Contents
- 1 AUGNET : 1113 Monica’s death
- 2 Saint Monica – Wikipedia
- 3 Life
- 4 Veneration
- 5 In popular culture
- 6 Gallery
- 7 References
- 8 Bibliography
- 9 External links
- 10 Saint Monica
- 11 St. Monica – Saints & Angels
- 12 CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Saint Monica
- 13 Sources
- 14 About this page
- 15 Liturgical Year : Activities : The Death of St. Monica
- 16 5 Facts About the Great St. Monica That Will Inspire You to Never Give Up Hope –
- 16.0.1 1) St. Monica’s example converted her husband and mother-in-law
- 16.0.2 2) She prayed for St. Augustine for 17 years before his conversion
- 16.0.3 3) She felt discouraged, but never gave up
- 16.0.4 4) She knew her purpose in life
- 16.0.5 5) She is the patron saint of wives, mothers, conversions, alcoholics and abuse victims
- 16.0.6 St. Monica, pray for us!
- 17 Our Patron / St. Monica — St. Monica Catholic Church
- 18 Source
- 19 Saint Monica, Widow
AUGNET : 1113 Monica’s death
Monica died at Ostia, Italy, around the end of the year 387. Monica died while she and Augustine were at the port town of Ostialate in the year 387, while they were on their way to Rome. Augustine had hoped to sail back to Africa with Monica, his mother, and several of his friends, but shipping had come to a halt due to a civil conflict in the country where he lived. September and his mother were deafeningly quiet after their magical experience of pleasure, happiness, and peace had faded. As if she had a premonition of her own impending death, Monica subsequently turned to face her son and remarked, “As for me, as far as I’m concerned, I’m no longer enjoying this existence.
Do not let your concern over it to interfere with your life.
She was genuinely unconscious one day, regained consciousness the next day, but was completely disoriented as to her surroundings.
“Bury your mother here,” Augustine’s brother, Navigius, instructed her, to which she responded, “Bury your mother here.” After that, Navigius inquired as to whether his mother would like to be buried in her native nation of North Africa.
- She died on the 13th of November 387 at Ostia, possibly as a result of a fever caused by malaria, which was prevalent in the area at the time.
- But, thanks to a hard willpower effort, I managed to keep the tears at bay.
- However, she had not died in agony, and death was not the end of her story.
- Specifically, he stated that this was the custom in Italy, and he hinted that this was not the custom in Africa.
- AN1113
Saint Monica – Wikipedia
SaintMonica | |
---|---|
Saint MonicabyBenozzo Gozzoli, 1464–65 | |
Born | c. 332Thagaste,Numidia Cirtensis,Western Roman Empire(present daySouk Ahras,Algeria) |
Died | 387Ostia, Western Roman Empire |
Venerated in | Roman Catholic ChurchEastern Orthodox ChurchAnglican Communion,Oriental Orthodox Church, andLutheranism |
Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
Majorshrine | Basilica of Sant’Agostino, Rome, Italy |
Feast | 27 August (Latin Church,Church of England,Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod) 4 May (pre-1969General Roman Calendar,Eastern Orthodox Church,Eastern Catholic Churches,Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,Episcopal Church in the United States of America) |
Patronage | Married women; Difficult marriages; disappointing children; victims of adultery or unfaithfulness; victims of (verbal) abuse; and conversion of relatives; alcoholics;Manaoag, Pangasinan;Philippines;Don Galo,Parañaque,Philippines;Santa Monica, California, United States;Saint Monica University, Buea, Cameroon;Pinamungajan,Cebu,Philippines; St. Monique Valais,Binangonan,Rizal;Santa Monica Parish Church (Angat),Bulacan;Mexico, Pampanga;Minalin, Pampanga; Sta. Monica Parish Church,Pavia, Iloilo; Sta. Monica Parish Church,Hamtic, Antique; Sta. Monica Parish Church,Panay, Capiz; Barangay Julugan,Tanza, Cavite |
Saint Monica (c. 332 – 387) was an early North African Christian saint who was also the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo. She was born in North Africa. Despite the fact that her feast days are different in the Catholic and Orthodox churches, she is remembered and honored in both for her outstanding Christian virtues, particularly the suffering caused by her husband’s adultery, and for her prayerful life dedicated to the reformation of her son, who wrote extensively about her pious acts and life with her in his Confessions.
Saint Monica is said to have wept every night for her son Augustine, according to popular Christian mythology.
