A Mother's Prayers
For years Monica prayed for the conversion of this son, who would become Bishop of Hippo and one of the Church’s greatest theologians.
St. Augustine
The Church celebrates Augustine’s feast on this date, immediately after the feast of his mother, St. Monica.
August 28
John baptized Jesus in this river.
Jordan
Jesus says that whoever wishes to come after him must deny himself and take up this.
His cross
Much of what we know about Monica comes from this autobiographical work written by her son.
Confessions
Before his conversion, Augustine made his living teaching this art of persuasive public speaking.
Rhetoric
This priest, John’s father, was struck speechless after doubting the angel Gabriel’s announcement of his son’s birth.
Zechariah
When Jeremiah tries to stop speaking in the Lord’s name, God’s word becomes like this, burning in his heart and imprisoned in his bones.
Fire
Monica lived to see Augustine baptized in Milan by this saintly bishop.
St. Ambrose
Augustine wrote this monumental work partly in response to pagans who blamed Christianity for Rome’s decline.
The City of God
John’s condemnation of this ruler’s unlawful marriage to Herodias ultimately led to his imprisonment and execution.
Herod Antipas
In Romans, Paul urges Christians to offer these as “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.”
Bodies
Monica died in 387 in this port city near Rome, while she and Augustine were waiting to sail back to Africa.
Ostia
For roughly nine years as a young man, Augustine belonged to this dualistic religion before eventually rejecting it.
Manichaeism
In addition to the August 29 memorial of his Passion, the Church celebrates this event in John’s life with a solemnity on June 24.
Nativity
After Peter objects to Jesus’ prediction of his Passion, Jesus tells him, “Get behind me,” using this shocking name.
Satan
St. Monica was born in Tagaste—also St. Augustine’s birthplace—in what today is this country.
Algeria
As bishop, Augustine battled this North African schism, whose rigorists disputed the legitimacy of clergy who had compromised during persecution.
Donatism
Gabriel foretold that John would go before the Lord “in the spirit and power” of this Old Testament prophet.
Elijah
Jeremiah opens Sunday’s first reading by accusing the Lord of doing this to him—and admits, rather remarkably, that he “let” the Lord do it.
Duping