Fall Feast Days and Catholic Celebrations
Saints Michael, Gabriel, Francis of Assisi and The Guardian Angels
Sep 29, 2009
The Catholic Church celebrates many Feast Days during the year and some are clustered together at the beginning of autumn. Saints Michael and Gabriel share a feast day on September 29, followed by The Feast of The Guardian Angels on October 2 and the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4.
St. Gabriel is God’s messenger and appeared to Mary who agreed to become the mother of Jesus. Gabriel also has appeared to Daniel in the Old Testament, as well as to Zechariah announcing the coming of his son, Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist. John’s mission was to prepare the people of Israel for the coming of Jesus, specifically, his ministry of communicating God’s love. St. Gabriel is the patron saint of communications workers.
St. Michael is always depicted in armor with a sword. Michael led the battle fought in heaven against the fallen archangel, Lucifer, or Satan, and his followers, according to scripture.
The name "Michael" means “Who is like to God?” and was the war cry of the good angels as they subdued the powers of evil. St. Michael has been honored as patron and protector of the Church since the time of the Apostles. Always called “the Archangel” throughout history, many see him above all the other angels as “Prince of the Seraphim,” a special class of heavenly attendants at God’s court. St. Michael is the patron saint over grocers, mariners, paratroopers, police and sickness.
The Feast of the Guardian Angels
The date of October 2 is The Feast of the Guardian Angels. That an angel is assigned to each person, child and adult, is a Catholic teaching based on Scripture. Jesus speaks of them in Matthew 18:10 to the Apostles, who try to shoo children away from him. The passage reads, “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 turn, the Catholic Church teaches, “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd," according to Catechism 336.
Belief in angels is an expression of faith in God’s deep love and commitment to His children and His desire to care for each of them until the time comes to go to Him. St. Therese of Lisieux wrote, "O Guardian Angel, cover me with your wings / O Friend, illumine my path / direct my footsteps / and be my protection – just for today."
The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology falls on October 4. Francis surprised and inspired the Church by following all that Jesus said and did with deep humility. Francis was a wild young man who suffered a serious illness causing him to realize the emptiness and lack of purpose in his life. His example drew many companions, though he had no desire to found an order and on his deathbed he is said to have asked those with him, “Don’t let them make me a saint.”
On the Feast Day of St. Francis, parishioners bring their animals to church for a special ceremony in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for God’s creatures. This is called the “Blessing of Pets.”
Francis is known for writing of God’s living things, a Canticle of the Creatures, that says, “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.”
Respect Life Sunday – Hope and Trust in Life
The Church is the place where the bond of creation is celebrated and its teaching of the gift of life is so important that believers celebrate it each year on the first Sunday of October. The Catholic Church celebrates Respect Life Sunday with the theme, “Hope and Trust in Life!”
Catholics believe that each being is created in the image of God, based on Scripture from the book of Genesis and that all human life is sacred. This belief is the foundation of a moral vision of society, upon which all Catholic social teaching rests.
As Catholics, believers feel that they are responsible for respecting and protecting all human life at every stage of existence. The Catholic Church opposes the death penalty in almost all cases and is anti-war unless considered a “just war,” where specifications are met which justify defense. Respecting life is part of the Catholic Church's teaching on social justice. Respect Life Sunday relates closely to the Feast Day of St. Francis and the Guardian Angels as they all relate to life; human and animal as well as the life of our planet.
 |
