St. Christopher Ladies Guild Woman of the Month

Saint Monica (Feast Day August 27)

Most of us will fall to our knee many times in this life in prayer for a wayward family member. Whether for a child, a sibling, a spouse or a parent, it’s a common and painful scenario. The beseeching often seems unanswered and endless. It’s hard to persevere with hope. Saint Monica is our model and our inspiration.

Monica was born in the north African town of Thagaste in 331 A.D. She was reared in a wealthy Christian family and developed a strong and active faith. Her family gave her in marriage to a government official, Patricius, who was a pagan and very difficult man. She had three children, Navigius, Perpetua, and Augustine. Her husband forbade her to have the children baptized. Eventually, through prayer and patience, Monica won over her husband who converted on his deathbed. Navigius and Perpetua were baptized, but Augustine refused and moved away from his Catholic faith. Augustine was ambitious, restless, and reckless. He was a known womanizer. Monica called him “the son of so many tears.” But Monica continued praying for him and remained close to him, even moving to Milan, Italy where Augustine had become a renowned professor of rhetoric. She became friends there with Bishop Ambrose who’s influence finally led to Augustine’s conversion at age 32 after 17 years of Monica’s prayers. Monica and Augustine decided to return to Africa to nurture a Christian community there. While waiting for a ship to arrive in Ostia, Italy, Augustine and Monica spent days in intense spiritual dialogue and experienced a vision which he later described in his famous work, Confessions. Monica fell ill and died in Ostia a few days later in 387. Her body was buried there in the church of Sant’Aurea.

Monica could scarce have anticipated how her prayers would reverberate down through the ages. Her son became one of Christianity’s most influential theologians, and a saint and doctor of the Church. His writings continue to inspire and inform the faith lives of countless Catholics, even the first American born pope. Pope Leo XIV belongs to the Order of St. Augustine and frequently quotes from his books Confessions and City of God in his homilies. Pope Leo has stated that St. Augustine is his great friend and companion on the Way of Christ. “I am a son of St. Augustine,” he says. He has Saint Monica to thank for that.

Works Consulted

“St.Monica” faith.nd.edu
“St.Monica, Mother of St. Augustine” vaticannews.va