ChurchPOP covered her sobering visions of hell and purgatory. But did you know she also had incredible visions of heaven?

“Today I was in heaven, in spirit,” she wrote in her diary on Nov. 27, 1936, “and I saw its inconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death.”

As with all of her visions, what she saw constitutes “private revelation,” and is thus not binding on the Catholic faithful, as public revelation (Scripture and Tradition) is. Nonetheless, it can aid in building faith.

Here’s what Saint Faustina saw:

“I saw how all creatures give ceaseless praise and glory to God. I saw how great is happiness in God, which spreads to all creatures, making them happy; and then all the glory and praise which springs from this happiness returns to its source; and they enter into the depths of God, contemplating the inner life of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, whom they will never comprehend or fathom.

“This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who said, ‘Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him.'”

She then writes about what God values most:

“And God has given me to understand that there is but one thing that is of infinite value in His eyes, and that is love of God; love, love and once again, love; and nothing can compare with a single act of pure love of God. Oh, with what inconceivable favors God gifts a soul that loves Him sincerely!

“Oh, how happy is the soul who already here on earth enjoys His special favors! And of such are the little and humble souls.”

Saint Faustina also reports that the sight of God in heaven did not bring her fear, but joy:

“The sight of this great majesty of God, which I came to understand more profoundly and which is worshiped by the heavenly spirits according to their degree of grace and the hierarchies into which they are divided, did not cause my soul to be stricken with terror or fear; no, no, not at all!

“My soul was filled with peace and love, and the more I come to know the greatness of God, the more joyful I become that He is as He is. And I rejoice immensely in His greatness and am delighted that I am so little because, since I am little He carries me in His arms and holds me close to His Heart.”

She said the whole experience made her pity those who don’t believe in heaven:

“O my God, how I pity those people who do not believe in eternal life; how I pray for them that a ray of mercy would envelop them too, and that God would clasp them to His fatherly bosom.

“O Love, O queen! Love knows no fear, It passes through all the choirs of angels that stand on guard before his throne. It will fear no one. It reaches God and is immersed in Him as in its sole treasure. The Cherubim who guards paradise with flaming sword, has no power over it. O pure love of God, how great and unequaled you are!

“Oh, if souls only knew your power!” (Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, 777-781)

Pray that more people believe in heaven and love God!

During Mass at The Grotto’s annual Blessing of the Animals on September 20, one husky couldn’t resist joining in when the music began. In a now-viral video filmed by attendee Blanca Gallardo, the pup lets out a series of enthusiastic howls as a priest sings — prompting the priest to walk over and hold a microphone near the furry vocalist.

The moment has become an internet hit, with the Instagram Reel drawing 7.1 million views and 741,000 likes. The husky’s owner and identity were not initially known, though Gallardo said she attended the blessing with her own dog, Phoebe.

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The clip’s comments quickly turned the impromptu duet into a heavenly punchline.

One viewer, @kindsi, wrote: “The priest sang, ‘all creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and let us sing’ and the husky said ‘HaleAWOOOOOyah!’”

Honestly, the dog was just following directions.

The Blessing of the Animals took place at 3:30 p.m. in The Grotto Plaza. The annual event welcomes people and pets of all faiths and celebrates the “joy, beauty, love, fidelity, encouragement and comfort” that animal companions bring into people’s lives.

And if this dog had anything to say about it, that comfort apparently comes with a powerful set of lungs.

Today, on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, it seems only right that one enthusiastic husky reminded everyone at Mass that all creatures are invited to lift up their voices, even if that voice is an awe-inspiring “awoooo.”

October is the month of the Rosary, so it can be a good opportunity to return to this Marian prayer and make a specific place for it in our lives.

The tradition of dedicating this month to the Rosary dates back to 1883, when Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Supremi Apostolatus Officio, asked the faithful to pray it from October 1 through November 2.

At the heart of the month, the Church also celebrates one of the main feasts connected with this devotion: October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

To help you pray this devotion each day, Laura, creator of the Catholic app MiRezo, shares seven ideas that work in her own family.