Life
Thagaste is where Monica is presumed to have been born (present-daySouk Ahras,Algeria). On the basis of her given name, it is assumed that she was a Berber woman. She was married at a young age to Patricius, a Roman pagan who had a high-ranking position in the city of Thagaste at the time. Patricius had a fiery temper and appeared to be a person of dissolute habits; it appears that his mother was the same way as Patricius. Monica’s charity, actions, and devotion habits reportedly irritated Patricius, yet it is believed that he always regarded her with admiration and reverence.
- She had two boys, Augustine and Navigius, and one daughter, “Perpetua” of Hippo.
- Once being distraught for a long time, she approached Patricius and requested that Augustine be baptized; he consented, but then retracted his approval after the boy healed.
- He was ultimately assigned to Madauros High School.
- Augustine had transformed himself into a Manichaean at Carthage.
- Her vision, on the other hand, is claimed to have persuaded her to seek reconciliation with him.
- Here she met Ambrose, and it was through him that she was able to witness Augustine’s conversion to Christianity after 17 years of defiance.
According to Augustine, she had learned to bring to the martyrs’ oratories a heart full of purer petitions, as well as all that she could to the poor – in order that the communion of the Lord’s body might be properly celebrated in those places where, following his example, martyrs had been sacrificed and crowned.— Confessions of a Martyr (Confessions of a Martyr) 6.2.2 Monica and her son Augustine were baptized by Ambrose in the church of St.
John the Baptist in Milan after spending six months in peace in Rus Cassiciacum (present-day Cassisago Brianza).
Monica and Augustine went for Africa, and they embarked on their voyage, making stops inCivitavecchia and Ostia along the route. Monica died at this place, and Augustine’s grief served as the inspiration for his Confessions.
Veneration
Saint Monica was buried at Ostia and at first seemed to have been nearly forgotten, however her remains was transported to a concealed vault in the church ofSanta Aurea in Ostia around the 6th century. Saint Aurea of Ostia’s tomb is located near Monica’s gravesite. Her grave was eventually moved to the Basilica of Sant’Agostino in Rome, where she is still interred. Monica’s epitaph was written by Anicius Auchenius Bassus, and it has survived in old manuscripts as a tribute to her memory. The exact stone on which it was inscribed was uncovered in the church of Santa Aurea in the summer of 1945, and it is now on display there.
- The following is a translation from the Latin by Douglas Boin: “Here the most pious mother of a young man laid her ashes, a second light to your qualities, Augustine,” the translation says.
- You are both crowned with a grandeur greater than the recognition of your achievements — Mother of the Virtues, who has been blessed with more children than she could have imagined.
- Monica, on the other hand, began to expand throughout the 13th century, and a feast day in her honor was established on 4 May.
- There are several reports of miracles occurring while traveling, and the religion of St.
- Guillaume d’Estouteville, the archbishop of Rouen at the time, dedicated a cathedral in Rome to St.
- Monica in a chapel to the left of the altar.
- Monica does not appear to have found a home in the Roman Breviary until the 19th century, according to historical evidence.
- A number of primary schools were established by the nuns as well.
- Since the closure of the Hilversum convent, City of God, in 2014, the sisters’ two remaining facilities are Utrecht, a rest home for the elderly, and Casella, a woodland retreat outside Hilversum, where young people can still come for a meditation sojourn.
- Monica is the inspiration for the city of Santa Monica in California.
- It was really San Gregorio in his diary, according to Cresp, who gave the location its name.
Santa Monica. It was constructed in 1934 and is located in Santa Monica’s Palisades Park, where a monument of this saint was erected by artist Eugene Morahan. Monica is commemorated in the Church of England with a Lesser Festival on August 27th, in her honor.
In popular culture
When Patricia McGerr wrote My Brothers, Remember Monica: A Novel of the Mother of Augustine in 1964, she was attempting to fictionalize her biography. Saint Monica is played by Italian actress Monica Guerritore in the filmRestless Heart: The Confessions of Saint Augustine, which was released in 2010. The role of Saint Monica in the conversion of her son Saint Augustine is dramatized in the oratorioLa conversione di Sant’Agostino(1750), composed by Johann Adolph Hasse (libretto by Duchess Maria Antonia of Bavaria), in which the role of Saint Monica in the conversion of her son Saint Augustine is dramatized.
