Thursday, 03 May 2012 08:45

By Elizabeth Goenner
It’s a Thursday evening and Father Curtis Robertson sits behind his desk at St. Francis of Assisi parish, quietly working on his computer.
Suddenly shouting and a fit of hysterical laughter erupt from the basement. But rather than become upset, Fr. Curtis smiles. It’s a typical meeting of the Angels of the Holy Queen.
“No matter how the week is going, Angels always lightens the mood,” said Fr. Curtis, their chaplain.
Angels of the Holy Queen is a group of high school and college-age girls who have solid friendships based on Christ. It was founded in 2002 by a group of young women and priests who wanted to establish a group of girls to be the mirror image of the boy’s group, Knights of the Holy Queen.
The group has changed a lot since it first began. Angels was originally named Angelae Sanctae Reginae, which is Latin for Angels of the Holy Queen. At that time the group was small, with around 10 members.
“I liked Angels because it was able to give us a Marian devotion in our lives, accountability, and a grounding in the faith,” said Christina Brouillette, one of the original members. “It also gave me great friendships, many of which I still keep today.”
Faith and friendship continue to be important to current Angels.
“I like Angels because I get to meet awesome new people who have many of the same goals in life,” said current member Therese Burns. “It’s also spiritually fulfilling.”
Part of the faith aspect is the 33-day consecration to Mary. The consecration is a period of deep spiritual growth in which one takes the next step closer to Christ. Since 2003, 105 members have been consecrated to Mary.
Friendship is another important part of Angels because it establishes the bonds that hold the group together and provides accountability from one member to the next. Young women in Angels are encouraged to not only form friendships with one another, but also with Christ.
“I love that we came together to share our lives,” said Franciscan Sister Sophia Grace, a former leader of Angels. “We had a million laughs and some tears but we didn’t have to worry about being anyone but ourselves.”
Emily Savage, a seven-year member and current leader of Angels, enjoys this aspect of the group, and wants each member to experience the two-fold mission of Angels: to provide an environment where each member can be herself and to know and experience the love of God.