Angelic Choirs Devotion

First Sphere

The angels of the first sphere serve as the heavenly servants of God the Son incarnated. It includes the Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones.

Upon rising (7 am) address the first choir of angels, the Seraphim. Their chief characteristic is great and ardent love. They were made for one thing alone-----to love the God of Love. Without ceasing they honor, praise, and love the most Blessed Trinity-----they can do nothing else-----this is their happiness. 

• Practice upon rising to try to become a Seraph of love: let this be your habitual disposition. Love and do what God wills. Ask this great gift fervently. 
• Aspiration: "Oh! Blessed Seraphim! Make us love." Say the Shema Yisrael and make a Morning Offering.
• By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Seraphim, may it please God to make us worthy to receive into our hearts the fire of his perfect charity. Amen.
• (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the second hour (9 am) of the day address the second choir is the Cherubim who continually are employed in contemplating the beauty and perfections of God and will share with us their admirable wisdom, if we ask them, and show ourselves in earnest, by the practice of supplication and prayer. Cherubim are full of zeal for the glory of God and stand ready at all times to defend His honor. Cherubim should be invoked when one is troubled with doubts against faith those who experience temptations against holy purity.  

• Practice: Spend time before praying in great silence and recollection; endeavor to "know God, and Him Whom He has sent, Jesus Christ." 
• Aspiration: "Blessed Cherubim! Teach us to pray."
• By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Cherubim, may God in his good pleasure, grant us grace to abandon the ways of sin, and follow the path of Christian perfection. Amen.
• (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the fourth hour (11 am) of the day address the third choir is the choir of Thrones. They are called Angels of Peace; calm, tranquility, and stability. Ask them for that peace of soul which is the fruit of a good conscience. Invoke their aid for such as are prone to hatred, passion and impatience; and after their example, practice being meek, calm, and peaceful with all. 

• Practice: Dispose yourself to great sweetness and patience. 
• Aspiration: "O Holy Thrones! Obtain that Divine peace, which surpasses all understanding, may keep our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ, Our Lord."
• By the intercession of St. Michael and the sacred Choir of Thrones, may it please God to infuse into our hearts the spirit of true and sincere humility. Amen.
• (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

Second Sphere

Second Sphere angels are considered to work as heavenly governors of creation by subjecting the matter and ruling and guiding the spirits. The second sphere includes the Dominions or Lordships Virtues and the Strongholds Powers or Authorities.

At the sixth hour (1 pm) of the day address the fourth choir of angels which is the choir of Dominations.  They are consumed by their yearning for the interests of God: their principal office is to manifest His will. We should also beg of God to manifest His will to us by these Blessed "Intelligences" and then take care to fulfill it scrupulously, as being the shortest way to perfection and sanctity. We should ask these Angels to help us to spread God's kingdom upon earth, for the conversion of heretics and infidels, and for the return of lukewarm and fallen away Catholics to the practice of the faith. 

• Practice: Give practical proof of your zeal for the glory of God; do something for His reign in souls, as instructing the ignorant. 
• Aspiration: "Holy Dominations! Animate us with thy zeal." It was also at the sixth hour that Jesus was crucified. Traditionally Catholics recite the Angelus at noon, some pray it at six in the morning and six in the evening. For those who wish to make personal change this is a good time to examine our day so far and offer ourselves to our God. It is at the turning point of our day that we recall the turning point of history: the moment when the angel appeared to a young woman named Mary.
• By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of the Dominations, may it please God to grant us grace to have dominion over our senses, and to correct our depraved passions. Amen
• (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the eighth hour (3 pm) of the day address the fifth choir of angels which is the choir of Virtues. Energy and strength are attributed to the Virtues. They have dominion over the elements; all nature is subjected to their control. Hence they can raise or appease the tempest. We may profitably invoke them in unforeseen accidents, sickness, etc. We may also have recourse to them for that strength necessary to lead a penitential life, and root out the inclinations of depraved nature. All persons inclined to the contemplative life should call on this choir of Angels for help, for good thoughts alone do not make holy, one needs also strength to persevere and to accomplish this great task. 

