You're listening to the SSPX podcast.

We're happy to present True Heroes, a series of stories of the lives of the saints presented by Father Thomas Tam.

Nothing is far from God, St. Monica.

Hey, hey, welcome to True Heroes, episode 12, I believe.

Today we're going to look at the life of St. Monica,

the mother of the famous St. Augustine of Hippo.

Let us begin her story.

St. Monica was born in 3.31 AD in Tagaste, which is present-day Algeria.

When she was very young, she was married off to the Roman pagan Patricius, who shared his mother's

violent temper. Patricius' mother lived with the couple,

and the duo's temper flares proved to be a constant challenge to young Monica.

While Monica's prayers, Christian deeds bothered Patriciaus, who as we said was a pagan,

he is said to have, to at least a degree, respected her beliefs.

Three children were born to Monica and Patriciaus, Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua.

Unfortunately, Monica was unable to baptize her children, and when Augustine fell ill, Monica pleaded

with Patricius to allow their son to be baptized.

Patricius allowed it, but when Augustine was healthy again, he withdrew his permission.

So she didn't baptize him, She was waiting to see if he would

die and when he didn't, she was forbidden to baptize him. For years, Monica prayed for her husband

and her mother-in-law until finally they both converted to Catholicism, and Patricius, her husband, passed away just a year after his baptism.

As time passed, perpetua Navigius entered the religious life, but unfortunately, Augustine became lazy and uncouth.

This greatly worried Monica, so when Patricia's died, she sent her 17-year-old Augustine to Carthage for schooling.

...