May 2017
St. Monica’s Day—Who was Monica? The short answer is that she was the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the greatest theologians of the church. All that we know about Monica comes from Augustine’s spiritual autobiography, The Confessions of Saint Augustine. Monica was born in North Africa about 331 of Berber parents. She was a Christian, and made it her life’s work to bring her husband, Patricius, and her children, Augustine, Nazigius and Perpetua, to the Christian faith. She was ambitious for her eldest and gifted son, Augustine. He received an excellent education. He did not accept Christianity as a young person, embracing Manichaeism, then Neo-Platonism and living a wild life. He never married but lived with a woman for many years. They were the parents of a son. Monica prayed constantly for his conversion and wept over his sins. A sympathetic bishop once said to her, “Go now, I beg of you: it is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish.” Augustine left North Africa for a teaching position in Milan. It was there that he met and was baptized by Ambrose in 387. Monica had followed Augustine, against his wishes, to Italy. As she was preparing to return home, she fell ill. She died in Italy. Augustine was worried about her dying so far from home. She responded, “Nothing is far from God, and I need have no fear that he will not know
where to find me, when he comes to raise me to life at the end of the world.” Monica died at Ostia, the port city near Rome, in 387. In 1430, Monica’s remains were transferred from Ostia to Rome, to the Church of St. Augustine. She was proclaimed a saint by popular acclamation, as was the custom at that time, for her pious and holy life. St. Monica is the patron saint of married women, abuse victims, alcoholics, alcoholism, difficult marriages, disappointing children, homemakers, housewives, mothers, victims of adultery, victims of unfaithfulness, victims of verbal abuse, widows and wives.
Our Staff & Vestry
Please invite someone to come and celebrate our church and its ministries.
Rev, Anthony MacWhinnie, II, Rector Vestry: Chuck Barnett - Senior Warden Jim Warner- Junior Warden Beth Woods, Susan Early & John Velaski Twinette McDonald - Music Director Sally Putters - Parish Nurse
Sunday, May 7
Celebrating 63 years! Lunch following the service.
Fried Chicken will be provided Please bring a covered dish or dessert. Weather permitting, we will eat outside.