Heavens to Betsy, I Almost Forgot St. Monica!

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where you also may find a three day novena to St. Monica
(I know ... three day novena ... never mind, you might like the prayers anyway)

I don't mention St. Monica yet, but she and her son, St. Augustine, and I have been on a prayer journey together since right after I came into the Church. I have a special intention and told them that I'd pray for ten years, if necessary, just like she did for her bad, wandering son's conversion.

Thank goodness I didn't realize it was 26 years (or something like that)!

Now, I may be praying for the entire 26 years (or something like that) anyway, because I know God doesn't answer prayers according to our timetables. Good thing I have St. Monica to help me out with persistence in the face of never seeing a single sign that your prayers for someone will be answered. (We're on year 8 by the way.)

St. Monica has much more to recommend her to us than her prayers and persistence over Augustine, however. She put up with a lot and, indeed, is an excellent example for those who might like to insist that though Christ turned the other cheek, we weren't meant to be door mats.

Monica was married to a pagan official by the name of Patricius. He was a very generous man, but violent tempered and dissolute, although tradition tells us he never laid a hand on her. She also had her mother-in-law living with her and this woman is described as being very cantankerous. Monica suffered much insult and ridicule because of her family, but her patience, gentleness, compassion and love won out in the end and both her husband and mother-in-law were converted.

A brief, but good history of her may be read here.