Interesting facts about saint monica
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St. Monica of Hippo
In spite of every difficulty, Monica brought up her children in faith and piety. We are indebted to Saint Augustine’s own writings for the information: ‘While yet a child I had heard from her of the eternal life promised to us through the humiliations of the Lord, our God, Who came down to cure our pride. My father could never so far overcome in me the influence of my mother as to prevent me from believing in Christ for she laboured that You, my God, should be my Father rather than he, and in this You did assist her.’
In another place Saint Augustine tells us: ‘By Your great mercy, O Lord, my tender heart imbibed with my mother’s milk, the sweet name of Christ, Your Son, my Saviour; and ever after nothing, be it ever so learned, ever so polished, ever so true, could, if devoid of this name entirely carry me away.’ ENTIRELY carry me away! But partly, almost completely, carried away Augustine was. The explanation lies in Monica’s one fault – she deferred her child’s baptism and paid the price of thirty-three years’ anguish.
Brilliant, proud, high-spirited, Aug
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St. Monica, Mother of St. Augustine, Bishop
Of Berber stock, Monica was born in northern Africa in 331, in the town of Thagaste, to a wealthy family with strong Christian traditions. She learned the teachings of Sacred Scripture with great devotion: prayer and assiduous practice of the sacraments forged her interiority, and she was active in the service of the Church community. She married Patricius, an ambitious, irascible pagan who was unfaithful unfaithful to her. Gentle, benevolent, and capable of finding the right moment in dialogue, with her “method” of waiting, patience and prayer - which she suggested to friends who confided in her their own problems and misunderstandings with their spouses - succeeded in winning over her husband and leading him to the faith.
Wife and mother
At the age of 22, she gave birth to her firstborn, Augustine, who was followed by Navigius, and a daughter whose name has been lost. Monica reared them in a Christian household. Widowed at 39, she was left in charge of managing the family prop
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St. Monica
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Widow; born of Christianparents at Tagaste, North Africa, in 333; died at Ostia, near Rome, in 387.
We are told but little of her childhood. She was married early in life to Patritius who held an official position in Tagaste. He was a pagan, though like so many at that period, his religion was no more than a name; his temper was violent and he appears to have been of dissolute habits. Consequently Monica's married life was far from being a happy one, more especially as Patritius's mother seems to have been of a like disposition with himself. There was of course a gulf between husband and wife; her almsdeeds and her habits of prayer annoyed him, but it is said that he always held her in a sort of reverence. Monica was not the only matron of Tagaste whose married life was unhappy, but, by her sweetness and patience, she was able to exercise a veritable
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