Apostleship of Prayer - Saints
August 27 - St MonicaMonica was born in Tagaste North Africa in 332. Though her parents were Christians, she was given in marriage to Patricius. Together they had three children. Unfortunately Patricius was a pagan with a good heart but had a violent temper. He criticized Monica for her works of charity but was always respectful of her person. He died in 371, one year after he had been baptized.
Her eldest son was Augustine. He was seventeen when his father died. He was a student of rhetoric then and he became a Manichean. The Manicheans held that the world is divided between the forces of good and evil. This upset Monica greatly. At the same time he was living an immoral life. Monica had a vision one night in which she was told that Augustine would be converted. When Augustine was twenty-nine, he decided to go to Rome to lecture. Monica was determine to go along with him. She stayed close to her son and often Augustine that she stay too close. Nevertheless he managed to leave her and made his way to Rome. He tricked her by telling her that he was going to the dock to say good-bye to a friend. Instead he caught the boat himself. When Monica found this out and made the journey to Rome. When she arrived there she found out that Augustine had continued on to Milan. Here he came under the influence of Ambrose the bishop of Milan. At Easter in 387, Ambrose baptized Augustine and several of his friends.
Soon Augustine decided to return to Africa. Monica who had bad health for a while, knew that her life was soon to be ended. Monica died during this return home, knowing that all hopes were fulfilled.
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