St. Monica

St. Monica was born in 331 A.D. in Tagaste, present-day Algeria, to a Christian family. From an early age, she was known for her piety and devotion to God. When she was very young, she was married to Patricius, a Roman pagan who shared his mother's violent temper. The couple lived with Patricius' mother, and the duo's temper flares proved to be a constant challenge to young Monica. Despite the difficult circumstances of her marriage, Monica remained steadfast in her Christian faith and continued to practice her religion with devotion. While Monica's prayers and Christian deeds bothered Patricius, he is said to have respected her beliefs and allowed her to practice her faith, though he did not share her religious convictions.

Monica and Patricius had three children: Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua. Unfortunately, Monica was unable to baptize her children due to her husband's pagan beliefs. When Augustine fell seriously ill as a child, Monica pleaded with Patricius to allow their son to be baptized, fearing for his soul. Patricius reluctantly allowed the baptism, but when Augustine recovered, he withdrew his permission for any further Christian instruction. This situation caused Monica great distress, as she was deeply concerned about the spiritual welfare of her children. For years, Monica prayed fervently for her husband and mother-in-law, hoping for their conversion to Christianity. Her persistent prayers and gentle example eventually bore fruit, and one year before Patricius' death, she successfully converted both her husband and mother-in-law to the Christian faith.

As time passed, Perpetua and Navigius entered the religious life, bringing Monica great joy. However, Augustine, her eldest son, became lazy and uncouth, which greatly worried his mother. When Patricius died, Monica sent the 17-year-old Augustine to Carthage for schooling, hoping that education would help him develop better character. However, while in Carthage, Augustine became a Manichaean, a major religion that saw the world as divided between light and darkness. According to Manichaean beliefs, when one died, they were removed from the world of matter and returned to the world of light, which is where life comes from. This conversion to Manichaeanism was a great blow to Monica, who had hoped her son would embrace Christianity.

After Augustine completed his education and returned home, he shared his new views with Monica, who was so distressed by his rejection of Christianity that she drove him from her table. Though it is not recorded how much time passed, Monica had a vision that convinced her to reconcile with her wayward son. She went to a bishop for guidance, who told her, "the child of those tears shall never perish." Inspired by these words, Monica followed Augustine to Rome, where she learned he had left for Milan. She continued her pursuit and eventually came upon St. Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, who helped her convert Augustine to Christianity following his seventeen-year resistance to the faith. Augustine's conversion was a great triumph for Monica, who had prayed and wept for her son's salvation for many years.

When Monica moved to Milan, Bishop Ambrose told her that wine "might be an occasion of gluttony for those who were already given to drink," so she stopped preparing wine as offerings for the saints. Augustine later wrote in his Confessions about Monica's habit of bringing "to certain oratories, erected in the memory of the saints, offerings of porridge, bread, water and wine." He also wrote: "In place of a basket filled with fruits of the earth, she had learned to bring to the oratories of the martyrs a heart full of purer petitions, and to give all that she could to the poor - so that the communion of the Lord's body might be rightly celebrated in those places where, after the example of his passion, the martyrs had been sacrificed and crowned." After a period of six months, Augustine was baptized in the church of St. John the Baptist at Milan. The pair were led to believe they should spread the Word of God to Africa, but in the Roman city of Civitavecchia, Monica passed away. Augustine recorded the words she imparted upon him when she realized death was near: "Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled." She was buried at Ostia, and her body was later moved to a hidden crypt in the church of Santa Aurea in Ostia, near the tomb of St. Aurea of Ostia. In 1430, Pope Martin V ordered her relics to be brought to Rome, and many miracles were reported to have occurred along the way. Later, Cardinal d'Estouteville built a church to honor St. Augustine called the Basilica di Sant'Agostino, where her relics were placed in a chapel to the left of the high altar.

Liturgical Celebration

The feast of St. Monica is celebrated on August 27th, during the summer season when the Church reflects on the themes of growth and harvest. This feast is celebrated as a memorial in the Roman Catholic Church, recognizing Monica's importance as the patron saint of mothers and a model of persevering prayer. The feast falls during a time when many families are together on vacation, making it an ideal time to remember Monica's example of maternal love and the importance of family prayer. The feast provides an opportunity to honor Monica's memory and to reflect on the importance of prayer, patience, and faith in our family relationships.

Traditions and Customs

On the feast day of St. Monica, many people participate in special prayers and devotions to honor her memory and seek her intercession. Churches hold special Masses and services, particularly those with a focus on family ministry. Many mothers and families gather to pray for their children and loved ones, asking for St. Monica's intercession in helping to bring wayward family members back to the faith. The day is also marked by prayers for families and for the strengthening of family bonds, asking for St. Monica's help in building stronger, more faith-filled families. Many people also take time to reflect on their own family relationships and to pray for the grace to be better witnesses of Christ in their homes. The feast is also a time to reflect on how we can incorporate Monica's virtues of patience, perseverance, and faith into our daily family life.

Prayer and Devotion

The feast day is an excellent time to pray for the gift of patience and the ability to persevere in prayer for our loved ones. Many people make special petitions for their families and for the conversion of wayward children or family members, asking for St. Monica's intercession in helping to bring them back to the faith. The day is also a time to reflect on the importance of family prayer and to pray for the strength to be better witnesses of Christ in our homes. St. Monica's feast day encourages us to remember that we are all called to pray for our families and to never give up hope, no matter how difficult the circumstances may seem. It is also a time to pray for the grace to be patient and loving in our family relationships, following Monica's example of gentle but firm Christian witness.