Gallery
- The Marriage of Saint Monica by Antonio Vivarini, 1441
- A statue of St. Monica on the façade of a former Augustinian church in Tábor, Czech Republic, ca. 1700
- The Marriage of Saint Monica by Antonio Vivarini, 1441
- The Angel Appearing to Saint Monica, by Pietro Maggi, 1714
- Fresco by Simon Benedikt Faistenberger, 1749
- The Angel Appearing to Saint Monica, by Pietro Maggi, 1714
References
- The Berbers, by Michael Brett and Elizabeth Fentress, is a novel set in Morocco. Wiley-Blackwell, 1997, p. 71
- Power, Kim (1999), “Family, Relatives,” pp. 353–54 in Augustine through the ages: an encyclopedia, Wiley-Blackwell, 1997, p. 71. Allan D. Fitzgerald is an American businessman and author (ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, ISBN 978-0-8028-3843-8
- AbcMedia, Franciscan University of Steubenville (2016-08-27). “Saint Monica” is a Christian saint. Franciscan Media is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the Franciscan faith. Retrieved on the 26th of June, 2020
- Confessions 6.2.2
- Abc”Church of Sant’Aurea”. Ostia-Antica.org. abcPaula A. Scott,Santa Monica: a history on the edge (University of California Press, 2000), 124
- AbcPeter Brown,Augustine of Hippo: A Biography, Revised Edition with a New Epilogue (University of California Press, 2000), 124
- AbcPeter Brown, Augustine of Hippo: A Biography, Revised Edition with a New Epilogue (University of California Press, 2000), 124
- Arcadia Publishing’s Making of America series (Arcadia Publishing, 2004), pages 17-18
- “Santa Monica Sculpture.” You Are Here.com, n.d. Retrieved March 14, 2011
- “The Calendar.” The Church of England, n.d. Retrieved March 14, 2011. Patricia McGerr (1964), My Brothers, Remember Monica:A Novel of the Mother of Augustine, New York: P. J. Kenedy
- Smither, Howard E. (2001), The Mother of Augustine: A Novel, New York: P. J. Kenedy
- (1977-01-01). The Oratorio’s illustrious past. Books published by UNC Press (ISBN 978-0-8078-1274-7)
- Bidart, Frank (1983). The Paris Review is a publication that publishes critical essays about the city of Paris.
Bibliography
- In addition to Volker Schier and Corine Schleif’s Opening the Geese Book: The Feast of Saint Monica, published in 2018
- Peter Brown’s Augustine of Hippo: A Biography: New Edition with an Epilogue published in Berkeley by the University of California Press in 2000
- Everett Ferguson’s Encyclopedia of Early Christianity published by Taylor and Francis in 1998, p. 776
- And John J. O’Meara’s The Young Augustine: The Growth of St. Augustine
External links
- Charles Herbermann is the editor of this book (1913). “St. Monica.” Catholic Encyclopedia, 19th edition. Robert Appleton Company
- Saint MonicaatEWTN
- Saint Monicaat Sacred Texts
- New York: Robert Appleton Company
Saint Monica
The Life of Saint Monica St. Monica’s life circumstances could have easily turned her into a nagging wife, a spiteful daughter-in-law, or a despondent parent, but she refused to succumb to any of these temptations and instead chose to be a saint. Her parents, despite the fact that she was a Christian, tied her up in marriage with a pagan named Patricius, who resided in her village of Tagaste in North Africa. Patricius has some redeeming characteristics, yet he possessed a strong temper and was a licentious individual.
- Patricius scolded his wife for her charitable and religious activities, but he always admired and appreciated her.
- Her spouse died in 371, just a year after his baptism, according to the Bible.
- The most well-known of these is Augustine, who is the oldest.
- Monica was distraught when she discovered that her son had subscribed to the Manichean heresy—”all flesh is evil”—and was leading an immoral lifestyle.
- Augustine would eventually return to the religion, and she saw a vision one night that confirmed her prediction.
- In fact, she frequently lingered far closer to Augustine than he desired.
- Monica was adamant about going through with it.
Instead, he embarked on a voyage to Rome.
When she arrived in Rome, she discovered that he had already gone for Milan.
When Augustine arrived in Milan, he came under the influence of the bishop, St.
She listened to his advise in everything and had the humility to give up some practices that had become second nature to her over the course of time.
During Augustine’s years of schooling, she continued to pray for him in her heart.
Ambrose on Easter Sunday in 387.
Monica was aware that her life was on the verge of ending, even if no one else was aware of it.
“I’m at a loss for what there is left for me to accomplish or why I’m still here, given that all of my dreams for this world have now been realized.” She fell ill immediately after and suffered horribly for nine days before succumbing to her injuries.
Monica comes from St.
Reflection With Google searches, online buying, text messaging, tweets, and immediate credit, we don’t have much tolerance for things that take time these days.
Monica exemplifies the virtue of patience.
Saint Monica is the patron saint of the following: alcoholics, converts, mothers, and wives.
Click here for more on Saint Monica!
The 27th of August is Memorial Day. White is the liturgical color. Patron The patron saint of unhappy marriages, housewives, and moms Her brilliant son would not have converted if she had not set an example of continual prayer for him. The majority of female saints who lived during the first few centuries of the Church were virgins, martyrs, or a combination of the two. The majority of female saints from the medieval and contemporary periods are nuns, particularly foundresses of religious organizations.
