Saintly Saturday - St. Monica

    

A Christian herself, St. Monica, or Monica of Hippo, was given in marriage to the Roman and pagan, Patricius. Though bothered by her charitable deeds, prayers, and Christian life, the man respected her beliefs, and three children were born to them, the most famously known being St. Augustine of Hippo. Both Patricius and his mother, who lived with them, possessed violent tempers. For many years, Monica gave herself to patient prayer that they might be converted, and by God’s grace, her husband was baptized a year before his death.

But this was not the end of her problems, for Augustine, who was just seventeen at the time, was straying very far. To her great distress, he even embraced the Manichean heresy. After this, she turned him out. A vision, reassuring the mother that her son would be converted, drew her to reconciliation with him. From then on, she followed him to Milan, all the while chasing him with the fervent prayers, fasts, and tears, which she daily offered for her son’s conversion. God heard the pleas of His faithful daughter, and to Monica’s joy, Augustine eventually embraced the Truth. Soon after, Monica grew ill and passed away.

We celebrate the saintly mother’s feast on August 27th.

St. Monica, pray for us!

    Other feasts we celebrate this week include: Pope St. Pius X (21st), St. Rose of Lima (23rd), St. Bartholomew (24th), St. Louis of France (25th), and St. Joseph of Calasanz (26th).