St. Monica, WIDOW, A.D. 387.
by VP
Posted on Wednesday August 27, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
“How many difficulties there are also today in family
relationships and how many mothers are anguished because their children
choose mistaken ways! Monica, a wise and solid woman
in the faith, invites them not to be discouraged, but to persevere in
their mission of wives and mothers, maintaining firm their confidence in
God and clinging with perseverance to prayer.” (Pope Benedict XVI) Source: Archconfraternity of Christian Mothers
"Ladies, if you wish to become real Christian mothers, fix your eyes on St. Monica; follow in her steps. If you, too, mourn over the wanderings of your sons, do not despair. Imitate her: invoke her aid. It is impossible but that she, who suffered so much on earth from the same cause, should not be touched by your sorrows, and obtain for you, in the conversion of your own children, the happiness which she herself received from our Lord.
Only persevere; use the means which she used: offer the sacrifice of your prayers, our tears, your penances, for the sins of your boys; so that the day may come when, with your last breath, you will be able to say joyfully with her, "Why should I stay longer here? My task is done."
(...) He who could not resist the tears of the widow of Nain, will be moved by the sight of thousands of mothers pleading for their children's souls. He will not allow a whole generation of young men to perish, wet with their mother's tears.
Finish your great work, O Monica! and from Heaven where you share the glory of the son of whom you were in a double sense the mother, look upon the multitude of women now fulfilling the hard and trying mission once entrusted to yourself. Sustain them in their trials, that their faith fail not, and teach them, by the example of your life, that the fame of evil, kindled by the enemy of souls in the hearts of their children, can be extinguished by the sacred and more powerful flame of a mother's love." Source: Monseigneur Sibour, Archbishop of Paris, Church of Notre Dame de Sion, 1856
"ST. MONICA was mother of the great St. Augustin. Seeing him unhappily fallen into the heresy of the Manichees, she ceased not by continual prayers and tears to solicit heaven in behalf of her son, that he might return to the truth. For this end she followed him to Milan; where by the means of St. Ambrose he was delivered from his errors, and prepared for becoming a great light in Christ's Church. Give thanks for this mercy shewn to both mother and son; and beseech God to inspire all parents with this charity in all the misconduct and errors of their children. To importune heaven by prayers, tears, and alms, is the most assured way of obliging the Father of mercy to their assistance, from whom alone their help must come. They may justly hope that the children of constant and fervent prayer will never perish. Therefore as those parents, who are unconcerned at the disorderly conduct of their children, shew neither compassion, nor a due sense of eternity; so all those who follow St. Monica's steps, in sparing no pains, nor omitting any occasion likely to contribute to their children's good, have this certain comfort, that their labour will not be lost. If it has not the effect which they desire, still it will be the increase of their own crown.
One constant practice of St. Monica, was to assist daily at the altar of God; from whence she knew that that victim was dispensed, by which was cancelled the hand-writing against us. In this, and other holy exercises of piety and charity, she spent the years of her widowhood; and at length, on her return to Africa, she was seized with a violent fever, and departed to heaven in the year 389. Pray for all widows, that they may be constant in all the exercises of religion, and especially in that of assisting daily, if in their power, before the altar of God, at Mass. Whatever your condition be, follow the example of so
great a saint: see that sloth and vain pretexts be not your hindrance,
and heartily lament all past neglects. Be careful not to lose this day
at least: beg grace to be delivered from all disorders, and extend your
charity to all in vice or error." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
Lord have mercy on us
Christ, have mercy on us
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us
Holy Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.
St. Monica, pray for us.
Saint Monica, model of Christian wives, pray for us.
Saint Monica, who by your example and your prayers obtained the conversion of Patrice, your husband, pray for us.
Increase your prayers for young people exposed to the seductions of the world, we beseech you, Saint Monica.
Obtain that they do not remain deaf to their mother's advice, nor insensible to her sorrow, we beseech you, Saint Monica.
Favorably incline the heart of your beloved son Augustine to the salvation of our children.
Holy son of such a saintly mother, Saint Augustine, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us , O Lord!
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord!
V. Pray for us, O holy St. Monica
R. that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
O holy Monica, by your patience and prayers you obtained from God the conversion of your husband and the grace to live in peace with him; obtain for us, we beseech you, the blessing of Almighty God, so that true harmony and peace may reign also in our homes, and that all the members of our families may attain eternal life. Amen.
O Holy Monica, by your burning tears and unceasing prayers you saved your son from eternal damnation. Obtain for us the grace ever to comprehend what is most conducive to the salvation of our children so that we may effectively restrain them from sin and lead them by virtue and piety to Heaven Amen.
Source: Recueil de prières, de méditations By Louise Mathilde de Flavigny 1864 and Saint Monica: Model of Christian Mothers By F. A. Forbes.
PRAYER OF A MOTHER FOR HER LOST CHILD.
O Jesus, Savior and Redeemer of men, Who have restored to a desolate mother the only son whose loss she mourned, and Who, in the touching symbol of the prodigal son, have shown such sweet mercy for children who go astray, deign to recall and bring back mine, unfortunately drawn away from you, far from me, far from duty. My poor child! O my God, I beseech Thee, I beseech Thee with tears, open his eyes, touch his heart, break his bonds, give him courage, let him return to the pure affections of his family. Let Him throw himself into Your arms, like another Augustine; let him kiss your sacred feet, like the repentant Mary Magdalene.