- The mothers of kings, emperors, and other canonized saints are, with a few notable exceptions, the mothers of kings, emperors, and other canonized saints.
- She was reared in a Catholic family in a long-extinct Christian North Africa, most likely in the little town of Tagaste in modern-day Algeria, where she was raised in a Catholic household.
- As a result, while she was born in ancient times, just after the Council of Nicea, her family’s faith is thought to have originated with the earliest waves of African Christianity, centuries before the Council of Nicea.
- No mother can be reduced to what she means to her children, yet so much about Monica’s life is known because of her son Augustine, who was the sole source of information about Monica’s life.
- Monica is always worried about, and ever present to, Augustine’s well-being and happiness.
- When Augustine is about to go on his journey to Italy from the port of Carthage, he is startled to find that his mother would be accompanying him on the journey.
- She, on the other hand, is tenacious.
As a result, she tracks him down in Milan, where she eventually moves in with him and his buddies.
He was a tough guy, and he died young, leaving her a widow at the age of forty.
And it was there that Augustine made the grave and long-lasting moral and theological mistakes that would come to define the fundamental drama of Monica’s life.
“Get back home,” for example, is one of them.
She sobbed, she prayed, and she fasted to show her sorrow.
Monica had a vision as she was going through her spiritual difficulties and sorrows because of Augustine.
A brilliant, fluorescent entity instructed her to wipe her tears because “your kid is with you,” according to the being.
He reacted by saying that, absolutely, they could be together if she would simply give up her religious beliefs.
He informed me that you were present.” Augustine was never the same after hearing her succinct and intelligent response.
It was through Augustine’s repentance and baptism that the seed of her prayers began to bear fruit, and he eventually returned to North Africa to serve as a Christian missionary.
Having completed her purpose in life, Saint Monica died in her late fifties in the Roman port of Ostia, while she was awaiting the ship that would take her over the Mediterranean to Africa.
She stated that she was content to be buried wherever she died since “nothing is too far away from God.” Her relics are presently housed at the Basilica of Saint Augustine, which is located in the heart of Rome.
Your prayers, pilgrimages, fasts, and speeches were all fruitful, but only after a great deal of heartache and sacrifice.
As you are worried for the immortal souls of people who are near to us, please assist us in feeling the same way. Further Reading: Sanctoral Franciscan Media Wikipedia (for more information).
St. Monica – Saints & Angels
Mother to St. Augustine of Hippo, Saint Monica, commonly known as Monica of Hippo, is also known as Monica of Rome. She was born in the year 331 A.D. in Tagaste, which is now in the country of Algeria. In her childhood, she was married off to the Roman pagan Patricius, who had his mother’s harsh temper and was the father of his two children. Patricius’ mother resided with the couple, and the pair’s tendency to lose their cool proved to be a continual source of frustration for Monica. Patricius was supposed to have been concerned by Monica’s prayers and Christian actions, but he was claimed to have respected her religious views.
- Monica and Patricius had three children.
- Patricius agreed, and Monica and her children were baptized.
- Monica prayed for her husband and mother-in-law for years, and ultimately, one year before Patricius’ death, she was successful in winning them over to Christianity.
- Unfortunately for them, Augustine grew sluggish and boorish.
- While in Carthage, Augustine converted to Manichaeism, which was a major religion that believed that the world was divided into two parts: light and darkness.
- After Augustine finished his study and came home, he discussed his thoughts with Monica, who yanked him away from the table in displeasure.
- In response, Monica sought the advice of a bishop, who assured her that “the child of those tears shall never perish.” Monica was moved and decided to follow Augustine to Rome, where she discovered that he had gone for Milan.
- Ambrose, who assisted her in persuading Augustine to accept Christianity after a seventeen-year period of opposition.
- Augustine’s book Confessions is available online.
As Augustine put it, “instead 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 properly celebrated in those places where the martyrs had been sacrificed and crowned after the example of his passion.” Augustine was baptized at the church of St.
John the Baptist in Milan, Italy, after a six-month period of preparation.
When she understood she was about to die, she spoke to Augustine and wrote down the words she said to him.
I’m not sure what else is there for me to accomplish or why I’m still here, given that all of my aspirations and dreams for this life have already been realized.” She was buried at Ostia, but her remains was transported during the 6th century to a concealed vault in the church of Santa Aurea in Osta, next to the tomb of St.
It was in 1430 that Pope Martin V ordered her relics to be transported to Rome, at which time a number of miracles were believed to have occurred.
