This is a trick question. After all, we are talking about pure spirits who are without bodies and therefore do not have the limitations that we have.
Angels do not move like we do. They aren’t bogged down by a sandy beach or bullied by strong winds or blocked by a wall. Instead of physically running from place to place, as we must, they are present wherever they choose to be, or in other words, wherever their will is acting.
Their presence, then, can be instantaneous.
St. Thomas Aquinas says, “An angel can be in one place in one instant and in another place in the next instant, without any time intervening.”So, according to our understanding of “fast”—that is, moving from one place to another as quickly as possible—the angels are indeed fast.
We all believe in the angels, but how much do we really know about them? What are they really like? Do we understand them as well as we think? How many angels are there? How do they affect us? Get answers to your questions in His Angels At Our Side. In this fascinating book, author Fr. John Horgan introduces the Church’s teachings on these supernatural beings. You’ll learn about what they do, how they can help bring you closer to God, why the bad angels didn’t “get a second chance,” and so much more! Available today at The Catholic Company!