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A confraternity is an official association within the Catholic
Church, designed to give Catholics help for special purposes. The
Angelic Warfare is an International Confraternity open to Catholics of
all ages. It was founded to grant special graces and indulgences to help
members resist temptations of impurity and sexual immorality.
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The Angelic Warfare Confraternity was inspired by St. Thomas Aquinas,
which is why it is sometimes called "The Guild of the Cord of St.
Thomas". When Thomas was a young man in Italy, over 700 years ago,
he decided to enter the priesthood in the new begging Order of Preachers
(the Dominicans). His wealthy family was so infuriated at his
decision that they kidnap ped him and locked him in a tower.. His
stubborn refusal to leave the Dominicans was met by an equally stubborn
effort on the part of his family. They went so far as to send a
prostitute into his room in order to tempt Thomas to break his vow of
chastity! However, Thomas took up a firebrand and drove the woman from
his room. He was shaken by this temptation and began to pray for the
strength to remain pure. Appearing at that moment, two angels put a cord
around his waist, saying "On God's behalf, we clothe you with the
cord of chastity, a cord which no attack will ever destroy." Thomas
became a great theologian and writer in the Church and he remained
sexually moral for the rest of his life. From this came the tradition of
wearing a cord and praying to St. Thomas for his intercession in order
to live a chaste life.
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Soon after the death of St. Thomas Aquinas it was a fairly common
devotion for people to wear a cord in his honour and to seek the grace
of purity through his intercession. The first local associations were
founded in Spain and Italy in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries,
mainly in schools and universities. Fr. Duerwerdes, a Dominican priest,
established the Confraternity in the.1600's as it exists today. About
100 years later the Dominican Pope Benedict XIII made the Angelic
Warfare an official, apostolic Confraternity under the direction of the
Master General of the Dominicans and granted special indulgences to
members of the Confraternity.
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Among the doctors, of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas of the Order of
St. Dominic is generally known as the Angelic Doctor. Pope John XXII, on
July 18th, 1323, pronounced his canonization, and in 1567 he was given
the title of Doctor of the Church by Pope St. Pius V. On August 8th,
1880, Pope Leo, Xii 1 proclaimed the Saint, Patron of all Catholic
Schools and wrote above his title "Angelic Doctor" the words:
"The Angelic Doctor is as exalted in virtue and holiness as in
learning, and can be compared with the angelic spirits in innocence as
well as in mental endowment."For several hundred years, St Thomas
has been venerated and invoked as patron of chastity and virginity. He
distinguished himself in that holy virtue from his earliest years, and
when he entered the Order in 1242 at the age of sixteen to dedicate his
life wholly to God, he could look back upon his past life with a feeling
of purest joy. While studying at the University of Naples, he so
courageously overcame the great temptations which threatened him in that
place, that he did not even venially transgress against the virtue of
holy purity. But a great trial now presented itself. To escape the
importunities of his mother and brothers, who were making every effort
to reclaim him from the Order, his superiors transferred the saint from
Naples to Paris where he might continue his studies under the celebrated
Albert the Great. On his way he was intercepted by his brothers, who
were officers in the army of Emperor Frederick II, and imprisoned by
them in the dark tower of the castle of Monte San Giovanni. No one
except his two sisters, Marietta and Theodora, were permitted to visit
him, with the hope that they might be able to persuade him to leave the
Order. When the brothers' plans were frustrated, they determined to rob
his pure young soul of its chastity, knowing that if they succeeded in
this, the victory might easily be obtained. They found a poor, young
creature who had lost woman's most precious ornament, and shut her up
alone with Thomas in his prison. The contest was short; understanding
the purpose of her presence he raised his heart to God for a brief
moment, then, snatching a burning brand out of the fire, he chased the
temptress from the dungeon. Failing on his knees, he poured out his soul
to God, who had given him the victory, begging Him to preserve his
chastity in the future even as He had in that dread hour. But while he
prayed the wings of peace enfolded his soul, and ir) a sweet ecstatic
sleep, two angels came to him and girded his waist with a cord saying.