In later years, Cardinal d’Estouteville constructed a church in honor of St. Augustine, which is now known as the Basilica di Sant’Agostino, where her relics are housed in a chapel to the left of the main altar.
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- Help Now Her burial epitaph was preserved in old documents, and the stone on which it was originally written was unearthed in the church of Santa Aurea in 1945, indicating that it was written on a stone.
- As a priest, you served the divine rules of peace and educated the individuals who had been entrusted to you about your own personal character.
- The Prayer of St.
- Monica.
- I’m in pain, I’m despairing, and I’m depressed.
- I need your help.
- Please join me in pleading with the Lord to pour forth His transforming grace into the lives of my kid.
- Amen.
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Saint Monica
Please consider making a donation to New Advent in order to receive the complete contents of this website as an immediate download. A single purchase of $19.99 provides access to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa Theologica, Bible, and other resources. Widow; born in 333 to Christian parents in Tagaste, North Africa; died in 387 in the town of Ostia, near Rome. We are only given a few details about her childhood. Patritius, who had a high-ranking post in Tagaste at the time of her marriage, was her first husband.
- As a result, Monica’s married life was far from cheerful, especially given the fact that Patritius’s mother appears to have been of a similar temperament to himself.
- Heralmsdeeds and her habits of prayer were among his pet peeves.
- This marriage produced three children: Augustine, the eldest, Navigius, the second, and a daughter, Perpetua.
- As a result of Monica’s inability to get baptism for her children, her sadness was tremendous when Augustine fell ill; in her anguish, she begged Patritius for permission for him to bebaptized; he consented, but once the kid recovered, he revoked his agreement.
- He was taken to Maduratoschool, and Monica appears to have engaged in an actual wrestling match with God for the soul of her son during that time.
- Meanwhile, Augustine had been transferred to Carthage to continue his studies, and it was while he was there that he became embroiled in a scandalous scandal.
- Augustine had become a Manichean while in Carthage, and when he returned home and voiced certainhereticalpropositions, she yanked him away from her table, but a bizarre vision she had seen had compelled her to restore him to her table.
Here she met St.
Father, mother, and son enjoyed six months in real tranquility at Cassiacum, following which Augustine was christened at Milan’s Church of St.
Africa, on the other hand, claimed them, and they started off on their voyage, stopping in Cività Vecchia and Ostia along the way.
Despite the fact that her remains was transported during the sixth century to a concealed tomb in the church of St.
Monica’s burial site at Ostia appears to have been almost completely forgotten for a long time.
Monica, on the other hand, began to expand in the thirteenth century, and a feast in her honor was held on the fourth of May.
It was during this journey that several miracles were performed, and the cult of St.
Later, the Archbishop of Rouen, Cardinal d’Estouteville, erected a cathedral at Rome in the honour of St.
Monica in a chapel to the left of the high altar, which is still in use today.
Monica, on the other hand, does not appear to have found a place in the Roman Breviary until the sixteenth century.
Monica, with the purpose of praying for their sons and spouses who had gone astray.
Eugenius IV had already created a Confraternity of a similar nature many years ago.
Sources
Please consider making a donation to New Advent in order to receive the complete contents of this website as an instant download as a thank you. A single purchase of $19.99 provides access to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa Theologica, Bible, and much more. Widow; born in 333 in Tagaste, North Africa, to Christian parents; died in 387 in Ostia, near Rome, of natural causes The details of her upbringing are sparse. Patritius, who held a high-ranking position in Tagaste, proposed to her when she was young.
- Because of this, Monica’s marriage was far from happy, especially considering that Patritius’s mother appears to have been of a similar temperament to himself.
- Heralmsdeeds and her habits of prayer were among the things that annoyed him.
- This marriage produced three children: Augustine, the eldest, Navigius, the second, and Perpetua, the youngest.
- Every one of Monica’s worries was now focused on Augustine, who had become disobedient and, as he himself admits, laziness.
- Patritius became a Christian, which was a great consolation for her, perhaps as a compensation for everything she had to go through with Augustine.
- As a Manichean during his time in Carthage, Augustine’s return home was met with hostility by his mother, who expelled him from her table after hearing him utter certain heretical propositions.
It was during this period that she sought the counsel of a certainholybishop, whose name is not given, but who consoled her with the now famous words, “the child of those tears shall never perish.” When it comes to the annals of the Saints, there is no more pathetic story than Monica’s pursuit of her wayward son to Rome, whether he had gone by stealth or not; when she arrived, he had already gone to Milan, but she followed him anyway.
- This is where she met St.
- Father, mother, and son spent six months in true peace at Cassiacum, following which Augustine was baptized in Milan’s Church of St.
