Many of us know the story of St. Monica who prayed for decades for her son Augustine.  Her steadfast faith that God would hear her prayers did lead to the conversion of her son who became one of the most brilliant Doctors of the Church.  Let us never cease in our prayers!

Dear St. Monica, troubled wife and mother, many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime. Yet, you never despaired or lost faith. With confidence, persistence, and profound faith, you prayed daily for the conversion of your beloved husband, Patricius, and your beloved son, Augustine; your prayers were answered. Grant me that same fortitude, patience, and trust in the Lord. Intercede for me, dear St. Monica, that God may favorably hear my plea for   

(Mention your intention here.) 

and grant me the grace to accept His Will in all things, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

A Beautiful Prayer by St. Augustine

I beg of You, my God, let me know You and love You
so that I may be happy in You. And though I cannot do this fully in this life, yet let me improve from day to day till I may do so to the full.  Let me know You more and more in this life, that I may know You perfectly in heaven. Let me know You more and more here, so that I may love you perfectly there, so that my joy may be great in itself here, and complete in heaven with You. O Truthful God, let me receive the happiness of heaven which You promise so that my joy may be full. In the meantime, let my mind think of it, let my tongue talk of it, let my heart long for it, let my mouth speak of it, let my soul hunger after it, let my flesh thirst after it, let my whole being desire it, until such time as I may enter through death into the joy of my Lord, there to continue forever, world without end. Amen.

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Homily #140828n ( 07min) Play – Fr. Maximilian comments on the words of Our Lord in today’s Gospel, reminding us to “be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” In order to do this, Father presents the example of today’s Saint, St. Augustine, who sought the truth all his life and was, by grace, lead to give up his sins and become a great saint. May we, with the enabling action of grace, give up our sins and become great saints, lest the Master come, and cast us “where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Augustine of Hippo – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Thursday in the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
1st: 1co 1:1-9
Resp: psa 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Gsp: mat 24:42-51

Audio (MP3)

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On the memorial of St. Monica (Aug 27), Fr. Alan explains in the homily how, in the midst of Archbishop Viganò’s exposé of a homosexual network in the Church, and the renewed clerical abuse crisis, with all the conflicts they will generate, we can learn from her winning method for confronting a difficult and persistent challenge to the faith.

Offering her persevering prayers and tears to God, St. Monica was able to obtain for her husband and son the grace of conversion. The fruit of her virtuous life is an enduring example for all Mothers, including the Church, which now grieves over the infidelity of some of her children.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Monica – Mem

To read Archbishop Viganòs letter, see: “Pope Francis covered up McCarrick abuse, former US nuncio testifies (OFFICIAL TEXT)” [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/former-us-nuncio-pope-francis-knew-of-mccarricks-misdeeds-repealed-sanction]

On St. Monica’s persistence in prayer, see: “All in God’s Time: A lesson from St. Monica” [https://catholicexchange.com/gods-time-lesson-st-monica] and “St. Monica and the Power of Persistent Prayer”  [https://www.osv.com/Shop/Product?ProductCode=T1261]

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On the memorial of St. Augustine (Bishop and Doctor of the Church, Aug 28), Fr. Matthias reminds us that at the heart of the sex abuse problem is the issue of lack of chastity. At this moment, when this defect in so many members of the Mystical Body of Christ is being graphically exhibited, we must not forget that we are all called to contribute to resolving the problem: by seeking and practicing, from the heart, our own chastity and self-mastery, in order to re-edify the Body of Christ.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Augustine of Hippo – Mem

Readings: Tuesday in the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
1st: 2 Thes 2:1-3, 14-16
Resp: Ps 96:10, 11-12, 13
Gsp: Mt 23:23-26

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Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Nov 22, 2023, on the life of St. Cecilia, Virgin & Martyr, who sang her testimony to Jesus and how her relics were found, corroborating the fantastic account of her heroic death.

St. Cecilia and the other martyrs today are foreshadowed by the seven sons and their mother, celebrated in the second book of Maccabees read today, particularly in chapter 7. St. Augustine also preached about them, recognizing their sacrifices around 168 BC. Today’s reading details their mother’s perseverance and faith in the resurrection, a belief echoed in her statement about God creating from nothing, ex nihilo. This faith is reminiscent of Our Lady’s at the cross.

Saint Cecilia, from a noble Roman family, was married to the pagan Valerian. She maintained her vow of virginity, guarded by an angel, leading to Valerian’s conversion through Pope Saint Urban I. Valerian’s brother also converted, but their Christian faith led to their execution. Cecilia, refusing to deny Christ, faced her own martyrdom. Despite surviving a heated steam bath, she was ultimately beheaded. Critics question the historicity of these accounts, yet forensic examinations of relics, like St. Cassian of Imola’s, have validated such stories.