"Behold, by God's command we gird thee with the cincture of
chastity. Thy prayer has been heard and in the future nothing will ever
soil thy purity." Thomas kept his secret in his own heart till his
death, March 7, 1274, when he revealed it to Father Reginald, his
confessor, adding that he had constantly worn the girdle and had never
experienced a temptation contrary to holy purity. Reginald gave the
girdle to the King of France, Philip the Bold, who in turn presented it
to Blessed John of Vercelli, Master General of the Dominicans. At
present the miraculous cord is preserved in a precious reliquary in the
Dominican Convent at Chieri, in Italy. In 1779, Cardinal Philip Mariana,
Bishop of Vercelli, subjected the relic to an examination and chemical
analysis. But the fabric is so delicate that the scientists were unable
to determine the material. Wearing of the cord in honor of St Thomas and
the founding of the Angelic Warfare Confraternity. It is difficult to
determine how soon after the death of St Thomas the practice of wearing
a cord or girdle in memory of the chastity of St Thomas began.
Nevertheless, during the succeeding centuries the girdle was held in
great veneration, and imitations of the original have been made and worn
in honor of St. Thomas and imploring through his intercession the grace
of purity of soul and body. As early as the fifteenth century, Blessed
Magdalen Pattanieri (1453-1503) is known to have worn such a girdle. The
Jesuits and Barnabites in particular encouraged their students to adopt
this salutary practice, and in 1583 a confraternity of the Academy of
Students of St. Thomas in Valencia took its beginning and was approved
by Pope Gregory Xiii on August 5, 1583.But it was not until the year
1649 that a confraternity was canonically instituted. This took place at
Louvain, the ancient university town of Catholic Belgium. Precisely, on
March 7, 1649, friar Francis Duerwerdes, OP, instituted the
confraternity at the University of Louvain, enrolling four thousand. It
was placed under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St.
Thomas of Aquino and called the "Confraternity of the Angelic
Warfare." Ten years later, he published a book on the confraternity
entitled Militia Angelica Divi Thomae Aquinatis. In 1651, the Dominican
Master, John Baptist de Marinis, declared all the members of the Angelic
Warfare participants in the good works of the entire Order of St.
Dominic, and the following year Pope Innocent X conferred precious
indulgences upon it. Confraternities were soon organized in Belgium,
Germany, Austria, Spain, France, and Italy. The Dominican Pope Benedict
XIII, by his Bull Pretiosus of May 17, 1727, constituted the Angelic
Warfare an Apostolic Confraternity, under the direction of the Master of
the Order of the Dominicans, and designated January 28, the feast day of
St Thomas Aquinas, as the patronal day of the Society. Since that time
the Angelic Warfare has spread all over the world and Saints gloried in
the privilege of belonging to the society. Chief among these is St.
Aloysius of Gonzaga; St. John Calasantius, who ordered that it be
erected in all the educational institutions for boys which the Fathers
of his society directed all over the world; and two Dominican nuns,
Blessed Columba and Blessed Stephana, who were active propagators of the
Angelic Warfare in schools for young women. No less than eight Popes
have recommended it to youths and endowed it spiritual benefits. The
latest approbation of the Angelic Warfare is due to our Holy Father,
Pope Pius XI , in his encyclical letter Studiorum Ducem, June 29,
1923, he writes: "Venerable Brethren, it is our ardent wish that
you should propagate, especially among youths destined for the
priesthood, the Society of the Angelic Warfare, founded under the
patronage of St. Thomas for the preservation of this holy virtue., and
regarding this Society, we confirm all the indulgences granted by
Benedict XIII and our predecessors. In order to make it more easy for
anyone to be enrolled in this holy Society, we grant the faculty to
members of wearing instead of a cord, a medal bearing on one side a
representation of St. Thomas being girded by angels and on the other Our
Lady, Queen of the Holy Rosary."
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The focus of AWC includes the following:
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Imitation and veneration of St. Thomas Aquinas himself
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Imitation of St. Thomas' life long chastity
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Study of the special connection of Thomas' chastity with all his
other infused and acquired virtues
In order to attain this focus, the following need to be understood:
a) The young St. Thomas, a teenager, is the subject of AWC devotion.
