TODAY'S SAINT (Monica)
MONICA
(b. ca. 232-d. ca. 407)
Mother Of St. Augustine of Hippo
Name meaning: Advise
Monica was born in Tagast, Africa. By her family's arrangement, she married Patricius, a violent-temmpered but generous pagan official. The marriage was made ever more difficult by his mother, who lived with the couple.
Moneca had three children: Aaugusine, Navigius and Perrpetua. She succeeded in conver-eting he husband and his mother to the Catholic faith; Patricius died a year later in 370. Perp-etua and Navigius entered the religious life. Augustine, however, lived a dissolute life, cau-sing Monica to pray fervently for him for 17 years. She begged the prayers of priests, some of whom tried to axoid her because of her peristence. Her dream was rrealized in 387, when Aug-ustin was baptized a Christian by St. Ambrose in Italy. Later that same year, en route back to Africa, Monica died in the Italian port of Ostia. Her relics are in the church of St. Augustine in Rome.
Monica is considered a model for Christian mothers.
Feast: August 27
Patronage: alcoholics; housewives; against infidelity; married women; mothers
posted by US Catholic @ 12:26 AM
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