Alas! alas! and if before your eyes, from which nothing is hidden, O my God, I bore the terrible responsibility for the errors I deplore; if, through negligence or culpable weakness, I had first allowed dangerous germs to grow and develop in the soul of my son; if, later, I had in some way authorized his disorders by the lightness of my words or my conduct, Lord, let yourselves be touched by so cruel a punishment; see my repentance, the sorrow that expiates my faults; forgive us both, and attach us to you for ever." So be it. Amen
Saint Joseph Calasanctuis, Founder of the Piarists, CONFESSOR, A.D. 1648.
by VP
Posted on Wednesday August 27, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
"Saint Joseph Calasanz, you were disgraced, defamed, maligned and imprisoned and yet forgave all who had robbed you of your most precious personal possession: your reputation. Help us to be so forgiving toward those who steal from us what we have taken so long to build up." (Source: My Catholic Life)
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"He was the founder of the poor regular clergy of the pious schools of the Mother of God, and was born at Petralta in Spain, of a noble family. From his tender years he gave indications of his future charity towards children, and for their pious education. For while he was yet a youth, he was accustomed to assemble children together, and teach them the mysteries of religion and prayers. He sanctified his youth by all virtues from his infancy, particularly by charity and prayer. He consecrated himself to God by a vow of virginity, and distinguished himself in his studies of philosophy and divinity at Valentia. Being ordained priest, he was employed by several bishops in different parts of Spain; and surpassed the expectations of all, by producing everywhere a reformation of corrupt morals, restoring ecclesiastical discipline, and wonderfully extinguishing enmities and cruel factions.
After frequent admonitions from heaven, he proceeded to Rome. In that city he practiced great austerities, and spent days and nights in heavenly contemplation, being accustomed to visit seven churches almost every night; and continuing this method of life for several years. At Rome he was enrolled in the confraternity of the Christian doctrine; in which zealous employment, he soon saw the importance of instructing children early in the knowledge and spirit of religion. Hereupon he particularly devoted himself to this part of the pastoral charge; though he gave also much time to visit, relieve, and exhort to perfect virtue all the sick, and all the poor and destitute: in which, by his courage and patience, he seemed a perpetual miracle of fortitude. When the city was ravaged by the plague, his charity was not contented with large alms to the sick and poor, but he even carried the dead bodies upon his shoulders to be buried.
Mediator Dei
8. Indeed, though we are sorely grieved to note, on the one hand, that there are places where the spirit, understanding or practice of the sacred liturgy is defective, or all but inexistent, We observe with considerable anxiety and some misgiving, that elsewhere certain enthusiasts, over-eager in their search for novelty, are straying beyond the path of sound doctrine and prudence. Not seldom, in fact, they interlard their plans and hopes for a revival of the sacred liturgy with principles which compromise this holiest of causes in theory or practice, and sometimes even taint it with errors touching Catholic faith and ascetical doctrine.
9. Yet the integrity of faith and morals ought to be the special criterion of this sacred science, which must conform exactly to what the Church out of the abundance of her wisdom teaches and prescribes. It is, consequently, Our prerogative to commend and approve whatever is done properly, and to check or censure any aberration from the path of truth and rectitude.
59. It has pained Us grievously to note, Venerable Brethren, that such innovations are actually being introduced, not merely in minor details but in matters of major importance as well. We instance, in point of fact, those who make use of the vernacular in the celebration of the august Eucharistic sacrifice; those who transfer certain feast-days - which have been appointed and established after mature deliberation - to other dates; those, finally, who delete from the prayer books approved for public use the sacred texts of the Old Testament, deeming them little suited and inopportune for modern times.
60. The use of the Latin language, customary in a considerable portion of the Church, is a manifest and beautiful sign of unity, as well as an effective antidote for any corruption of doctrinal truth.
62. But it is neither wise nor laudable to reduce everything to antiquity by every possible device. Thus, to cite some instances, one would be straying from the straight path were he to wish the altar restored to its primitive table form; were he to want black excluded as a color for the liturgical vestments; were he to forbid the use of sacred images and statues in Churches; were he to order the crucifix so designed that the divine Redeemer's body shows no trace of His cruel sufferings; and lastly were he to disdain and reject polyphonic music or singing in parts, even where it conforms to regulations issued by the Holy See.
203. But in all these matters, it is essential that you watch vigilantly lest the enemy come into the field of the Lord and sow cockle among the wheat;[181] in other words, do not let your flocks be deceived by the subtle and dangerous errors of false mysticism or quietism - as you know We have already condemned these errors;[182] also do not let a certain dangerous "humanism" lead them astray, nor let there be introduced a false doctrine destroying the notion of Catholic faith, nor finally an exaggerated zeal for antiquity in matters liturgical. Watch with like diligence lest the false teaching of those be propagated who wrongly think and teach that the glorified human nature of Christ really and continually dwells in the "just" by His presence and that one and numerically the same grace, as they say, unites Christ with the members of His Mystical Body.
204. Never be discouraged by the difficulties that arise, and never let your pastoral zeal grow cold. "Blow the trumpet in Sion . . . call an assembly, gather together the people, sanctify the Church, assemble the ancients, gather together the little ones, and them that suck at the breasts,"[183] and use every help to get the faithful everywhere to fill the churches and crowd around the altars so that they may be restored by the graces of the sacraments and joined as living members to their divine Head, and with Him and through Him celebrate together the august sacrifice that gives due tribute of praise to the Eternal Father.
205. These, Venerable Brethren, are the subjects We desired to write to you about. We are moved to write that your children, who are also Ours, may more fully understand and appreciate the most precious treasures which are contained in the sacred liturgy: namely, the Eucharistic sacrifice, representing and renewing the sacrifice of the cross, the sacraments which are the streams of divine grace and of divine life, and the hymn of praise, which heaven and earth daily offer to God.
206. We cherish the hope that these Our exhortations will not only arouse the sluggish and recalcitrant to a deeper and more correct study of the liturgy, but also instill into their daily lives its supernatural spirit according to the words of the Apostle, "extinguish not the spirit."[184]
Source: Mediator Dei, Pope Pius XII