We celebrate Saint Cecilia’s commitment to Christ, her role in inspiring other martyrs, and her extraordinary sanctity.

Ave Maria!

Here are 12 potential chapter topics with timestamps for the transcript:

00:00 – Introduction
00:15 – The Maccabean martyrs before Christ
01:33 – St. Cecilia & her noble Roman family
01:47 – St. Cecilia, patroness of sacred music
02:03 – St. Cecilia’s vow of virginity
02:26 – The martyrdom of St. Cecilia’s husband & brother-in-law
03:45 – The conversion and martyrdom of Maximus
04:06 – St. Cecilia’s Martyrdom
06:50 – Archaeological evidence corroborates the traditional story
09:47 – St. Cecilia, spiritual mother of martyrs

Mass: St. Cecilia, Virgin & Martyr – Mem – http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=34
Readings: Wednesday 33rd Week of Ordinary Time – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112223.cfm
1st: 2ma 7:1, 20-31
Resp: psa 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15
Gsp: luk 19:11-28

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Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Feb 20, 2024, on the significance of right intention in religious acts and the comprehensive spiritual guidance provided by the Lord’s Prayer, including a Franciscan connection.

The homily revisits the Gospel missed on Ash Wednesday, focusing on the importance of right intention in our acts of religion: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. He emphasizes that these acts should be done to please God rather than to gain human admiration. He particularly delves into the Lord’s Prayer, explaining that it encompasses all we should ask of God in its seven petitions, a concept echoed by Saint Augustine. Father explains that the Lord’s Prayer is a model for all prayer, containing everything necessary for our spiritual life, and that any prayer not aligning with its intentions may be unspiritual.

The homily moves on to discuss the Franciscan practice of prayer, especially the Our Father, as recommended by Saint Bonaventure. It’s highlighted that this prayer encapsulates the intentions expressed in the Psalms but in a more concise form. Father outlines the structure of the Our Father, detailing how the first part prepares us to pray with confidence, affection for others, and a focus on heavenly things. The petitions of the Our Father are then broken down: the first three concerning God’s honor and the last four concerning our benefit, ranging from provision for our daily needs to forgiveness, guidance away from temptation, and deliverance from evil.

00:00 – Introduction to the Context of Today’s Gospel
00:28 – The Importance of Right Intention in Acts of Religion
01:28 – Jesus’ Prayer Intentions: The Lord’s Prayer Explained
02:22 – Saint Bonaventure’s Commentary on the Our Father
03:15 – Preparation of the Soul for Prayer
04:43 – The Seven Petitions of the Lord’s Prayer: Honor to God and Our Benefit
06:34 – Daily Bread: A Lesson in Trust and Avarice
07:28 – Removing Past, Present, and Future Evils Through Prayer

Ave Maria!

Mass: Tuesday 1st Week of Lent – Wkdy
Readings:  – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/022024.cfm
1st: isa 55:10-11
Resp: psa 34:4-7, 16-19
Gsp: mat 6:7-15

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Fr Joseph M. gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Mar 11, 2025, on how Jesus gave us the perfect prayer in the Our Father, which teaches us to forgive others unconditionally, just as Christ forgave those who crucified him.

He explains that the Our Father is the perfect prayer because Jesus himself gave it to us. Unlike prayers written by humans, this prayer comes directly from the Son of God. When we say it with devotion, it can even remove our venial sins, as Saint Augustine taught. He then focuses especially on forgiveness, explaining that during Lent we seek God’s forgiveness for our sins, but we must also forgive others completely, even if they don’t apologize to us. Just as Jesus forgave those who crucified him without them asking for forgiveness, we, too, must forgive others to become more like Christ. This forgiveness helps purify our hearts and prepares us for Easter.

For Further Reading:
Luke 23: 34 – NAB – Jesus forgives those who crucify Him – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/23?34
Romans 8: 29 – NAB – Being conformed to the image of Christ – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/8?29
Catechism of the Catholic Church #2838 – Our Father prayer and forgiveness – http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p4s2a3.htm#2838
Catechism of the Catholic Church #1446 – Sacrament of Reconciliation – http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1446.htm
Catholic Answers – The Lord’s Prayer – https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-lords-prayer

Ave Maria!

Mass: Tuesday 1st Week of Lent – Wkdy
Readings:  – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/031125.cfm
1st: isa 55:10-11
Resp: psa 34:4-7, 16-19
Gsp: mat 6:7-15

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