- Eventually, they were drawn to Africa and embarked on their journey, stopping in Cività Vecchia and Ostia along the way.
- Despite the fact that her body was moved during the sixth century to a hidden crypt in the church of St.
- Monica’s burial site at Ostia appears to have been almost completely forgotten.
- Monica, on the other hand, began to spread around the thirteenth century, and a feast in her honor was held on the fourth of May every year.
- It was during this journey that numerous miracles were performed, and the cult of St.
A few years later, the Archbishop of Rouen, Cardinal d’Estouteville, built a church at Rome in the honour of St.
Monica in a chapel to the left of the high altar (see below).
Monica ever found its way into the Roman Breviary until the sixteenth century.
Monica, was established at Notre Dame de Sion in Paris in 1850.
As a result of its elevation to the rank of archconfraternity in 1856, this organization spread rapidly throughout the Catholic world, with branches opening in cities such asDublin, London, Liverpool, Sydney, and Buenos Aires.
Eugenius IV had already established a Confraternity of a similar nature many years earlier.
About this page
Citation in the APA style (1911). St. Monica is a saint who is venerated in the Catholic Church. It may be found in the Catholic Encyclopedia. The Robert Appleton Company is based in New York. citation. Hugh Pope’s biography. “St. Monica,” says the narrator. The Catholic Encyclopedia, 10th edition. The Robert Appleton Company published this book in New York in 1911. Transcription. Originally published in New Advent, this piece was transcribed by Paul T. Crowley. Mrs. Margaret Crowley was laid to rest today.
- Margaret Kenworthy’s maiden name is Kenworthy.
- On October 1, 1911, the United States entered World War I.
- Kevin Knight is the editor-in-chief of New Advent.
- Unfortunately, I am unable to respond to every letter, but I sincerely appreciate any input you can provide — particularly notices of typographical errors and improper advertisements.
Liturgical Year : Activities : The Death of St. Monica
“The day she was to die became closer and closer in the blink of an eye. It was a day that we were completely unaware of, but You were well aware of it. I am convinced that You had orchestrated our meeting at the window of that home on the Tiber in Ostia, when we were both alone and looking out into the inner garden of the house. We had gone there, away from the masses, after a long and exhausting travel, in order to regain our energies before embarking on the ocean adventure.” The conversation we had together in the tranquil and quiet retreat was nice and delightful, with our thoughts straining forward to what is ahead and forgetting what has gone before us (Phil.
We would ask each other how wonderful the heavenly life of Your saints must be in Your presence, You who are Truth Itself, a life that no earthly eye has yet seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, a life that no earthly eye has yet heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man (1 Cor.
Even when they are at their most intense or portrayed in the most appealing light, the pleasures of this world cannot be compared to the delights of everlasting life; in fact, the two should not even be considered in the same sentence.” Then, with a fire that grew stronger with each passing moment, our spirits rose to the Eternal.
- Lord, You are fully aware of what we discussed that day and how the world and all of its joys seemed to fade away into oblivion throughout the discourse.
- I have no other aspirations on this planet.
- God has totally given my prayer, since I have now realized that you are His servant, and that you reject the things of this world.
- However, she became ill with a fever not long after, maybe within five days.
- We moved quickly to her side.
- My brother responded by saying that he would prefer her to die at home rather than in a strange country.
- “Did you hear what he said?” she said when she turned to face me.
What I do want of you is to leave a memorial at the altar of the Lord, and you can do it from wherever you are.
But I couldn’t forget how many times she had made arrangements to be buried next to her husband and how anxious she had been about it.
She was 55 at the time and I was 33 at the time.
After that, my heart was flooded with sadness, and tears welled up in my eyes.
Furthermore, my inner instincts to sob uncontrollably, like a kid, were stifled.
Her death was not a traumatic experience, and she did not lose her chance at eternal life.” And when she was laid to rest, I was there to accompany her body, and I did it without crying a tear.
However, I hurt deeply throughout the day in the depths of my soul, and in my befuddled state of mind, I pleaded with You to cure my sorrows in the most compassionate way I could.
Augustine, 9, 10-12). Dr. Pius Parsch’s Church’s Year of Grace, Volumes 1-5, published by The Liturgical Press in Collegeville, Minnesota, in 1964, is the source for this activity.
5 Facts About the Great St. Monica That Will Inspire You to Never Give Up Hope –
It is the feast day of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, which is celebrated on August 27 in the Catholic Church. The persistence with which she prays is something for which she is particularly well-known. Here are some remarkable facts about this magnificent saint that will undoubtedly strengthen your belief in God’s infinite power!