1. Choose a Time and Place to Pray

The Rosary you plan to pray “whenever I can” is almost never prayed. Set a time for it: after breakfast, when you get home from work, or before going to bed. Try to make it the same time and in the same place every day. After a few days, the place itself will remind you.

2. If You Don’t Have 20 Minutes Straight, Spread It Throughout the Day

A complete Rosary takes about 20 minutes. If you do not have that time today, divide the five decades throughout the day: one when you get up, another in the middle of the morning, another at noon, another in the afternoon, and the last one at night.

It is still the Rosary—and sometimes it can even be prayed with greater attention this way.

3. Know Which Mysteries Belong to Each Day

It helps a lot to know what you will be meditating on before you begin:

• Monday and Saturday: Joyful Mysteries
• Tuesday and Friday: Sorrowful Mysteries
• Wednesday and Sunday: Glorious Mysteries
• Thursday: Luminous Mysteries

St. John Paul II added the Luminous Mysteries in 2002 in his letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae.

Before each decade, take a few seconds to picture the scene: the angel in the home at Nazareth, Jesus in the garden, or the empty tomb.

4. Offer Each Decade for One Specific Person

Before each mystery, think of a specific person: your mother, a sick friend, a child who has drifted from the faith, or someone you find difficult to like.

Praying “for everyone” can become vague. Praying for Anna, Jorge, or your neighbor upstairs helps you stay focused. A good exercise for October is to write down 31 names on a piece of paper—one for each day.

5. Use Waiting Time and Travel Time

The bus, the car, the line at the bank, or the walk to work: there is room for a Rosary there, too.

What helps most is praying along with a voice, because it sets the pace and brings you back to prayer when your mind wanders.

You can find many guided Rosaries on YouTube, including ones for the mysteries assigned to each day. If you prefer to have it on your phone without relying on internet access, there are also apps with audio Rosaries. At home, we use MiRezo, which our family created and which is free.

With beads, with audio, or from memory, the important thing is to pray it.

6. Invite Someone to Pray With You

The Rosary prayed as a family has something special about it. If children struggle to make it through all five decades, begin with one—and let each child lead a Hail Mary.

If you live alone, call your mother or a friend and pray it together over the phone. No one prays more consistently than someone who knows another person is waiting for them.

7. Make October 7 a Special Occasion

The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary comes from a story worth telling at home.

In 1571, before the naval Battle of Lepanto, Pope St. Pius V asked the faithful to pray the Rosary. The Christian fleet won on October 7, and the Pope established a feast in honor of Our Lady of Victory. Soon after, Pope Gregory XIII established it as the feast of the Most Holy Rosary.

That day, place flowers beside an image of Mary, pray the complete Rosary together as a family, and tell your children why we celebrate it.

Don’t Wait for the Perfect Moment

At Fatima in 1917, the Virgin Mary asked the three shepherd children to pray the Rosary every day. On October 13 of that year, she revealed a title for herself: “I am the Lady of the Rosary.”

October is a good time to take her at her word. You do not have to do it perfectly; you simply have to begin on the first day—and return again the next day.

And you? Which of these ideas will you try this month?

For Notre Dame student Carmela Christi, she wasn’t going to let the moment quietly pass. When Carmela asked Dr. John Cavadini for a photo to celebrate his prestigious award, he gave the ultimate masterclass in humility.

“I want you to be honored with me,” the professor said to his class. “Somehow it attaches to you..”

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The heartwarming video shows students proudly pointing to their world-renowned professor—a beautiful reminder of the bond between teacher and student formed in the friendship of Christ.

Bishops and fellow scholars are celebrating his decades of scholarship, teaching, and faithful service to the Church—especially his work on St. Augustine and the Fathers of the Church, as well as his leadership in strengthening Notre Dame’s Catholic identity.

Cavadini will receive the honor from Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Dec. 19.

But Eucharistic adoration offers something increasingly rare: time to stop, put down the phone and simply be with Jesus.

