Little Office of the Guardian Angel
Ordinary
At Matins
O Lord, open my lips.
Domine labia mea aperies.
And my mouth will announce Thy praise.
Et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
At All the Hours
O God, come to my aid.
Deus in adiutorium meum intende.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Domine ad adiuvandum me festina.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Alleluia.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Alleluia.
During Lent until Easter, instead of the alleluia the following is said: Praise to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.
Heart of Jesus, flaming with love of us.
Cor Iesu, flagrans amore nostri.
Inflame our hearts with love of Thee.
Inflamma cor nostrum amore tui.
The Guardians of our race, our Angel Guides we hail;
our Father sendeth forth to aid our nature frail
these heavenly friends, lest we should suffer overthrow
through cunning of our subtle foe.
Custodes hominum psallimus Angelos,
naturae fragili quos Pater addidit
caelestis comites, insidiantibus
ne succumberet hostibus.
For he, who justly lost the honour once his own,
the traitor angel, rues his lost and vacant throne,
with burning envy strives to make them fall away
whom God doth call to heavenly day.
Nam, quod corruerit proditor angelus,
concessis merito pulsus honoribus,
ardens invidia, pellere nititur
quos caelo Deus advocat.
Then, watchful Guardian, spread thy wings and cleave the air,
haste hither to our home committed to thy care;
drive thence each noxious ill that might the soul infest,
nor suffer danger here to rest.
Huc, custos, igitur pervigil advola,
avertens patria de tibi credita
tam morbos animi, quam requiescere
quidquid non sinit incolas.
Christ, the fair glory of the holy Angels,
Thou who hast made us, Thou who o'er us rulest,
grant of Thy mercy unto us Thy servants
steps up to heaven.
Christe, sanctorum decus Angelorum
Rector humani generis et auctor,
nobis aeternum tribue benigne
scandere caelum.
Send Thy Archangel, Michael, to our succor;
Peacemaker blessed, may he banish from us
striving and hatred, so that for the peaceful all
things may prosper.
Angelum pacis, Michael ad istam
caelitus mitte, rogitamus aulam:
nobis ut crebro veniente crescant
prospera cuncta.
Send Thy Archangel, Gabriel, the mighty,
herald of heaven; may he from us mortals
spurn the old serpent, watching o'er the temples
where Thou art worshiped.
Angelus fortis Gabriel, ut hostem
pellat antiquum, volitet ab alto,
saepius templum veniat ad istud
visere nostrum.
Send Thy Archangel, Raphael, the restorer
of the misguided ways of men who wander,
who at Thy biding strengthens soul and body
with Thine anointing.
Angelum nobis medicum salutis
mitte de caelis Raphael, ut omnes
sanet aegrotos, pariterque nostros
dirigat actus.
Conclusion of Hours
O ye holy Angels, our guardians, defend us in battle
that we may not perish in the awful judgment.
Sancti Angeli, custodes nostri, defendite nos in proelio,
ut non pereamus in tremendo iudicio.
In the sight of Angels I will sing to Thee, O God.
In conspectu Angelorum psallam tibi, Deus meus.
I will worship facing Thy holy temple and confess Thy name.
Adorabo ad templum sanctum tuum et confitebor nomini tuo.
Let us pray.
O God, who in Thine ineffable providence hast deigned
to send Thy holy Angels to watch over us,
grant to us, Thy supplicants, to be always defended
by their protection and in eternity to share their joy.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Deus, qui ineffabili providentia sanctos Angelos tuos
ad nostram custodiam mittere digneris,
largire supplicibus tuis, et eorum semper protectione defendi,
et aeterna sociate gaudere. Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum.
Commendation
These hours Canonical with devotion
to thy rule, O Guardian Angel, I didst say:
I bid thee guard me at death's hour,
and carry me to heaven to live alway.
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom his love commits me here;
ever this night be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.
Has horas canonicas cum devotione
Dixi, custos Angele tui ratione:
Precor, me custodias mortis in agone,
Et praesens me deducas in caeli regione.
Angele Dei, qui custos es mei,
Me tibi commissum pietate superna;
Hac nocte illumina, custodi, rege, et guberna.
Amen.