Together with the teenagers of today, he faces opposition to religious
vocation, misunderstanding by parents, worldly example of brothers and
sisters, opportunity for wealth and ease of life, unchaste temptations
(to sexual immorality). Thomas also shares with teenagers their
wonderment, inquisitive spirit, passion for exact knowledge, willingness
to be totally absorbed in problems. Our Thomas is not the mature
theologian and intellectual giant.
b) Chastity is the key to St. Thomas' marvelous wisdom and charity.
c) The AWC aims at the veneration and imitation of St. Thomas'
chastity. Here, we note the important words of John Chrysostom that
"we ought not to praise the saints unless we are prepared to
imitate them".
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Membership into the AWC is open to all teenagers and young people who
are baptized Christians, and fervently desire to be outstanding in
purity as a witness to the world in the way of St. Thomas. It is
desirable that members be at least in their last years of primary school
(primary 5 or 6) The AWC is a Confraternity of the Dominican
Order. Thus, it is an association of lay people who are joined together
by a special gift of God in the apostolic spirit of St. Dominic. Besides
taking very seriously their personal sanctification and holiness, they
must aim to achieve their salvation and that of others by the profession
of the evangelical life according to their state in life (LCO 149, I).
It is the duty and concern of the AWC as a Dominican confraternity, to
foster renewal of Christian life among God's people, especially in the
area of chastity, serve the spiritual welfare of young and old, and
provide collaboration with the Order in some particulars apostolate. The
organization and government of the AWC is determined by their own rule
which is according to the legislation of Canon Law for lay
confraternities and associations. The AWC is intended to be organized
with officers and regular meetings. Private members may also be admitted
without affiliation to any AWC group. An official register must be kept
wherever the AWC is canonically established. Valid and actual membership
consist necessarily in having one's name registered in the official book
of the confraternity. All such members share the benefits of the AWC.
The ritual for solemn enrolment is not required for valid reception into
the AWC. It is most desirable that some ceremony be held when a group of
young boys and girls is being enrolled.
- St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron of AWC.
- There is no prayer obligation attached to membership in the
AWC.
The rosary and the 2 prayers for purity (indulgenced for members) are
highly recommended as special devotions of the AWC,
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Members of the Confraternity share, during their lives and after
their death, in the graces of the entire Order of Preachers (the
Dominicans), including their good works, spiritual goods, and prayers.
These graces are supernatural helps from God for us to succeed in our
intention of being pure.
Members of the Angelic Warfare also receive many indulgences, which
are pardons of the temporal punishments still left from sins after the
priest has absolved you in Confession. In other words, through
indulgences you can get time off from purgatory after your death!
Indulgences are granted on the day of your enrollment in the
Confraternity, and for attending monthly meetings of your local Angelic
Warfare Chapter.
By attaining personal purity you free yourself to become stronger in
the other virtues Pope Pius XI said in the encyclical Studiorum Ducem:
"If anyone refrains from bodily delights in order more freely to
yield himself to the contemplation of truth, this belongs to the
rectitude (correctness) of reason."
This means that our own personal purity will be a powerful weapon in
the midst of a corrupt world. Our chastity will enable us to better
fight the evils of this world, and especially to stop abortion.
An additional benefit of joining the confraternity is that you can
become friends with other members in local Angelic Warfare Chapters, and
strengthen each other as believers in purity in a very impure world.
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A. MEMBERS PROMISE TO GUARD HOLY PURITY.
As members we are careful to lead a chaste life, which means being
sexually moral. (Do not confuse "chastity" with
"celibacy". A celibate is a person who chooses not to get
married. For example, priests are called to observe celibacy.) Sexual
morality (chastity) is a virtue for all people, whether young or old,
single or married. When a person willfully looks at impure pictures, he
is not being chaste. When a married couple violates the church's
teaching against using contraceptives, they are also being unchaste.
Chastity is a virtue which we must practice as individuals as well as in
relationships with others.
