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Today we celebrate the feast of Michael, the warrior.

Saint Michael the Archangel
Michael means, “Who is like God?”  Of the three angels mentioned by name in the Catholic Bible, St. Michael the Archangel is mentioned the most. He is found in the Old Testament in Daniel 10:13-21, 10:21, 12:1, and in the New Testament in Rev. 12:7-9 and Jude 1:9.
St. Michael is most known for doing battle against Lucifer (who could have been a seraph) and casting him and the other fallen angels out of heaven. Because of this feat, he is known as the leader or prince of the angels.St. Michael is the champion of God’s people and the protector of the Church.  He is also regarded as the angel who brings the souls of men to their judgment before God, thus being the angel of judgment.PRAYER TO ST. MICHAELSaint Michael Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.  Amen.Gabriel the Messenger

Gabriel means “Power of God.”  St. Gabriel the Archangel is mentioned the most in the Bible after St. Michael.  He is found in the Old Testament in Daniel 8:15-26 and 9:21-27, and in the New Testament in Luke 1:11-38.
St. Gabriel is most known for his messenger role in the Annunciation.  He is the angel who appeared to Zachariah and the Blessed Virgin Mary announcing the birth of St. John the Baptist and Incarnation of Jesus Christ, respectively.He is also believed by some to be the angel who appeared to St. Joseph and the shepherds at Christ’s nativity, as well as the angel who comforted Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Because of this he is known as the herald angel, and the angel of mercy and consolation.Raphael the healer.

Raphael means “God has healed.”  St. Raphael the Archangel is only mentioned once in the Catholic Bible, in Tobit chapter 12.
In this passage he was a companion, protector, and healer.  He is also believed to be the angel who stirred the water in the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, giving it its healing properties, as mentioned in the New Testament.  He therefore is regarded as a healing angel and a companion angel. Be like an angel activity  from Teaching Catholic Kids.People and angels are totally different creatures, but that doesn’t mean that your kids can’t be like the angels, in the sense of being messengers of God’s love. Try this fun activity:

• Make some simple cards (from paper or cardstock) and have your kids draw pictures of angels on them. You can get as crazy as you want decorating the cards: star stickers, tinfoil, paper lace, or (shudder) glitter can be added to the cards to make them look beautiful.
• Write a message from God inside the cards. You could write something simple (“God loves you!”) or something from the Bible. Write “Celebrating the Feast of the Archangels” somewhere on the card.
• Insert a treat or a tiny present inside the card (a piece of wrapped candy or a coin).
• And here’s the best part: Sneak around your house (or neighborhood), and leave the card someplace where someone will find it as a surprise—a reminder that angels may not be visible to us (most of the time), but their works are all around us.