O Holy Angel,
God by His goodness and His tender care, has charged you to be my Guardian.
Assist me in my needs,
comfort me in my afflictions,
support me when I am discouraged
and obtain for me the favour of:
(Mention your request…)
But may God’s will be done.
O Holy Angel,
I return my profound thanks and I earnestly beseech Thee,
O most amiable protector continue thy charitable care and defend me against the malignant attacks of my enemies. Keep me free from the occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace to listen attentively to thy holy inspirations and help me to faithfully put them into practice. In particular, I implore thee to obtain for me the favour which I ask for in this novena.
(Mention your request)
O Holy Angel, protect me in all my temptations and trials, but more especially protect me at the hour of my death, and do not leave me until you have taken me into the presence of my Creator in the mansions of everlasting happiness. Amen.
… My Guardian Angel, Pray for Me
St Gertrude the great prayer to Guardian Angel.
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.
LITANY OF THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL
Holy Guardian Angel,
Angel, my counselor, inspire me;
Angel, my defender, protect me;
Angel, my faithful friend, intercede for me;
Angel, my consoler, fortify me;
Angel, my brother, defend me;
Angel, my teacher, instruct me;
Angel, witness of all my actions, purify me;
Angel, my helper, support me;
Angel, my intercessor, speak for me;
Angel, my guide, direct me;
Angel, my light, enlighten me;
Angel, whom God has assigned to lead me, govern me.
Lord, have mercy on me.
Christ, have mercy on me.
Lord, have mercy on me.
Christ, hear me. Christ, graciously hear me.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on me.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on me.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on me.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on me.
Holy Mary, pray for me.
Holy Mother of God, pray for me.
Queen of the angels, pray for me.
Archangel Michael, pray for me.
Archangel Gabriel, pray for me.
Archangel Raphael, pray for me.
All holy angels and archangels, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who unceasingly behold the face of the Heavenly Father,
pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who never part from us, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who are devoted to us in Heavenly friendship, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, our faithful admonishers, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who preserve us from many evils of body and soul, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, our mighty defenders against the attacks of the evil enemy,
pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, our support in the time of temptations, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who help us when we stumble and fall, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who comfort us in troubles and sufferings, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who uphold our prayers and carry them before the throne of God,
pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who despite our faults never leave us, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who rejoice over our improvement and advancements in perfection,
pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who watch over us and pray for us even when we rest, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who do not abandon us in our agony of death, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who console the souls in purgatory, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who lead the righteous into Heaven, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, with whom one day we hope to eternally praise and behold God,
pray for me.
Noble princes of Heaven, pray for me.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare me, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear me, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me, O Lord.
Christ, hear me. Christ, graciously hear me.
Lord, have mercy on me.
Christ, have mercy on me.
Lord, have mercy on me.
Recite the Our Father here.
Bless the Lord, all his angels, you mighty ones who do his will.
He has sent his angels before us to guard us on all our ways.
My God, in the presence of the angels, I bless you.
I adore you and praise your holy name.
Lord, hear my prayer.
And let my cry come unto you.
Amen.
SPIRITUAL EXERCISE:
*”… Everyone has a Guardian Angel, but not everyone is graced with a personal relationship with them”. St Gemma Galgani*
“…Sometimes we cannot forgive ourselves because of our failures, troubles or sufferings in life”
This has led many to commit suicide or reject the will of God for them.
Ask your Guardian Angel to help you when you fall and to comfort you in suffering.
Holy Guardian Angels, who help us when we stumble and fall, pray for me.
Holy Guardian Angels, who comfort us in troubles and sufferings, pray for me.
Amen🙏🏼
Prayer to my Guardian Angel.
Angel of God
My guardian dear
To Whom His love
Commits me here
Ever this day
Be at my side
To light and guard
To rule and guide. Amen🙏🏼
St. Gemma Galgani could see her Guardian Angel and developed a strong relationship with him.
Everyone has a Guardian Angel, but not everyone is graced with a personal relationship with them. St. Gemma Galgani was one of those privileged souls who could see her Guardian Angel and talk with him on a regular basis.
In a biography of St. Gemma written by her spiritual director, Ven. Germanus Ruoppolo, he relates a remarkable friendship she had with her Guardian Angel. Ruoppolo explains, “The visible presence of her Angel Guardian, with which Gemma was singularly favored by God, was for her one of the most natural experiences. Her Angel used to talk to her as ordinary mortals talk to their friends.”
Besides ordinary encounters throughout the day, Ruoppolo relates a special routine she had with her Guardian Angel at night and in the morning.
At night, when lying down to rest, she begged of him to sign her on the forehead, and watch by her pillow; and being assured that he would, she immediately turned on the other side to sleep. What a blessed virginal repose, at which the Angels are visibly present! In the morning on awakening, when she saw her faithful Guardian still at his post, she paid little or no attention to him. Her anxiety was to fly to the Church and Holy Communion, of which she had been thinking all the night; for she slept very little: “I have what is so much better in my thoughts,” she used to say to him, “I am going to Jesus,” and left immediately. But if the Angel were taking leave of her she would reply charmingly: “Good-bye, dear Angel; offer my salutations to Jesus.”
