Saint of the day · August 27
St Monica
MemorialThursday, week 21 in Ordinary Time
Liturgical colour : White
Saint Monica is celebrated as a model of Christian motherhood, patience, and steadfast prayer. She lived in North Africa during the fourth century, at a time when Christianity was still becoming established in the Roman Empire. Born into a Christian family, Monica was married to a pagan official, Patricius, whose temperament and lifestyle were often difficult for her. She is best remembered as the mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, whose early life was marked by spiritual searching and wayward choices.
Monica’s decades-long prayers, gentle perseverance, and loving witness deeply impacted Augustine. Through her faith and perseverance, Monica saw not only Augustine come to conversion and baptism under the guidance of St Ambrose, but also the eventual Christian commitment of her husband and mother-in-law. Augustine himself, in his "Confessions," movingly recounts Monica’s tears and prayers for his soul, highlighting the faithfulness of a mother interceding for her child. Monica died in Ostia, while journeying with Augustine to North Africa, shortly after his baptism.
The Church keeps her memory to honor all parents who pray for their children, especially those facing difficulties or far from the faith. Saint Monica’s witness reminds the faithful of the power of prayer, the importance of perseverance, and the quiet strength of mothers in building up the Church. Her example continues to encourage those who hope and pray for the conversion and well-being of their families.
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Local variations
- Africa — St. Monica, Feast in North Africa
The liturgical day
Mass readings
“In him you have been enriched in every way” — 1 Co 1, 1-9
Paul, called by the will of God
to be an apostle of Christ Jesus,
and Sosthenes our brother,
to the Church of God that is in Corinth,
to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus
and called to be holy,
with all those everywhere
who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
their Lord and ours.
Grace and peace to you
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I never stop giving thanks to God for you,
for the grace he has given you in Christ Jesus;
in him you have been enriched in every way,
in all speech and all knowledge of God.
Indeed, the witness given to Christ
has been established firmly among you.
Therefore, you lack no spiritual gift,
you who await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end,
and you will be blameless
on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For God is faithful,
he who has called you to fellowship
with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
– The word of the Lord.
Ps 144 (145), 2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Every day I will bless you,
I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, highly to be praised;
his greatness is without measure.
From age to age, people will tell of your works,
they will proclaim your mighty deeds.
I will recount the story of your wonders,
your splendor, your glory and your majesty.
They will speak of your mighty power;
I will tell of your greatness.
They will recall your immense goodness;
all will celebrate your justice.
“Be ready” — Mt 24, 42-51
At that time,
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Stay awake,
for you do not know on what day
your Lord will come.
Understand this:
if the owner of the house had known
at what hour of the night the thief would come,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So you too must be ready,
for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.
Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant
whom the master has put in charge of his household,
to give them their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant
whom his master, when he comes, finds acting in this way!
Amen, I say to you:
he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
But if that wicked servant says to himself,
“My master is delayed,”
and begins to beat his fellow servants,
and eats and drinks with drunkards,
the master of that servant will come
on a day when he does not expect,
and at an hour he does not know,
he will cut him off
and assign him a place with the hypocrites;
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
– Let us acclaim the Word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org