A new movie is bringing the transformative power of Eucharistic adoration to the big screen. “Adore Him: He is Here” uses firsthand accounts of real encounters and transformation and depictions of salvation history to portray the powerful love of God that is found in the Blessed Sacrament.

The docudrama features several prominent Catholic figures including Archbishop Paul Coakley of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Archbishop Jose Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Father Chris Alar of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, Curtis Martin, the founder of FOCUS, evangelist Chris Stefanik, and many more. 

The film will be in theaters across the United States Oct. 4–8. 

Mark Hart is the chief innovation officer at Life Teen International, a Catholic youth ministry that provides resources for youth ministry experiences in middle school through high school. 

In the film, Hart discusses the rise being seen in young people attending adoration and why the youth is in need of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

He spoke to ChurchPop about the importance of Eucharistic adoration and offered some helpful tips for young people.

Here are 10 practical tips Hart offers young Catholics who want to make the most of their time in adoration.

1. Go often — don’t treat adoration as a once-a-week obligation.

Hart compared prayer to exercise: it takes work and requires putting yourself in the position to do it. Rather than deciding, “I’ll go for one hour every Tuesday,” he encourages young people to make the chapel a regular part of their lives. 

“You have to just continue to put yourself in God's presence,” he said.

2. Start small. You don't have to stay for an hour.

One of his strongest practical suggestions is that adoration doesn't have to be lengthy or formulaic. A young person can stop by for 10 or 15 minutes, even if they don't have time for a full holy hour.

Hart emphasized that “there isn't one right formula.”

3. Bring a journal or something to write with.

Hart said to “always bring a journal” because “you never know when the Lord's going to speak.” He described God's voice as sometimes “shouting” and sometimes “whispering,” emphasizing the importance of being attentive. 

4. Bring a Bible — but don't feel obligated to read constantly.

He recommended bringing Scripture because you never know where your prayer might lead you. But he also makes the point that it's perfectly fine to close the Bible and simply sit with God. A short passage or even a few verses may be enough.

He said, “It doesn't need to be sitting for an hour reading multiple chapters — he can achieve more in three verses than we can achieve in three chapters.” 

5. Expect to be distracted — and don't give up.

Hart was very realistic about what a first experience of adoration may be like: “At first, it's probably going to drive you crazy.” He shared that distraction is normal and that they shouldn't interpret it as a sign that they're doing adoration incorrectly. 

6. Offer your distractions to God.

Rather than becoming frustrated when thoughts wander, Hart recommended praying something as simple as: “Lord, I offer this distraction to you for your glory.” 

If the thought is something worth bringing to God, talk to Him about it; otherwise, offer the distraction to Him and return your attention to prayer.

7. Turn off your phone.

Hart isn't arguing that phones are inherently evil, but he called them one of the greatest sources of distraction. His advice is straightforward: actually turn the phone off rather than merely silencing it.

8. Don't be afraid of silence.

Hart said adoration is an opportunity to learn how to be quiet and listen. Young people accustomed to constant noise and scrolling may initially find that silence uncomfortable, but he sees that discomfort as part of the value of adoration.

“It's an invitation for us to learn how to be quiet,” he shared. “It's an invitation for us to learn how to listen and in that docility is where the Lord meets us and feeds us and heals us.”

9. Remember that adoration is a conversation — listen too.

Hart described adoration and prayer as a dialogue: you don't simply talk at God; you also learn to listen to Him.

“Oftentimes when it comes to prayer, it becomes a monologue and not a dialogue. And the beauty of Eucharistic adoration is that it's always a dialogue,” he expressed.

10. Just rest and let God love you.

Hart reminded young people that adoration is not simply something to do for God, but as a place where they allow God to love, speak to, heal, and nourish them, as well as find rest in the presence of God.

He shared that, “Eucharistic adoration is so beautiful because — it's not that pinnacle communal moment that we have at Mass — it's that deeply personal moment where we can just sit and allow God to speak, to love — it allows us to be in that moment and it develops the interior life in a way that no other form of prayer can outside of the Mass.”

