| Saint Monica of Hippo was born around 322 A.D. in Tagaste (present day Algeria), Africa. At a very young age, she was married off to a Roman pagan man by the name of Patricius, and the two lived together with Patricius’ mother. This proved to be a very large cross for Monica as Patricius was rather licentious and both he and his mother exhibited violent flares towards her. | | | | Through it all, St. Monica expressed the utmost patience, charity, and love for her family. Patricius often times criticized her for her beliefs, but was ultimately converted to Christianity thanks to his wife’s model example. Later on, three children were born to the married couple: Perpetua, Navigius, and a future Church Father: Augustine. | | Patricius eventually passed away in 371, and their son Augustine was roughly 17 during his father’s passing. He was a rhetoric student in Carthage, and it was then that he undertook the Manichean heresy - “all flesh is evil and knowledge is the only way to salvation”. For a while, Monica refused to let Augustine eat or sleep in her house, but later had a vision he would return to the Faith. From then on, she returned close to her son, praying and fasting for him often. | | | | When Augustine was 29, he decided he was going to teach rhetoric in Rome. He told his mother he was going to the docks to say goodbye to a friend, but then set sail for Rome. Although heartbroken with her son’s choice and deception, she nonetheless pursued him to Milan. In Milan. Augustine came under the influence of the bishop, St. Ambrose, who also became Monica’s spiritual director. | | | | Although St. Augustine would go on to become one of the most influential Church Father’s of the Christian faith, much of his foundational beliefs can be attested to his mother’s pious example. St. Augustine certainly recognized this during his conversion, for in his book, Confessions, he wrote: “Thus, at that time, I “believed” along with my mother and the whole household, except my father… For it was her desire my god, that I should acknowledge you as my father rather than him”. | | | | As Monica neared her death, she told Augustine. “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 became ill shortly after and suffered severely for nine days before her death.” St Monica is a model of patience, charity, and discipline. Today on her feast day, let us especially remember to act more as St. Monica did, and ask for her intercession, especially for her patronage of alcoholics, wives, and conversions. | | |
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