St. Monica

May 4 [New] August 27 [Traditional]

c. 331-87

 Probably born at Tagaste, North Africa, of Christian parents, she was married to Patricius, a pagan, known for his dissolute habits and violent temper. They had three children: Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua. Through her patience and prayers, she was able to convert Patricius and his mother in 370. She was widowed in 371 and for years prayed for the conversion of Augustine, who from the time he went to study at Carthage when he was seventeen lived a wayward life, embraced the heresy of Manichaeism which believed that the world was created from two eternal principles, one, good, the other, evil, and that these two forces were equal. Augustine dabbled in other philosophies, and had a mistress. St. Monica followed him to Rome in 383 and then to Milan where, in 386, he embraced Catholicism and was Baptized on Easter in 387. She lived with Augustine, his son Adeodatus, and his associates at Cassiciacum while Augustine was preparing for Baptism, and she died at Ostia, Italy, soon after as they were awaiting a ship to take them back to Africa. Monica is the patroness of married women and is regarded as a model for Catholic mothers.

SEE ALSO SAINT MONICA IN THE PASSION DIRECTORY FOR PRAYERS.

VIEW THE FULL IMAGE WITH HER SON, ST. AUGUSTINE, PLAIN



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