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Fr. John Horgan – His Angels At Our Side on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
In this special episode of Inside the Pages, Kris McGregor interviews the late Fr. John Horgan about his book His Angels at Our Side: Understanding Their Power in Our Souls and in the World. Focusing on the role of angels in the spiritual life, Fr. Horgan explains how they guide, protect, and inspire us.
It’s important for us to understand angels as spiritual beings who reflect the majesty of God rather than projecting our human traits onto them. Fr. Horgan discusses the relationship between humans and their guardian angels, noting that these angels are given by God to guide and protect every soul, not just the baptized. He advises against naming angels, as their names and missions come directly from God.
Angels are models of prayer and adoration, constantly gazing upon God. They can teach us how to deepen our relationship with God, especially through prayer, obedience, and silence. While angels don’t usually communicate with us through mystical experiences, they offer daily guidance and inspiration; encouraging a spirit of openness to the guardian angel’s influence through prayer and attentiveness to their subtle promptings.
They also cover the role of angels in the Mass, where they worship alongside us, and how we can invite them into our prayer life, especially during the Eucharistic Prayer. Fr. Horgan explains that angels help us align our wills with God’s and overcome temptations, and reflects on the angels’ relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary and their role in leading us closer to her and her perfect acceptance of God’s will.
You can find the book here.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
- Understanding the Nature of Angels
How does reflecting on the nature of angels as reflections of God’s majesty help you deepen your understanding of their role in your life? - Adoration and Prayer
In what ways can the angels’ perfect adoration of God inspire you to include more acts of adoration in your own prayer life? - Relationship with Guardian Angels
How can you cultivate a more conscious relationship with your guardian angel to better respond to their guidance and protection? - Obedience and God’s Will
What can the obedience of angels teach you about accepting God’s will in your daily life, even when it challenges your own desires? - Role of Angels in the Mass
How does considering the presence of angels during Mass change your approach to the liturgy and deepen your reverence for the Eucharistic celebration? - Silence and Spiritual Growth
How can the silence that angels lead you into help you create more space for God in your heart amid the noise of the world? - The Battle Against Evil
What steps can you take to better recognize the influence of evil in your life and rely more on the guidance of the angels in resisting temptation? - Angels and the Blessed Virgin Mary
How does reflecting on the angels’ relationship with Mary inspire you to model her obedience and openness to God’s plan? - Angelic Assistance in Daily Life
What are some practical ways you can invite your guardian angel to assist you in your interactions with others and in your daily tasks? - Angels in the Spiritual Journey
How can a deeper understanding of the angels’ mission enhance your spiritual growth and help you in your journey toward heaven?
From the book description
Meet the mighty spirits sent by God to enlighten and guide us, defend us from harm, and lead us on the path to eternal life. Learn how angels are invisibly present at every moment of your life, and how they can pray with you and for you, amplifying your praise by reflecting it directly to God face-to-face.
Angels do not form a separate universe they are an integral part of our own world sent forth for the sake of our salvation. They are pure spirits who communicate to us God’s grace, His goodness, and His truth.
In these pages, Fr. Horgan unveils the surprising role of the angels in our lives and what you must do to gain their help. You’ll learn how to imitate the angels in prayer and how they offer you the enlightenment and the encouragement God so desperately wants to give you. By praying with the angels, you will be strengthened for what lies ahead, better able to discern and do the Lord’s will in all your actions. You ll also learn:
- Why the Church teaches that the angels were created at the time of creation
- The responsibilities of the angels at every Mass
- The key difference between spirits and angels
- Seven habits you must develop to grow closer to God through His angels
- The difference between Archangel Gabriel’s apparitions to Mary and Zechariah
- How St. Joseph can expose you to the inspirations of the angels
- The difference in the way humans and angels think
- How you can imitate the warrior nature of the angels
- The three ways you must respond to your angel’s guardianship
- The five roles that every angel takes in their service for the Lord
- The surprising ways in which angelic warfare is carried out
About the Author
Father John G. Horgan was a priest of the Archdiocese of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, and the pastor of St Pius X Parish. A native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, he graduated from Harvard, as well as the Angelicum in Rome, before being ordained by St. John Paul II in 1986. He lectured and consulted on questions of moral theology and healthcare ethics in Canada and the United States. Fr. Horgan had a life-long interest in the Angels and Saints and was credentialed through the Vatican’s special training course for those involved in the process of “saint-making” in 1997. He served as a vice-postulator for the cause of Blessed Marie of Jesus Deluil-Martiny and has advised on several other causes. Fr. Horgan was involved with EWTN, the Eternal Word Global Television Network, since the early 1990s; he made several appearances with Mother Angelica, and has filmed two television series. He entered into eternal rest in October of 2022.