Known as the “White Sox Parish” because of its proximity to the baseball team’s Rate Field stadium, the Nativity of Our Lord and St. Gabriel parish community easily pinged Pope Leo’s Chicago radar — even 5,000 miles away in Vatican City.

With clever signs, the shouts and chants, and a few hints from Pope Leo’s brother about just the right gifts to bring from Chicago’s Fannie May Chocolates, the 50 pilgrims — 40 from Chicago and 10 friends from New York City — managed to catch “Father Bob’s” attention from the popemobile.

During the livestream of the General Audience, available on EWTN News’ YouTube channel, Pope Leo can be seen leaning toward his secretaries and indicating the group from “St. Gabe’s,” the parish school where his brother John Prevost once served as principal.

“We’ve got some candy for you,” their Deacon Rob Morris shouted.

One by one, gifts for Pope Leo were passed toward the Holy Father’s security detail.

Then another name came from the crowd, making sure Pope Leo knew exactly who was waiting for him:

“Anne Russell is here.”

More on her in a moment.

Pope Leo then turned his attention to the practical question of how he would find the group again.

“Where will you be?” he asked.

After establishing that the pilgrims would still be around, he gave them a simple instruction:

“Hold that sign up.”

From the popemobile to a personal meeting

It was a moment characteristic of the organizational side of “Father Bob” that friends and acquaintances have described: whether arranging photographs of his brother cardinals or giving pastoral announcements from the sagrato of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo appears to have a habit of making sure the details are taken care of.

And the parish sign worked.

After the General Audience, the pilgrims were located by the Swiss Guards and brought forward to meet the pope.

“Anne Russell is here”

Among them was Anne Russell.

At 92, Russell is more than 20 years Pope Leo’s senior. They were certainly not classmates at St. Rita of Cascia High School, the all-boys Augustinian school on Chicago’s South Side. In fact, Pope Leo never attended St. Rita as a student.

But the two did walk the same hallways.

Russell was working as a secretary at St. Rita when the young Robert Prevost, then an Augustinian brother and later substitute teaching as a priest, taught math and physics at the school. 

It was the beginning of a connection that would span nearly half a century.

Prevost later became provincial of the Midwest Augustinians, overseeing St. Rita and appointing its president in 2000. His ministry eventually took him much farther from Chicago — first through leadership of the worldwide Augustinian Order and years of missionary and episcopal ministry in Peru, and ultimately to Rome.

But during visits home from Peru or Rome, he continued returning to St. Rita, celebrating Mass and visiting students, and each time seeing and greeting Anne Russell. 

Russell knew him through those different chapters, long before Bishop Prevost, Cardinal Prevost or Pope Leo XIV.

To her, he was “Father Bob,” the same way she addresses him in the occasional email. 

That explains why, amid thousands of voices in St. Peter’s Square, simply shouting “Anne Russell is here” was enough to mean something.

Russell later described the encounter as an extraordinary moment in a friendship stretching back almost half a century.

More ties to Pope Leo’s Chicago roots

But Anne was not the only pilgrim carrying an unusual personal connection to Chicago’s first pope.

Janeen Ballay shares a remarkable coincidence with Pope Leo dating back to the very beginning of his life: she and Robert Francis Prevost were born on exactly the same day — Sept. 14, 1955 — in the same Chicago hospital, Mercy Hospital.

Then there was Ashley Griggs, a blind pilgrim traveling with the group, who was particularly struck by “Pope Leo’s sincerity,” she shared.When it came time for the group photograph, she was called forward and placed near the front.

“A benefit of being short,” she laughed.

A taste of Chicago for Pope Leo

And then, of course, there was the candy.

The pilgrims had done their homework before leaving Chicago. Pope Leo’s brother John gave them some advice about what his brother would appreciate from home: Fannie May Chocolates.

In particular, Pixies — the Chicago chocolatier’s combination of caramel, pecans and milk chocolate.

