A Mother’s Tears
She is best known as the mother of this great Doctor of the Church, whose conversion she prayed for unceasingly.
St. Augustine
This saint, the son of St. Monica, became bishop of this North African city, where he served for more than 30 years.
Hippo
This saint, the cousin of Jesus, is known as the forerunner who prepared the way for the Lord.
St. John the Baptist
St. Gregory sent missionaries to this land, led by Augustine of Canterbury, beginning the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons.
England
This book of the Bible opens the first reading with advice to “Humble yourself the more, the greater you are… and you will find favor with God.”
Sirach
St. Monica’s feast day was originally celebrated on May 4, but in the 20th century it was moved to this date, the day before her son’s feast.
August 27th
Augustine’s dramatic conversion took place in this city in Italy, where he was baptized by St. Ambrose at the Easter Vigil in 387.
Milan
John the Baptist preached repentance and baptized people in this river.
Jordan River
St. Gregory’s name is attached to this style of vocal music, still used in the liturgy of the Church.
Gregorian chant
According to the same passage, “Water quenches a flaming fire, and ___ atone for sins.”
Alms
St. Monica was born in what is now this North African country, where Augustine also spent much of his early life.
Algeria
In The City of God, Augustine contrasted the “City of Man” with the “City of God,” written partly in response to the sack of this city in 410.
Rome
When John hesitated to baptize Jesus, Jesus told him it was necessary to “fulfill” this.
All righteousness
Before becoming pope, Gregory founded monasteries and himself became a monk in this city, where he was born.
Rome
The second reading compares Mount Sinai and Jerusalem, ending by calling us to approach the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and this “mediator of a new covenant.”
Jesus
St. Monica’s prayers for Augustine’s conversion were encouraged by this bishop of Milan, who later baptized him.
St. Ambrose
St. Augustine’s most famous autobiographical work, often read as both a spiritual testimony and classic of Western literature, bears this title.
Confessions
Herodias harbored a grudge against John for condemning her unlawful marriage; at her daughter’s request, John met this fate.
Beheading
St. Gregory is credited with popularizing this papal title, emphasizing humility. The Latin version is Servus servorum Dei.
Servant of the Servants of God
In the Gospel, Jesus advises guests at a banquet to take the lowest place, so that instead they may be invited to sit in a more honored position when the host notices—teaching a lesson in this virtue.
Humility
St. Monica urged Augustine as a young man to avoid joining this dualistic sect, though he followed it for nearly a decade before his conversion.
Manichaeism
In opposing the Donatist heresy, Augustine insisted that the validity of these does not depend on the personal holiness of the minister, but on Christ who works through them.
Sacraments
An old Christian tradition has it that, on August 29th, when we remember the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, it is in bad form to eat food off of these.
Platter
During his papacy, Gregory negotiated directly with this invading people, helping to secure peace for Rome while also working to convert them to Catholicism.
Lombards
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus says that when you give a banquet, you should invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. He promises you will be repaid at this event.
The resurrection of the righteous