Saint Monica - Prayer for the battle with alcoholism
The life of Saint Monica
Saint
of Alcoholism
Saint
of Peace
Saint
of Children
Monica, a saint especially revered by mothers because of her tireless prayers for the conversion of her wayward son, Augustine, was born of Christian parents in
Tagaste, North Africa in 332.
She was young, innocent and pious when she married a government official, Patricius, who was not a Christian, and who had a bad temper.
Though she bore her burdens patiently and their life together was relatively peaceful Monica devoted herself to her husband’s conversion, praying for him always. They had three children, sons Augustine and Navigius, and a daughter, Perpetua.
Monica was rewarded for her holiness and prayers for her husband by seeing him baptized a year before his death. Although Patricius became a Christian, Augustine their eldest son persisted in his pursuit of pleasure.
Despite being brilliant, Augustine by his own account was a lazy and dissolute youth whose bad behaviour caused his mother much grief. This grief escalated soon after he went away to school at Madaura and to Carthage.
As a nineteen-year-old student he joined the heretical Manichaean sect. When he
began to spout heresies Monica became alarmed and intensified her efforts to
bring him to Christ. Her prayers to God for Augustine’s salvation were
incessant.
When Augustine did not change his ways, desperation sent Monica to consult a bishop who had himself been a Manichaean before he became a Christian.
The bishop declined to intervene with Augustine because he believed that Augustine was not open to hearing the truth.
Even though Monica persisted he refused to intervene. With her heart saddened for the soul of her son Monica broke down in tears and wept at the bishop’s refusal.
The bishop took Monica’s hand and consoled her with the words “The child of those tears shall never perish”. Monica took this as a sign from God.
Still headstrong and set on his own path Augustine went to Italy. Though he continued in his heresies for nine years, Monica followed him to Rome and then to Milan in an effort to rescue her son from his errors. In Milan she met Ambrose, who helped lead Augustine into the true faith.
After his conversion Augustine and Monica set out to return to Africa. On the journey home Augustine and his mother sat at a window conversing about the life of the blessed, she turned to him and said, "Son, there is nothing now I care for in
this life. What I shall now do or why I am here, I know not. The one reason I
had for wishing to linger in this life a little longer was that I might see you
a Catholic Christian before I died. This has God granted me superabundantly in
seeing you reject earthly happiness to become His servant. What do I here?"
A few days afterwards she had an attack of fever, and died in Ostia, the ancient
port city of Rome, in the year 387.
of Alcoholism
Saint
of Peace
Saint
of Children
Monica, a saint especially revered by mothers because of her tireless prayers for the conversion of her wayward son, Augustine, was born of Christian parents in
Tagaste, North Africa in 332.
She was young, innocent and pious when she married a government official, Patricius, who was not a Christian, and who had a bad temper.
Though she bore her burdens patiently and their life together was relatively peaceful Monica devoted herself to her husband’s conversion, praying for him always. They had three children, sons Augustine and Navigius, and a daughter, Perpetua.
Monica was rewarded for her holiness and prayers for her husband by seeing him baptized a year before his death. Although Patricius became a Christian, Augustine their eldest son persisted in his pursuit of pleasure.
Despite being brilliant, Augustine by his own account was a lazy and dissolute youth whose bad behaviour caused his mother much grief. This grief escalated soon after he went away to school at Madaura and to Carthage.
As a nineteen-year-old student he joined the heretical Manichaean sect. When he
began to spout heresies Monica became alarmed and intensified her efforts to
bring him to Christ. Her prayers to God for Augustine’s salvation were
incessant.
When Augustine did not change his ways, desperation sent Monica to consult a bishop who had himself been a Manichaean before he became a Christian.
The bishop declined to intervene with Augustine because he believed that Augustine was not open to hearing the truth.
Even though Monica persisted he refused to intervene. With her heart saddened for the soul of her son Monica broke down in tears and wept at the bishop’s refusal.
The bishop took Monica’s hand and consoled her with the words “The child of those tears shall never perish”. Monica took this as a sign from God.
Still headstrong and set on his own path Augustine went to Italy. Though he continued in his heresies for nine years, Monica followed him to Rome and then to Milan in an effort to rescue her son from his errors. In Milan she met Ambrose, who helped lead Augustine into the true faith.
After his conversion Augustine and Monica set out to return to Africa. On the journey home Augustine and his mother sat at a window conversing about the life of the blessed, she turned to him and said, "Son, there is nothing now I care for in
this life. What I shall now do or why I am here, I know not. The one reason I
had for wishing to linger in this life a little longer was that I might see you
a Catholic Christian before I died. This has God granted me superabundantly in
seeing you reject earthly happiness to become His servant. What do I here?"
A few days afterwards she had an attack of fever, and died in Ostia, the ancient
port city of Rome, in the year 387.
Blessed
Saint Monica
pray that strength
and love will replace
need and dependence
in their lives.
Novena Prayers for today's Problem
Saint Monica novena prayer pack
is designed for those who need the
Power of Prayer to help
with alcoholism.
This is a Novena to St Monica
who never gave up hope that
her wayward son, Augustine,
would find his way back to
God through the
power of prayer.
The Novena can be prayed
over nine hours (one per hour)
or over nine days (one per day).
