Saint Monica, born in the year 331, is the mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, and two other children, Navigius and Perpetua. At a young age, she was married off to a Roman pagan named Patricius, who initially hesitated to have Saint Augustine baptized. Through Saint Monica’s persistent prayers, she was able to convert her husband to Christianity before he passed away. But it was not the end of Saint Monica’s suffering as a mother because of how lazy and lacking in faith Saint Augustine had become as a grown up, causing Saint Monica to drove him away. She, however, had a vision which prompted her to reconcile with him.
She went on a journey to Rome to follow her son, who already left for Milan. On her way to pursue him, she met Saint Ambrose, who eventually helped her to convert Saint Augustine to Catholicism, after seventeen years of resistance. Later on, Saint Augustine wrote the famous book called “Confessions,” in which he narrated the goodness and faithfulness of Saint Monica in prayer and in deed for the poor. She passed away with a profound joy of seeing all her fervent prayers answered by God. For centuries, women with difficult husbands or problematic children have asked for the intercession of Saint Monica.
Saint Monica and Saint Augustine of Hippo
Prayer to Saint Monica
Saint Monica,
I need your prayers.
You know exactly how I’m feeling because you once felt it yourself.
I’m hurting, hopeless, and in despair.
I desperately want my child to return to Christ in his Church but I can’t do it alone.
I need God’s help.
Please join me in begging the Lord’s powerful grace to flow into my child’s life.
Ask the Lord Jesus to soften his heart, prepare a path for his conversion, and activate the Holy Spirit in his life.
Amen.
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