B. MEMBERS PROMISE TO SEEK THE TRUTH.
Members try to have a deeper understanding of their Catholic faith,
as taught by the living Magisterium. We must be ready and willing to
accept the truth, and apply it to our lives, no matter what the cost.
"Our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something
real and active, only by this can we be certain that we are children of
the truth." (1 John 4:18-19)
C. MEMBERS PROMISE TO HONOUR ST. THOMAS AQUINAS AS THEIR PATRON.
St. John Chrysostom tells us that we ought not to praise the Saints
unless we are prepared to imitate them. Thus, when we honour St. Thomas
we ought to imitate his virtuous life.
D. MEMBERS PROMISE TO HONOUR OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY.
Of course, the Blessed Virgin Mary is "Our Lady of the
Rosary," and the best way to honour her under that title is to pray
the Rosary which is a very powerful weapon for purity. Members also
honour Mary as "Our Lady of the Rosary" by praying to her
using that title and encouraging others also to pray to Mary.
E. MEDAL OF THE ANGELIC WARFARE CONFRATERNITY:
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 Two angels gird Saint Thomas
Aquinas with a cord of purity
which becomes the border.
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 Our Lady of the Rosary,
symbolized by the Moon, holds
the Sun of Justice, (Christ),
the Rosary serving as border.
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"Young persons exert very important influence in modern society.
They should become the first to carry on the apostolate directly to
other young persons, concentrating their apostolic efforts within their
own circle, according to the needs of the social environment in which
they live." Pope Paul VI; Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity;
Second Vatican Council
Thomas Aquinas has a special attraction for young people since he
himself Was a teenager at the time he was tempted by the prostitute.
Like many young adults Thomas faced opposition to his vocation,
misunderstandings with his parents, and temptations to be impure. But
young Thomas emerged as a hero, coming through his tests victoriously,
finding happiness in the truth of faith and reason. Members of the
Angelic Warfare not only seek to imitate Thomas' life, but they also
confidently pray to him as a friend who knows their troubles, and with
Thomas' help they too can come through their tests courageously.
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Enrollment in the Confraternity consists of signing and sending
in the Enrollment Form on the other side.
Sacramentals are visible signs which dispose the user to be
receptive to God's graces. Members of the Angelic Warfare must wear a
sacramental of the Confraternity, either the medal or the cord.
A. The medal has St. Thomas on one side and the sun and the moon on
the other. On the St. Thomas side, two angels are pictured as bearers of
God's help, girding Thomas with a cord signifying chastity. The sun and
the moon on the other side of the medal represent Jesus and His mother,
Mary. The sun is held in the moon, symbolizing the Incarnation of God
through Mary.
B. The cord is worn around the waist and reminds us that we are the
temples of the Holy Spirit: "Fly fornication. Every sin that a man
doth, is without the body; but he that commits fornication, sinneth
against his own body. Or know you not, that your members are the temple
of the Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have from God; and you are not
your own? For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in
your body." (1 Corinthians 6)
The cord has 15 small knots, a reminder of the mysteries of the
Rosary. Each of the knots has three twists, signifying the Holy Trinity
and the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. A loop is
made at one end of the cord. The two strands coming from the loop
represent the natural and supernatural life in us. The supernatural life
should dominate without destroying the natural life. The supernatural is
so infused into the natural that there is really only one life, as the
long single strand represents. This supernatural life leads us to God,
represented by the circular loop.
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The Angelic Warfare Confraternity is designed to be organized into
informal Chapters with officers and regular meetings. At meetings
members learn about the Confraternity, discuss problems of impurity and
suggest constructive ways of fighting these problems, Some Chapters
organize to give presentations on chastity at schools and churches.
Other Chapters fight abortion, which is caused by impurity, by
demonstrating at abortion centres, and by offering alternatives to
abortion to women at the abortuaries. Of course additional benefits of
being in an Angelic Warfare Chapter are the lifelong friendships that
members develop with each other. Although the Angelic Warfare is
designed to be organized as local Chapters, members who cannot attend
Chapter meetings may be active in the Confraternity as individual
members.
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