Saint Monica came into the world in the year 322. As soon as she was old enough she was married to Patricius, a pagan citizen of Tagaste. Although Patricius was a man of high temper, she bore all trials with great patience. Her example and gentle conduct exercised such an influence over him that he was finally converted to Christianity. He died the year after his baptism. The great cross of her life was the conduct of her son, Augustine, who was seventeen years of age when his father died in 371. His mother prayed long and fervently for his conversion. When he left her in Africa to go to Italy, she followed him and found him at Milan, where the words of Saint Ambrose had already convinced him of the falsehood of Manichean doctrines, which he abandoned without being entirely converted. After 17 years of prayer, in August 386, Saint Monica had the long-coveted happiness of seeing her son return to God. He was baptized by Saint Ambrose on Easter eve the following year and soon after, with his mother and some friends, he set out for Africa. But Saint Monica's work was done; her son was converted; the sinner had become the Saint. She fell sick on the road and died at Ostia, from where they were to embark, in 387.

• Born: 322 in Tagaste (Souk Ahrus), Roman North Africa (modern Algeria)

• Died: 387 in Ostia, Italy, Roman Empire

• Feast Day: August 27

• Abuse Victims Alcoholics/Alcoholism 
• Archconfraternity of Christian Mothers
• Difficult Marriages
• Children
• Homemakers/Housewives
• Married Women & Widows
• Mothers
• Victims of Adultery
• Victims of Verbal Abuse 

St. Monica’s example converted her husband and mother-in-law.

• Even though the fourth-century saint was a Christian, her parents gave her away to a man named Patritius. Both he and his mother were pagans and had violent tempers. St. Monica endured this with patience and kindness, and her example eventually led to their conversions to Christianity.

She prayed for St. Augustine for 17 years before his conversion.

• Much of what St. Monica is known for is her persistence in prayer. Her son, St. Augustine of Hippo, lived a life of immorality, most notably that of lust and impurity, before converting to Catholicism. Throughout these years, she endured a tremendous amount of suffering. Augustine rejected her on multiple accounts, but she continued to love, pray and nurture her son throughout his wayward time.

She felt discouraged, but never gave up

• St. Monica cried many times over her son’s transgressions, but received affirmation from God on several accounts. St. Monica had a dream in which she wept over her son, and a figure told her that he was still with her. In his autobiography, The Confessions of Saint Augustine, St. Augustine wrote, “that it was my soul’s doom she was lamenting…” The figure told her to be at peace, and “see that where she was there I was also.” She also received encouragement from a local bishop, who told her that “God’s time will come.” He added, “Go now, I beg you; it is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish.”

She knew her purpose in life

• St. Monica wept, prayed and sacrificed for her son for many years. Her greatest desire in life was to see her son’s conversion to Catholicism, and once this happened, she believed her purpose in life had been fulfilled. She said to Augustine just a few days before she came down with a fever that caused her death: “My son, speaking of myself, nothing earthly delights me any longer. I do not know why I am still here or why I should remain here. I have no further earthly desires.”

Dear St. Monica, once the sorrowing mother of a wayward son, please present our novena petitions before God in whose presence you stand. Remember, dear St. Monica, the joy that flooded your heart when Augustine, the son of your prayers and tears, turned his life over to the Lord. Obtain for us, if it be His holy will, the graces we request through your intercessory power, that we may experience the happiness of answered prayer. Amen.

Examples of St. Monica Chaplets that a parishioner made.