So when the deacon called out from the crowd, “We’ve got some candy for you,” it was not simply a box of chocolates being handed to the pope.

It was something familiar from home.

The same could be said for almost everything about the encounter.

“St. Gabe’s.”

“Anne Russell is here.”

Fannie May Pixies.

A sign held above the crowd.

These were small details, but together they were enough for a group from Chicago’s South Side to distinguish itself among the thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

For the 50 pilgrims who had traveled thousands of miles from Chicago and New York, it was an encounter with the pope they will surely never forget.

For Robert Prevost, there were familiar names, familiar places and even familiar chocolates waiting for him.

For a few minutes in St. Peter’s Square, Chicago had come to Pope Leo.

It is life’s unpredictable events that reveal our character the most.

When life pushes us against a wall and threatens to take everything from us, it is our response that tells the truth about our soul.

When life is easy, we can talk a big game about our values and virtues. It is in the hardness of life--suffering, trial, and difficulty--that lays bare our innermost self, tearing off the masks we wear in easy times to reveal our true face.

On Sept. 29, 2006, Petty Officer Second Class Michael A. Monsoor of Navy SEAL Team Three revealed his character and showed his true face.

In Ramadi, Iraq, at the height of violence between United States forces and the insurgency, and less than one week when he was slated to go home, a live grenade bounced off Michael’s chest.

It was thrown by insurgents onto his rooftop sniper position where he, three other SEALs, and eight Iraqi soldiers were providing overwatch security.

He was sitting closest to the staircase and a quick dive to the side would bring him to safety. Michael Monsoor, however, was not looking out for himself, but for his brothers next to him.

In one sudden and terrible moment, without time to deliberate, Michael Monsoor flew out of his chair so hard it crashed against the far side of the rooftop and dove upon the fragment grenade, taking its full force into his body and saving the lives of the men with him.

Shrapnel still hit two of his fellow SEALs, but both credit him with saving their lives.

One said, “He never took his eye off the grenade- his only movement was down toward it.”

At the level of split-second decisions, humans prove the saying:

"No one rises to the occasion, but falls to the level of their training."

We all imagine ourselves as the hero, and with no prior effort, we become as courageous and selfless as the situation demands of us, but that is just not true.

We react in the moment with how we have trained, and this is as true in moral virtue as it is in military skills and tactics.

The virtues are cultivated through repeated actions.

As the Catechism tells us:

“The moral virtues grow through education, deliberate acts, and perseverance in struggle. Divine grace purifies and elevates them.” (CCC 1839)

When you hear the stories of his parents, friends, and teammates, you hear how he deliberately practiced courage and selflessness all his life.

As a kid at Christmas time, he gave away his gifts to the less fortunate kids at his school. When his own parents fell on hard times as a young child, he made everyone gifts and even cut down one of the shrubs outside for their Christmas tree.

On May 9, he pulled a wounded teammate to safety while under fire, with bullets pinging off the ground all around them.

That teammate, not a religious man, said that as he was being dragged through the street to safety by Michael, he saw angel wings completely surround them.

Moreover, he was actually supposed to have left the battlefield to return home but had voluntarily switched with a SEAL brother with a newborn baby at home.

The kid from California who loved fast cars, his family, and his Catholic faith, died as he lived. His courage, the virtue that makes us firm in the face of difficulty and constant in the face of fear, was revealed on that rooftop but was cultivated throughout his whole life.

On the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, whom he was named after, he received Last Rites from his unit’s chaplain, Major Father Paul Halladay, who heard many of Michael’s confessions and celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that Michael attended.

Everyone who steps onto the USS Michael Monsoor, a next-generation Naval guided-missile ship, will find the prayer card to Saint Michael the Archangel that Monsoor kept in his battle helmet when on mission. Her sailors will see “DEFEND US IN BATTLE” etched into the steel of the ship as it was etched in his warrior’s heart.

"Defend Us in Battle: The True Story of MA2 Navy SEAL Medal of Honor Recipient Michael A. Monsoor" is available on Amazon.

