Portal:Catholicism/Patron Archive/August 27 2007

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Saint Monica of Hippo (332 – 387) is a Christian saint and mother of Saint Augustine.

Saint Monica was born at Tagaste (located in modern-day Souk Ahras, Algeria) Her parents brought her up as Christian and married her to an older, pagan man named Patricius. He was a man with a great deal of energy, but also a man given to violent tempers and adultery.

However, St. Monica attended church daily and found patience. She would say to other women who had bad marriages, "If you can master your tongue, not only do you run less risk of being beaten, but perhaps you may even, one day, make your husband better." Eventually, she converted Patricius to Christianity and calmed his violence.

St. Monica bore three children, among them Saint Augustine. Augustine made her very happy with his successes as a scholar and teacher, but he also made her very ashamed with his debauchery. For ten years, Augustine lived with his mistress and subscribed to Manichaeism. St. Monica sent Augustine to a bishop to be convinced of his errors. The bishop, however, was unable to prevail, and he advised St. Monica simply to continue to pray for her son. At the age of 28, Augustine received grace, according to his Confessions, and came to orthodox Christianity.

When Patricius died, St. Monica joined Augustine in Italy. When she was fifty-six, she died while in Ostia with Augustine preparing to leave for a return to Africa. This was not long after her son's baptism by St. Ambrose.

Attributes:
Patronage: patience, wives, mothers, and abuse victims
Prayer: "Exemplary Mother of the great Augustine, you perseveringly pursued your wayward son not with wild threats but with prayerful cries to heaven. Intercede for all mothers in our day so that they may learn to draw their children to God. Teach them how to remain close to their children, even the prodigal sons and daughters who have sadly gone astray." Amen.