Filed under: Pro-life
“St Augustine and Monica” (1846), by Ary Scheffer
Today, August 27, is the feastday of St. Monica. Besides being the mother of St. Augustine, St. Monica is best known for her persistence in prayer. Her unfailing prayer has been credited as the reason for St. Augustine’s conversion.
“St. Monica was born of a Christian family, in Tagaste in Africa in 331. She had three children; Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua. Through her patience and prayers, she was able to convert her husband and his mother to the Catholic faith in 370· He died a year later. Perpetua and Navigius entered the religious Life.
St. Augustine was much more difficult, as she had to pray for him for 17 years, begging the prayers of priests who, for a while, tried to avoid her because of her persistence at this seemingly hopeless endeavor. One priest did console her by saying, “it is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish.” This thought, coupled with a vision that she had received strengthened her. St. Augustine was baptized by St. Ambrose in 387. St. Monica died later that same year, on the way back to Africa from Rome in the Italian town of Ostia.” From Catholic Online
Persistent and urgent prayer is the lesson of St. Monica’s life. We should look to her example as we pray for the unborn. We had a post in May entitled JPII Says Pray Like Crazy . Here is in part what John Paul II said about praying for a culture of life.
“…a great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer.” Evangelium Vitae, 100
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