St. Monica

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St. Monica was born into a Christian family in the African part of the Roman Empire. At a young age, she married a pagan named Patricius, with whom she had multiple children, the most famous of which was Augustine.

Monica is best known for her fervent intercession for the conversion of Augustine. She prayed for his conversion in tears for many years, continually persevering in prayer as it seemed her son was slipping farther away from the Church. She even followed him to Rome to encourage him to convert. She lived to see him baptized before her death.

But why are we talking about her on a page about saints who faced traumatic experiences?

Because of her marriage to Patricius, St. Monica is the patron saint of those in difficult marriages, who are victims of adultery, and who are victims of abuse.

Patricius had a very quick and violent temper, which Monica unfortunately got the brunt of. He was also unfaithful to Monica. Unfortunately, Monica’s mother-in-law blamed all of this on Monica, and the servants and her mother-in-law, who lived with them, took Patricius’ actions as a cue that it was permissible for them to mistreat Monica, too. Monica bore all of this with patience, fueled by her deep prayer life, and by the time Patricius died, he received Baptism.

First, Monica had a deep prayer life, which she persevered in even when it seemed like her prayers weren’t working and even when she was facing abuse in her marriage. Her prayer life helped her to be patient with those who were harming her, which eventually, won them over to the faith. 

Second, Monica spent years in prayer for the conversion of Augustine and of Patricius, and she didn’t see Patricius’ conversion until right before his death, and Augustine’s conversion right before hers. But, she trusted that God would act in his timing. 

May we, who face hardship in our families, learn from Monica’s fervent prayer for conversion, her patience, and her trust in the Lord’s action.

St. Augustine’s Confessions contains a little bit of Monica’s biography.

To learn more about other saints who have faced trauma, please visit the Stories of Hope page.