reasons - there are many, and their nature is private.
When the private revelation leads us to a deeper love and understanding of the Gospel message, it can be considered to be a valid one. If, on the other hand, this revelation leads one away from the fullness of Christian life (liturgy, prayer, etc.), we can surmise that the revelation is not validly generated by God's will.
If in assigning a name to one's angel, all energy, all devotion, is spent on that angel to the exclusion of God, and the fullness of the Faith, there is grave danger. Naming an angel out of convenience isn't perhaps as grave, but isn't being true to the reality of that angel. I think the church would agree that there is nothing wrong in asking God to reveal the name of your angel to you. If you get a name, discern carefully whether it was God that revealed it to you, or your own will that generated the name.
All this to say that yes, angels can have names. They can be revealed to us, but we must take care not to assign them names. We know the names of the Archangels for certain because God caused their names to be revealed through Holy Scripture.
Phew. I'm pooped. I wish I could have been more concise... I'm not at all sure I've made any sense - my brains are liquefied after our New Testament class last night.
Hard work this being a Catholic...
Blessings,
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Helen
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amyable wrote:
| So are you all saying there's a difference between "naming" your guardian angel and being "revealed" a name by your guardian angel, in tems of Church acceptibility? |
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Father Hardon has a wonderful series on the angels. IN the series, he strongly warns against speaking directly to evil angels. I wonder if this concern is addressed in the Vatican document which cautions against naming your angel. How can we be certain that it is our Guardian Angel who is revealing? I think trusting in the wisdom of the Church over our personal devotions is a wise decision.
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MaryM
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Helen has a good point. The link that was posted earlier in the thread to Fr. Z.'s blog is addressing the good angels vs. devil/evil angels. I suggest reading that for anyone who hasn't.
And I personally would struggle with "knowing" how I would "know" with certainty that it had been revealed to me. I guess I equate the term "assign" not as naming particulalry but as calling by name which is much more broad.
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Helen wrote:
| Father Hardon has a wonderful series on the angels. IN the series, he strongly warns against speaking directly to evil angels. I wonder if this concern is addressed in the Vatican document which cautions against naming your angel. How can we be certain that it is our Guardian Angel who is revealing? I think trusting in the wisdom of the Church over our personal devotions is a wise decision. |
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This is such a good point. I know that this is not the same thing, but it reminds me of when my college roommate became a Wiccan and was visiting all of these websites that told her how to get in touch with her personal "spirit guide". One of the first things that the guide would do was to reveal its name. I am sure that evil spirits are more than happy to play the role of spirit guide, and would also be more than happy for us to call upon their name rather than our guardian angels'.
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JennGM
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amyable wrote:
| So are you all saying there's a difference between "naming" your guardian angel and being "revealed" a name by your guardian angel, in tems of Church acceptibility? |
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I don't see a difference at all. My thinking tends along the lines of MaryM, that I see "naming" in the broad sense. Whether or not I think it's revealed to me or not, it's still assigning a specific name to an angel outside of what has been revealed in Church tradition. I don't see the point of arguing semantics or word parsing over the terms "naming" or "assigning" names.
If there is a difference, it's in terms of personal beliefs, not what the Church advocates or teaches.
Helen wrote:
| Father Hardon has a wonderful series on the angels. IN the series, he strongly warns against speaking directly to evil angels. I wonder if this concern is addressed in the Vatican document which cautions against naming your angel. How can we be certain that it is our Guardian Angel who is revealing? I think trusting in the wisdom of the Church over our personal devotions is a wise decision. |
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Did you mean this angelogy at The Real Presence? Thanks for the recommendation.
organiclilac wrote:
| This is such a good point. I know that this is not the same thing, but it reminds me of when my college roommate became a Wiccan and was visiting all of these websites that told her how to get in touch with her personal "spirit guide". One of the first things that the guide would do was to reveal its name. I am sure that evil spirits are more than happy to play the role of spirit guide, and would also be more than happy for us to call upon their name rather than our guardian angels'. |
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Scary stuff! I've heard similar things from other sources!  Discernment of spirits is a very serious matter. Seems like going through serious discerning would distract you from the matter at hand, to get closer to Christ through your angel. I'll just stick to what's recommended by the Church. 
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Michaela
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JennGM wrote:
Discernment of spirits is a very serious matter. |
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No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14
(OK, that came from the other thread, but it's the first thing that popped into my mind)
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Michaela
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I just saw this new site review at Catholic Culture for a site on The Holy Angels by Father Raphael V O’Connell, SJ.
I thought his section on Angels Names fits right into our discussion.
ETA: In particular this quote:
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| But alas, it has not seemed good to the Lord of all things to reveal to us more than three names among all those which are borne by the countless myriads of the angelic host. To greet each angel by his anme, and to enjoy that familiarity with the blessed spirits which this implies, is a happiness reserved for us in our heavenly home. |
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Naming Guardian Angels?