Legendary bodybuilder and Hollywood icon Lou Ferrigno, famous for bringing the green superhero to life in the classic hit series The Incredible Hulk (1977–1982), just fulfilled a lifelong dream: meeting Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square.

During Wednesday's General Audience, the beloved actor opened up about his deep Catholic roots and what meeting the Holy Father meant to him.

"I'm here because it's a lifelong dream for me to meet the Pope," Ferrigno shared. "My family comes from Amalfi, Italy. When I was a little boy, I used to hear so much about the Pope. Being Catholic myself, I'm very, very honored to be here to see Pope Leo... it's a dream coming true."

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Before becoming a fitness legend and starring in sword-and-sandal classics like Hercules and Sinbad, Ferrigno grew up serving at the altar as a young Catholic boy.

Reflecting on his encounter in Rome, the actor stressed that the world is in urgent need of Christ-like spiritual leadership.

"Our world, our country, needs someone like him—a great leader of kindness and peace," Ferrigno said. "There's so much turmoil happening in this world."

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His life was marked by fearless preaching of the Gospel, memorable quotes, and a love for the Eucharist. He is considered a "prophet" for having preached and taught things that transcended his own time; here are some timeless lessons we can apply to our lives today.

1. Use your talent to evangelize

Fulton Sheen was known for his eloquence and his gift for teaching and preaching Catholic doctrine; his television program reached 50 million viewers, making him a highly charismatic figure who was respected and loved even in secular circles.

Blessed Sheen recognized communication as one of the greatest gifts God had bestowed upon him, using it to preach the Gospel and write over seventy books that continue to inspire and teach to this day. His witness reminds us that we, too, are called to evangelize using our talents and abilities, certain that they were given to us to be put to good use and can serve as a path to sanctification for ourselves and for others.

2. Be convinced of what you believe

If there is something we can all agree on, it is that Fulton Sheen preached with authority and boldness. Even when addressing topics that were difficult, or even sensitive, for the society of his time, the bishop did not mince words. He always preached the Church's truth with charity, yet without fear of remaining faithful to his beliefs. He adapted the message to the audience, but never its content.

In a world of  "cancel culture," where many fear speaking up for or defending their beliefs, dreading judgment and consequences, Fulton Sheen shows us that, with discernment and sincerity, it is possible to engage in dialogue with those who think differently without compromising the Truth.

3. Holiness is a daily journey

One of Blessed Sheen’s best-known quotes is, "You say you don't go to Church because it's full of hypocrites there? I say you're right, but come anyway, we've got room for one more." With good humor, he invited those who had drifted away from God and the Church to return, focusing not on the sins and shortcomings of others, but on the divine grace available to everyone.

Being "in the Church" does not mean we cease to sin or instantly become saints. Through his message, Sheen teaches us that holiness is a daily decision, not something that happens magically. It is a path we walk until the very last day of our lives; we will stumble, as will others, but it is always time to start over!

4. The Church is you

In one of his popular sayings, Blessed Sheen also echoes one of the most beautiful truths of the faith: the Church is not a building, but each one of us. “Who's going to save our Church? It's not our bishops, it's not our priests and it is not the religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes and the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that the priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops, and the religious act like religious.”

Far from diminishing the role of ordained ministers or centering the spotlight solely on the laity, Sheen sought to emphasize that every state of life and vocation has its place and role within the Church, and it is up to each person to live out their calling well. Although the Church is made of sinful people, each of us is called to bear witness and serve as an example to others, both within and outside the Church, thereby inspiring our brothers and sisters to remain faithful to what God calls them to live.

5. Jesus as the center of everything

One of the best-known facts about Blessed Fulton Sheen is the great love and devotion he held for Jesus in the Eucharist. When he was in seminary, he made the resolution to spend an hour before the Blessed Sacrament every day, a commitment he kept faithfully, even passing away during his Holy Hour on December 9, 1979.