• Practice:  (After work) Visit the Blessed Sacrament to obtain grace to overcome your evil dispositions.  
• Aspiration: "Holy Virtues! Strengthen and fortify us." 
• By the intercession of St. Michael and the admirable heavenly Choir of the Virtues, may it please God to keep us from falling into temptation, and may He deliver us from evil. Amen. 
• (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the 10th hour (5 pm) of the day address the sixth choir of angels the Powers. These Angels have unlimited mastery over the wicked Spirits; they are endowed with great intelligence and are able to discover their schemes and plans for our destruction. Their power is so amazing that one alone of them would be able to destroy the entire infernal host. It is well to invoke them in temptation: but to merit their assistance we must take care to avoid the occasions of sin. 

• Practice: Resist the attacks of vice and passion; frequently make acts of diffidence in self and confidence in God; combat your evil inclinations. 
• Aspiration: "Lord! Send Thy Angels to assist us."
• By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of the Powers, may God vouchsafe to keep our souls from the wiles and temptations of the devil. Amen.
• (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

Third Sphere

The angels of the third sphere function as heavenly protectors, messengers and guides, to the human beings.

At the 12th hour (7 pm) of the day address the seventh choir of angels the Principalities. The Principalities watch over Empires, Provinces, and Dioceses. Purity of intention is the virtue ascribed to them, for in their high functions they never seek but the honor and interest of God alone. Let us imitate them. It is the intention which stamps the action with merit or demerit. 

• Practice: In all you do and say, seek the greater glory of God.  
• Aspiration: "O Holy Spirits! May we, like thee, seek God, for God alone." 
• By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Principalities, may it please God to fill our souls with the spirit of true and sincere obedience. Amen.
• (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

 At the 14th hour (9 pm) of the day address the eighth choir of angels the Archangels. The Archangels are distinguished from the Angels by the greater importance of their functions: the Guardians of those invested with authority in the Church and State and are remarkable for their love and care of men. Let us imitate them, doing our neighbor all the good we can and invoking in his behalf these Blessed Spirits. Members of this choir are the holy spirits who stand before the throne of God, ever ready to announce His commands. St. Michael is the warrior leader of God’s angels. St. Gabriel is the special messenger of The Holy Spirit. St. Raphael is the angel of Joy. 

• Practice-----Two Acts of Charity, with great affection. 
• Aspiration: "Holy Archangels! Pray for us, and for our priests."
• By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Archangels, may it please God to grant us the gift of perseverance in the faith, and in all good works, that we may be thereby enabled to attain the glory of paradise. Amen.
• (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the 16th hour (11 pm) of the day address the Ninth choir of the angels. They are charged with the execution of the Divine ordinances, and are appointed the Guardians of men. Humility is the virtue particularly ascribed to them-----for though the least among the Choirs, yet they see their celestial companions without desiring their greater, more excellent endowments. The Guardian Angels exercise continual watchfulness over the souls committed to their care. Their number is exceedingly great, and it is not necessary when an Angel has accompanied his charge into Heaven, that he be again assigned to a soul in any future generation. Our Guardian, who is our companion in life, will also be forever at our side in Heaven. The joy of these Angels is immeasurably increased when souls entrusted to their care enter Heaven. The Guardian Angels of the lost souls are not deprived of their share of joy. God in His justice increases also theirs with the others, and then assigns them to the special guard of the Queen of Angels, where they with great joy praise the Infinite Justice of God. Let us, like the humble Guardian Angels, love the lowest place, especially when placed therein by Divine Providence, and to behold with joy the preference given to others. 

• Practice: Three Acts of Humility, interior and exterior. 
• Aspiration: "Who is like God!"
• By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of all the Angels, may God vouchsafe to grant us their guardianship through this mortal life, and after death a happy entrance into the everlasting glory of heaven. Amen
• (1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

Information was obtained from: 

• http://www.catholictradition.org/Angels/angels.htm
• Hierarchy of Angels Catholic Church | Hierarchy structure