Homily #090504 ( 08min) Play – Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine; Fr Ignatius normally celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass and therefore under the Traditional Latin calendar, today the Feast of St. Monica is celebrated – in the Novus Ordo calendar, her Feast has been transferred to Aug 27th.

Ave Maria!

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Homily #090827 ( 05min) Play – St. Monica prayed and shed many tears for the conversion of her wayward son, St. Augustine.
Ave Maria! Mass readings

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St. Monica-Feast Day August 27th

her son, St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church-Feast Day August 28th

From “The Confessions” of St. Augustine

The day when she was to leave this life was drawing near – a day known to You, though we were ignorant of it – she and I happened to be alone, through (as I believe) the mysterious workings of Your will.

We stood leaning against a window which looked out on a garden within the house where we were staying, at Ostia on the Tiber; for there, far from the crowds, we were recruiting our strength after the long journey, in order to prepare ourselves for our voyage overseas. We were alone, conferring very intimately. Forgetting what lay in the past, and stretching out to what was ahead, we inquired between ourselves, in the light of present truth, into what You are and what the eternal life of the saints would be like, for eye has not seen nor ear heard nor human heart conceived it.

And yet, with the mouth of our hearts wide open we panted thirstily for the celestial streams of Your fountain, the fount of life which is with You. This was the substance of our talk, though not the exact words. Yet You know, O Lord, how on that very day, amid this talk of ours that seemed to make the world with all its charms grow cheap, she said, “For my part, my son, I no longer find pleasure in anything that this life holds. What I am doing here still, or why I am still here, I do not know, for worldly hope has withered away for me. One thing only there was for which I desired to linger in this life: to see you a Catholic Christian before I died. And my God has granted this to me more lavishly than I could have hoped, letting me see even you spurning earthly happiness to be His servant. What am I still doing here?”

What I replied I cannot clearly remember, because just about that time – five days later, or not much more – she took to her bed with fever. One day during her illness she lapsed into unconsciousness and for a short time was unaware of her surroundings. We all came running, but she quickly returned to her senses, and, gazing at me and my brother as we stood there, she asked in puzzlement, “Where was I?”

We were bewildered with grief, but she looked keenly at us and said, “You are to bury your mother here”. I was silent, holding back my tears, but my brother said something about his hope that she would not die far from home but in her own country, for that would be a happier way. On hearing this she looked anxious and her eyes rebuked him for thinking so; then she turned her gaze from him to me and said, “What silly talk!”

Shortly afterwards, addressing us both, she said, “Lay this body anywhere, and take no trouble over it. One thing only do I ask of you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be”. Having made her meaning clear to us with such words as she could muster, she fell silent…

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Quotes from St. Augustine of Hippo:

He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent.

Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.

If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.

O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.

Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.

To seek the highest good is to live well.

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Late have I loved you,
O Beauty ever ancient, ever new,
late have I loved you!

You were within me, but I was outside,
and it was there that I searched for you.
In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created.

You were with me, but I was not with you.
Created things kept me from you;
yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all.

You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness.
You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness.
You breathed your fragrance on me;
I drew in breath and now I pant for you.

I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more.
You touched me, and I burned for your peace.

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Homily #100827 ( 08min) Play – Fr. Angelo Geiger preaches on the Feast day of St. Monica where we  have the Gospel story of the only son who is raised from the dead and given back to his mother with great rejoicing. Father relates this to the conversion of St. Augustine the son on St. Monica who prayed and wept for his conversion for decades. He points out the need for prayer and penance to bring about conversions.
Ave Maria! – Mass Ordinary Form: – Readings:
1st: 1 Cor 1:17-25
Gspl: Luk 7:11-17

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Homily #120827 ( 11min) Play – On this memorial of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine and patron of wives, Fr. George preaches on this courageous model of mothers who by her tears converted her husband, mother-in-law, and her son, who would later become a great doctor of the church.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Monica – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Monday in the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
1st: 2th 1:1-5, 11-12
Resp: psa 96:1-2, 2-3, 4-5
Gsp: mat 23:13-22

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Homily #120827b ( 08min) Play– On the memorial of St. Monica Fr. Elias preaches on the virtue of perseverance and how all the other virtues are tied to this since a good deed by itself is not a virtue until we repeat it, make it habitual and persevere in it. In St. Monica’s case she persevered in tears to beseach the Lord for the grace of her son’s conversion, St. Augustine.
Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Monica – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Monday in the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
1st: 2th 1:1-5, 11-12
Resp: psa 96:1-2, 2-3, 4-5
Gsp: mat 23:13-22
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Homily #120828 ( 12min) Play -St. Augustine was a giant.  God pulled him out of a life of sin to live a life of grace with his mother, St. Monica and mother Church.   The vurtie of Chastity was very difficlut for him to live, but through casting all his cares on the Lord, putting  on the Lord Jesus Christ, He became what he was by God’s grace.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Augustine of Hippo – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: 

1st: Jn.  4:7-16

Resp.: Pa.  119:9-14

Gospel: Mt.  23:8-12

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Homily #140827b ( 07min) Play – Fr. Joachim on the life of St Monica that was so focused on the conversion of her pagan family including her son Augustine. All of them converted and Augustine went on to be a Bishop, a major force for Christianity and a saint and Father of the Church. Father relates this to modern family situations in our pluralized society and exhorts us to follow her example of prayer and patience.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Monica – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Wednesday in the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
1st: 2th 3:6-10, 16-18
Resp: psa 128:1-2, 4-5
Gsp: mat 23:27-32

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #140828b ( 08min) Play – Fr. Elias gives an account of the life of St. Augustine and points out how he lived a very wayward life until his conversion and so is a great sign of hope that even a great sinner can become a great saint.
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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Homily #150827 ( 05min) Play – Today we celebrate the memorial of St. Monica, model of a virtuous woman and powerful intercessor for those who have children who have fallen away from the faith.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Monica – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Thursday 21st Week of Ordinary Time
1st: 1th 3:7-13
Resp: psa 90:3-4, 12-13, 14, 17
Gsp: mat 24:42-51

Audio (MP3)

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