Through his testimony, Sheen inspires us to commit ourselves to a life of prayer and to draw closer to Jesus and the sacraments. For it is useless to have gifts and initiatives if Jesus is not the root and center of our lives. All our works must spring from our relationship with God; when we do this, good fruits naturally follow—just as they did in the life of Fulton Sheen.

Blessed Fulton Sheen, pray for us!

According to EWTN,

“The Sacred Scriptures have revealed the proper names of only three angels, all of whom belong to the Choir of the Archangels. The names are well known to all, namely: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael.”

Since these archangels are in heaven, we affectionately refer to them as saints.

Here is a brief synopsis of each of the archangels, followed by special prayers for their intercession!

Note: The Church does not permit proper names of angels not found in the canonical books of the Bible. Read more here.

Who is Michael the Archangel?

Saint Michael the Archangel is the most popular of the Archangels. He is often depicted decked out in armor, holding a sword and crushing the head of a serpent.

Saint Michael the Archangel is mentioned multiple times in scripture. His most notable battle is described in the book of Revelation, where he defeats Satan and casts the fallen angels out of Heaven. In the Old Testament, he aids the prophet Daniel (Daniel 10:13).

The name, Michael, means “Who is like God?”

Saint Michael the Archangel is invoked during times of physical or spiritual danger. He is called on for protection against evil in all things and is considered a great defender of Christ’s Church on Earth.

Saint Michael the Archangel is the patron of many, including first responders, soldiers, and those needing special protection.

Saint Michael Prayer

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Who is Raphael the Archangel?

Saint Raphael the Archangel is mentioned in the Old Testament in the book of Tobit.

According to EWTN,

“In the book of Tobit, one of the deuterocanonical books of the Bible, Saint Raphael travels with a man named Tobias, with the archangel presenting himself as Tobias’ relative. Saint Raphael eventually helps Tobias in two ways. First, he releases a young woman, Sarah, from spiritual bondage. She was married seven times, and a demon killed each husband on their wedding night. Tobias eventually marries Sarah, with Saint Raphael’s help. Also, Saint Raphael helps restore the sight of Tobias’ father, Tobit, who had become blind.”

Because of his role in Tobias' life, Saint Raphael is invoked by those seeking spiritual or physical healing. His intercession is also sought after by singles discerning the vocation of marriage.

The name, Raphael, means “Divine Healer.”

Saint Raphael the Archangel is the patron saint of travelers, healthcare workers, blindness, matchmaking, and the sick.

Prayer to Saint Raphael, Angel of Happy Meetings

O Raphael, lead us towards those we are waiting for, those who are waiting for us! Raphael, angel of happy meetings, lead us by the hand towards those we are looking for! May all our movements, all their movements, be guided by your light and transfigured by your Joy.

Angel guide of Tobias, lay the request we now address to you at the feet of Him on whose unveiled face you are privileged to gaze. Lonely and tired, crushed by the separations and sorrows of earth, we feel the need of calling to you and plead for the protection of your wings, so that we may not be as strangers in the province of Joy, all ignorant of the concerns of our country.

Remember the weak, you who are strong--you whose home lies beyond the region of thunder, in a land that is always peaceful, always serene, and bright with the resplendent glory of God.
Amen.

Prayer Source

Who is Gabriel the Archangel?

Saint Gabriel is best known for his role in the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38). He also told Zechariah of his answered prayers through the coming of Saint John the Baptist. In the Old Testament, Saint Gabriel the Archangel interprets Daniel’s visions.

The name, Gabriel, means “Strength of God.”

Saint Gabriel the Archangel is the patron saint of messengers, postal workers, communications, and broadcasters.

Saint Gabriel the Archangel Prayer

O blessed Archangel Gabriel, we beseech thee, do thou intercede for us at the throne of Divine Mercy in our present necessities, that as thou didst announce to Mary, the mystery of the Incarnation, so through thy prayers and patronage in heaven, we may obtain the benefits of the same, and sing the praise of God forever in the land of the living.

Amen.

Prayer Source