En Theos

Q. Who are St. Monica and St. Augustine, whose feasts we celebrate on August 27 and 28, respectively?

A. Monica and Augustine are that rare combination of mother and son saints. Monica was a Christian living in northern Africa, married to a non-Christian husband who converted to Christianity on his deathbed. She had three sons. Her most notorious, as well as most renowned, child was Augustine.
Augustine was born in 354 in Tagaste, North Africa (present day Algiers). Raised as a Christian, he was enrolled in the catechumenate. At that time baptism did not occur until adulthood. Augustine grew to be brilliant yet very independent.
Monica was determined that her son, who searched for meaning in life by various non-Christian paths, would eventually be baptized. While Monica arranged a marriage with a good family, Augustine took a mistress and had a child by her. He traveled to Italy seeking a teaching position. Monica followed him, constantly praying and hoping that Augustine would return to Christianity. After a number of years, Augustine was influenced by the powerful preaching of Ambrose, bishop of Milan. At long last, in the year 387, Ambrose baptized Augustine at the Easter Vigil.
Monica's prayers had been answered. On their trip back to Africa, Monica fell sick and died in Ostia. Augustine went on to become the most distinguished Christian theologian, pastor and spiritual writer the world has ever known. Monica's prayers were answered beyond her wildest expectations.
Read Augustine's Confessions as a way of entering into the heart of one of Christianity's greatest spiritual writers.