Maggie McCarron
Staff Writer
A professor of theology explained the specific roles and purposes of the nine choirs of angels in a talk given to students in the Gentile Gallery Thursday evening.
Mark Miravalle, who holds a doctorate in sacred theology, started by talking about the existence and creation of the angels.
“It is a civilization which through our own humanness we have a tendency to ignore,” said Miravalle. He said this civilization is much larger than the entire human race through all of time.
Angels were created at the very beginning of time, Miravalle said. Each angel was created for specifically one soul and all these angels went through a test, which they had to pass before receiving their assignment.
“There is a lack of the fulfillment of the vocation of why God created your angel … since the beginning of time,” Miravalle said. Each angel “waits” outside of time to begin his vocation once his special person is born, he said.
Miravalle said angels are spiritual persons without bodies. Some, like the archangels, are able to take on human form to appear on earth. We cannot only use rationality to prove the existence of angels, but our rationality can support it, he said.
Miravalle then explained the nine choirs of angels and their assignments. For example, the seraphim were created to adore the Trinity, the virtues order the laws of the universe and the archangels are the messengers.
At the end, Miravalle talked about how to grow closer to one’s guardian angel. He said people must consecrate themselves to their guardian angel to allow him to intercede on their behalf. Miravalle said to ask for the intercession of guardian angels every night.
In heaven, each person’s guardian angel will be his or her best friend, Miravalle said.
Junior Emma Borden said, “It was really eye-opening to learn how angels are all around us, performing different jobs for us.”
At the end of the talk, Miravalle gave a free copy of his book “Time to Meet the Angels” to all students who attended.