It is not often that we celebrate mother and son saints in the Church, but today and tomorrow we celebrate a mother and her son who each have their own saint days in the official calendar of the Roman Catholic Church: St Monica and St Augustine. The fact that St Augustine is one of our Church’s most influential theologians is almost overshadowed by the fact that his mother's prayers are credited with bringing him to the Catholic faith after a lifetime of being outside of the faith and leading a very pleasure-filled secular lifestyle as a youth and as a young adult. St Monica lived in North Africa in the 4th century, being born in the town of Tagaste in the present day country of Algeria. She was the Christian wife of a pagan husband. Many mothers who pray for the return of their children to the faith identify with tenacious prayers of St Monica, who never gave up in her patience in praying for her son. There is a national prayer ministry for Catholic women named Millions of Monicas. They meet regularly at local parishes to pray for their children to encounter God and stay close to the Church. Indeed, Monica is a great example of faith.
In the beginning of his letter to the Church in Corinth, Paul thanks God for the grace he has bestowed on the Christian community in Corinth, with the testimony they are able to give to the Gospel of Christ that God confirmed upon them. Then, we hear the psalmist proclaim: “I will praise your name for ever, Lord.” May we praise God in our words and our actions in the everyday moments of life.
It is not often that we celebrate mother and son saints in the Church, but today and tomorrow we celebrate a mother and her son who each have their own saint days in the official calendar of the Roman Catholic Church: St Monica and St Augustine. The fact that St Augustine is one of our Church’s most influential theologians is almost overshadowed by the fact that his mother's prayers are credited with bringing him to the Catholic faith after a lifetime of being outside of the faith and leading a very pleasure-filled secular lifestyle as a youth and as a young adult. St Monica lived in North Africa in the 4th century, being born in the town of Tagaste in the present day country of Algeria. She was the Christian wife of a pagan husband. Many mothers who pray for the return of their children to the faith identify with tenacious prayers of St Monica, who never gave up in her patience in praying for her son. There is a national prayer ministry for Catholic women named Millions of Monicas. They meet regularly at local parishes to pray for their children to encounter God and stay close to the Church. Indeed, Monica is a great example of faith.
In the beginning of his letter to the Church in Corinth, Paul thanks God for the grace he has bestowed on the Christian community in Corinth, with the testimony they are able to give to the Gospel of Christ that God confirmed upon them. Then, we hear the psalmist proclaim: “I will praise your name for ever, Lord.” May we praise God in our words and our actions in the everyday moments of life.
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