1) St. Monica’s example converted her husband and mother-in-law
Despite the fact that the fourth-century saint was a Christian, she was given away by her parents to a guy called Patritius. Both he and his mother were pagans, and both of them possessed aggressive temperaments. They finally came to believe in Christianity as a result of St. Monica’s tolerance and love, which she demonstrated during her life.
2) She prayed for St. Augustine for 17 years before his conversion
A large part of what St. Monica is renowned for is her tenacity and perseverance in prayer. After her death, her son St. Augustine of Hippo lived a life of immorality, particularly with regard to desire and impurity, before turning to Catholicism. She has undergone a significant amount of pain and suffering over the course of these years. Augustine had rejected her on a number of occasions, but she never stopped loving, praying for, and nurturing her son throughout his troubled youth.
3) She felt discouraged, but never gave up
St. Monica wept bitterly over her son’s misdeeds on several occasions, yet God provided her with assurance on a number of occasions. When St. Monica had a dream in which she mourned over her son, she was comforted by a figure who assured her that he was still present. When writing in his autobiography, The Confessions of Saint Augustine, the saint expressed his belief that “the fate of my soul” had been lamented by a “lamenting soul.” In the figure’s words, she was urged to be at ease and noted that “see that where she was, there I was likewise.” Additionally, she got support from a local bishop, who assured her that “God’s timing will be perfect.” “Please, go now, I implore you; it is not conceivable that the son of so many tears should perish.” He continued, “I beg you.”
4) She knew her purpose in life
For many years, St. Monica grieved, prayed, and made sacrifices in order to save her son’s life. Her biggest wish in life was to see her son’s conversion to Catholicism, and she thought that when this happened, her life’s mission had been completed. Her last words to Augustine were a few days before she succumbed to a fever that would ultimately take her life: “My son, speaking of myself, nothing on this world pleases me any longer.” I’m not sure why I’m still here, or why I should continue to be here any longer.
5) She is the patron saint of wives, mothers, conversions, alcoholics and abuse victims
St. Monica is a wonderful example of faith and hope, especially at a time when conversion is needed in our world and we are witnessing the horror of abuse in our Church. Although it may appear that God is absent, God’s mercy is limitless, and he will never forsake us, even when it appears that he is. Let us take inspiration from St. Monica’s example of perseverance, and remember that God will never forsake us, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
St. Monica, pray for us!
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Our Patron / St. Monica — St. Monica Catholic Church
The Feast of St. Monica is celebrated on August 27th. The Feast of St. Augustine is celebrated on August 28th. Most of us associate Saint Monica with her son, the famous Saint Augustine, who is revered across the world. Due to a few of factors, this is understandable. We are all aware with the iconic artwork depicting the separation of Monica and Augustine at Ostia, which is displayed in the Vatican. It is also well known that an unnamed bishop said to Saint Monica: ‘The child of such tears will never perish,’ which has since become famous: We are given a brief introduction to Saint Monica, who is grieving.
- Saint Monica’s life was not without its difficulties.
- Patritius was a cruel and unfaithful spouse, despite the fact that he was normally giving and loving.
- Monica endured her trials with patience and cheerfulness, and her actions had a tremendous impact on Patritius, who was eventually converted to Christianity after twenty years of marriage.
- According to Saint Augustine’s teachings, his mother served her husband as a Lord and worked to win him to God by praising Him and speaking of Him via her virtues, which You bestowed upon her to make her attractive and humbly beautiful and admirable to her husband.
- In response to several wives coming to her, all scarred, to complain about their husbands’ behavior, she jokingly informed them that they should blame their own mouths.
- Augustine, the eldest, was born on the 13th of November, 354, in Tagaste, Italy.
The following information comes from Saint Augustine’s own writings: ‘While yet a kid, I had heard from her of the eternal life promised to us via the humiliations of the Lord, our God, Who came down to heal our pride.’ It was never possible for my father to completely overpower the influence of my mother in me in order to keep me from believing in Christ, since she worked tirelessly to have You, my God, be my Father rather than he, and You assisted her in this endeavor.’ Another passage from Saint Augustine states: ‘By Your great mercy, O Lord, Your tender heart imbibed with my mother’s milk, the sweet name of Christ, Your Son, my Saviour; and ever after nothing, no matter how learned, no matter how polished, no matter how truthful it may be, could ever completely carry me away if this name were not present.’ Please, please, please take me away!
- Augustine, on the other hand, was partially, nearly totally, carried away.
- Augustine went from being a hero to being a zero.
- Because of his poor company, he grew ashamed of the fact that he was less evil than others.
- In the middle of it all, a light of hope appeared in the form of the well-known assurance: ‘The child of such tears will never perish’ Monica sat alone with her loss, but she was never without prayer, as she saw Augustine’s profound mental and moral difficulties over a period of many years.