Her angel once said to her, “I shall be thy guide and inseparable companion. Do you not know who it is that gave me charge of thee? It is the merciful Jesus.”
This unique friendship St. Gemma had with her Guardian Angel is a perfect reminder of how we should view our own Guardian Angel. God has appointed an Angel to walk with us, protect us and lead us to heaven. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes a Guardian Angel as a “shepherd,” highlighting its role as a personal guide who watches over us and leads us to fresh pastures of repose.
For St. Gemma, this meant her Guardian Angel would encourage her in the practice of virtue as well as reprove her when tempted to vice. She said, “My Angel is a little severe; but I am glad of it. During the past days he brought me to order as often as three or four times a day.”
While we may not notice the activity of our own Guardian Angel as St. Gemma did, our Guardian Angel remains an invisible, but lively presence in our own lives. Only in heaven will we truly understand how much our Guardian Angel helped us and protected us throughout our entire lives.
ST GEMMA’S LIFE
St. Gemma Galgani, also known as the Flower of Lucca, was an Italian mystic often referred to as the “Daughter of Passion,” for her intense replication of the Passion of Christ. She was born on March 12, 1878, in a small Italian town near Lucca.
At a very young age, Gemma developed a love for prayer. She made her First Communion on June 17, 1887. Gemma was loved by her teachers and her fellow students, as a student at a school run by the Sisters of St. Zita. Though quiet and reserved, she always had a smile for everyone. Unfortunately, Gemma had to quit school due to her chronic ill health before completing the course of study.
Throughout her life, Gemma was to be chosen with many mystical experiences and special graces. These were often misunderstood by others, causing ridicule. Gemma suffered heartaches in reparation, remembering that Our Lord Himself had been misunderstood and ridiculed.
Gemma had an immense love for the poor and helped them in any way she could. After her father’s death, the 19-year-old Gemma became the mother-figure for her seven brothers and sisters. When some of her siblings became old enough to share the responsibility, Gemma went to live briefly with a married aunt.
At this time, two young men proposed marriage to her. However, Gemma refused because she wanted silence, retirement, and more than ever, she desired to pray and speak only to God.
Gemma returned home and almost immediately became very ill with meningitis. Throughout this illness, her one regret was the trouble she caused her relatives who took care of her. Feeling herself tempted by the devil, Gemma prayed for help to the Venerable Passionist, Gabriel Possenti. Through his intercession, Gemma was miraculously cured.
Gemma wished to become a nun, but her poor health prevented her from being accepted. She offered this disappointment to God as a sacrifice.
Gemma predicted that the Passionists would establish a monastery at Lucca; this came to pass two years after her death. Today, Gemma’s relics remain at the Passionist monastery in Lucca.
On June 8, 1899, Gemma had an internal warning that some unusual grace was to be granted to her. She felt pain and blood coming from her hands, feet and heart. These were the marks of the stigmata. Each Thursday evening, Gemma would fall into rapture and the marks would appear.
Such marks, called the stigmata in the language of the Catholic Church, refers to the appearance of the wounds of the crucified Jesus Christ appearing on the bodies of some men and women whose lives are so conformed to His that they reflect those wounds of redemptive love for others.
The stigmata remained until Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. When the bleeding would stop, the wounds would close, and only white marks would remain in place of the deep gashes. Gemma’s stigmata would continue to appear until her confessor, Reverend Germanus Ruoppolo, advised her to pray for their disappearance due to her declining health. Through her prayers, the phenomenon ceased, but the white marks remained on her skin until her death.
Through the help of her confessor, Gemma went off to live with another family where she was allowed more freedom for her spiritual life than she was at home. She was frequently found in a state of ecstasy and on one occasion she was believed to have levitated. Her words spoken during her ecstasies, were recorded by her confessor and a relative from her adoptive family.
At the end of her ecstasies, she returned to normal and carried on quietly and serenely. Gemma often saw her guardian angel. She sent her guardian angel on errands, usually to deliver a letter or oral message to her confessor in Rome.
During the apostolic investigations into her life, all witnesses testified that there was no artfulness in Gemma’s manner. Most of her severe penances and sacrifices were hidden from most who knew her.
In January of 1903, Gemma was diagnosed with tuberculosis. At the start of Holy Week in 1903, Gemma began suffering greatly. She died at age 25 on Holy Saturday, April 11.. The Parish Priest in her company said, “She died with a smile which remained upon her lips, so that I could not convince myself that she was really dead.”
St. Gemma Galgani was beatified on May 14, 1933 by Pope Pius XI and canonized on May 2, 1940, only 37 years after her death, by Pope Pius XII. She is the patron saint against temptations, against the death of parents, against tuberculosis, of students and of pharmacists. Her feast day is celebrated on April 11.
