Saint Monica
August 27
Saint Monica born to Christian parents around 332, was given in marriage to Patricius, a pagan, from her hometown of Tagaste in North Africa. Patricius was quite immoral and was also said to have a violent temper. He condemned Monica because of her charity and piety. Monica could have succumbed to his difficult nature and lashed back at him, but instead chose to live her life without complaint and pray for her husband’s conversion. Her persistence succeeded in bringing him to baptism. Patricius died in 371, one year after his baptism.
The oldest of Monica’s children Augustine was 17 when his father died. At the time Augustine was a student in Carthage, here he renounced the Christian faith he had been brought up in to follow the Manichean heresy. This along with Augustine’s immoral lifestyle distressed Monica, as she feared for her son’s immortal soul. She spent most of the remainder of her life praying that Augustine would return to the faith.
Wherever Augustine went, Monica followed him. It was in Milan where he went to teach grammar, that he heard the preaching of Bishop Ambose, who along with the faithful prayers of his mother Monica, led him to convert and to be baptized. Augustine went on to be not only a Bishop, but a Doctor of the Church. His feast day "God-incidentally" is the day after his mother’s.
Almost all we know about St. Monica is in the writings of St. Augustine, especially his Confessions. She is the patron Saint of married women and mothers.
Saint Monica Pray for Us
Apostleship of Prayer
Fr. James Kubicki, S.J
Coincidence or "God" Incidence
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please visit Lynn's Timeless Treasures .
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art
Saint Monica - Benozzo Gozzoli
Saint Monica - Luis Tristan de Esamilla
Saint Monica - Andrea del Verrocchio
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