- He was left to fight his battles on his own.
- ‘When we met, he would frequently burst out in praise of my saintly mother, congratulating me on having such a mother, completely unaware of the son she had in me who doubted everything,’ says Saint Augustine.
- However, Ambrose was smart in the way of souls, and his wisdom advised him to remain silent.
- It was then that the famous “pick up and read” episode occurred, which effectively completed Augustine’s conversion.
- ‘Our hearts were fashioned for You, O Lord, and they will not be at rest until they find peace in You,’ says the author.
- He expresses a wish to get baptized.
- In his own words: ‘After that, we walk into my mother’s room and tell her everything.
Because we were able to see that You had provided her far more than she had ever dared to ask for in all her prayers and tears on my behalf. ‘You had transformed her grieving into joy in a way that she could never have imagined.’
Source
Australian Catholic Truth Society published Mothers of History by J T Moran, CSSR in 1954, which may be found at CatholicSaints.info.
Saint Monica, Widow
THE WIDOW OF SAINT MONICA—332-387 Feast Day is May 4th. Monica is almost fully known to us via the works of her beloved son, St. Augustine of Hippo, who is considered the greatest Doctor of the Church in history. It was a deep bond between him and his mother, which was especially evident during Monica’s latter years. Several facts of her life are revealed in Book IX of St. Augustine’s Confessions, where he also conveys his heartfelt thanks for her dedication in touching words. It is believed that Monica was born in the year 332 in Tagaste in North Africa, to a Christian family of some standing.
- She was occasionally sent down to the cellar to draw wine for the family, and she developed the habit of sneaking a few sips here and there.
- Monica’s wine-drinking habit was exposed one day by a family slave who had been spying on the small girl, and Monica, overcome with embarrassment, decided to give it up.
- Monica’s parents arranged for her to marry Patricius, a pagan, as soon as she reached marriageable age.
- With his violent temper, it’s hard to see how they could have lived in such a joyful environment.
- A year before his death, which occurred when Augustine was seventeen years old, Patricius came to embrace his wife’s religious beliefs as well as her daily example of gentleness and love.
- Monica and Patricius were married for thirty years and had three children.
- He was naturally gifted at learning, but he also indulged in a bit of adolescent frivolity.
She only agreed to compromise after experiencing a vision.
Then she heard the words “Your son is with you,” which came from the mystery person, instructing her to dry her tears.
As she responded quickly, she stated, “He did not say that I was with you; rather, that you were with me.” Augustine was astonished by the promptness of the response and he never forgot it.
She continued to fast, pray, and weep on his behalf on a daily basis.
Monica was adamantly opposed to the transfer, believing that his conversion would be put on hold permanently.
His mother followed him there, and when he saw that she wanted to accompany him, he outfoxed her by lying to her about the time of the sailing.
Despite the fact that she was very saddened by this, Monica was not deterred from her quest to find her son, and she pushed on to Rome.
When Monica arrived in Rome, she discovered that her son had left for Milan.
When his mother eventually tracked him down in the northern city, he had already abandoned Manichaeism, albeit he had not yet converted to Christianity.
She appears to have acquired a friend in this prominent churchman, and he appears to have held the utmost regard for her.
She was also the most devout of all women in her devotions.
After a long period of anticipation, the joyful day of Augustine’s conversion, which will be extensively detailed in the biography of that saint, finally arrived.
She wanted to find him a suitable wife, but after his mistress returned to Africa, Augustine informed her that he had decided to live a celibate life and devote his life to God’s service.
During this time, his mother, brother, Adeodatus, and a few companions gathered at the home of a friend, where they engaged in religious and philosophical talks with each other and with the group as a whole.
Augustine and the other members of his family are now on their way back to Tagaste, where they were originally from.
She was well aware that her task had been completed and that her life would shortly come to an end.
As Monica’s strength waned, she confided in Augustine, saying: “I have no idea what else is there for me to accomplish or why I am still here, given that all of my goals for this world have now been realized.
It was God who bestowed even greater blessings upon me by causing you to disregard earthly felicity and devote your life to His service.” A little time later, they inquired as to if she was concerned about dying so far away from home, since she had previously indicated a desire to be buried next to her husband in Tagaste.
Throughout history, generations of believers have invoked Monica’s prayers, who is revered as a patroness of married women and a model of Christian parenting.
Her girdle and tears serve as her insignia. Saint Monica, the Widow, is a saint. This year’s Feast Day will be celebrated on May 4. The following is an excerpt from “Lives of Saints,” which was published by John J. CrawleyCo., Inc.