# Invoking the Nine Choirs of Angels and Praying for the Caribbean
*2022-10-07*

> Bill Young leads a special prayer invoking the nine choirs of angels while interceding for those threatened by Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean and Florida.

## Why We Pray the Nine Choirs

In September the Church honors the angels, so today I’m praying the traditional invocations of the nine choirs of angels. We often mention our guardian angel or the archangels, but the other choirs—principalities, powers, virtues, dominions, thrones, seraphim, and cherubim—are rarely invoked. I wanted to give them a voice as we lift up the people in the path of the storm.

## A Personal Reflection on Patience and Prayer

While waiting in line at the grocery store I grew impatient when the person ahead had a full cart. I remembered that God has a reason for every delay. A book I was reading, *Simple Grace*, shared a prayer for a friend who is walking a dark path and refusing to listen to Scripture. The prayer reminded me that when words fail, we can offer our hearts to God’s love, trusting that the Holy Spirit can move even the hardest hearts.

## Prayer for the Hurricane

We are praying that Hurricane Irma will turn eastward over the Atlantic, sparing Florida and the Caribbean islands. The storm is already affecting St. Martin and the Virgin Islands, where the majority of the population is Catholic. We ask the angels to protect those islands, to keep the wind and rain over open water, and to bring swift aid to anyone who is harmed.

## The Invocation of the Nine Choirs

O Angel most holy, guardian of our salvation, watch over us always.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

O Archangels, most noble, guide our steps and shield us from danger.
Glory be… (repeated after each choir).

O Principalities, sublime governors of nations, direct our souls away from worldly temptations.
Glory be…

O Powers, invincible defenders, protect us from the devil’s assaults.
Glory be…

O Virtues, most powerful, grant us strength and patience in adversity.
Glory be…

O Dominions, most high, help us fulfill God’s will.
Glory be…

O Thrones, source of divine peace, grant us harmony with God, neighbor, and self.
Glory be…

O Seraphim, most wise, dispel the darkness of our souls and let divine light shine.
Glory be…

O Cherubim, ever honored, kindle in us the fire of God’s love.
Glory be…

All together we proclaim: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

## Practical Preparations and Final Supplication

We have taken practical steps—installing hurricane shutters, gathering water, batteries, and other supplies—while trusting that God’s providence will keep us safe. May the nine choirs of angels intercede for those in the Caribbean, for Florida, and for anyone who does not yet believe, that they might encounter the power of prayer.

*Even in the midst of a storm, the Church’s prayerful intercession, especially through the nine choirs of angels, can bring comfort and protection.*