Rita publicly forgave the murderer but her two sons were expected to avenge their father. Finally, her husband turned away from his abusive ways but was murdered soon after by a member of a feuding family. Throughout their eighteen years of marriage, during which they had two sons - both as tempestuous as their father - St Rita distinguished herself by her patience, docility, and forbearance. By all accounts, it was a difficult marriage, as her husband was a cruel and immoral man who had many enemies. As a young girl, she had a strong desire for the religious life but, in obedience to her parents, she married at the age of twelve. St Rita (1386-1456) was born in Umbria, Italy. So perfectly has God granted me this that I see you even despise earthly happiness to become His servant. There was but one reason I wished to linger in this life a little longer: that I might see you a Catholic Christian before I died. Now all my hope in this world is accomplished. What shall I now do and why am I here? I know not. “Son, what more is left for me? I care now for nothing in this life. 3 After Augustine’s marvellous conversion and baptism at the hands of St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Monica saw that her work was done. 2 This certainly was not the case with St Monica. One bishop, whom she tried to persuade to speak to her son, declined because he saw no hope of success seeing the intensity of her prayers, however, the bishop consoled her, saying, “it cannot be that the child of your tears will perish”. Today we may find the Roman Catechism startling in its gentle reproach for our natural inclination towards the good of physical life over our spiritual good when we read: “t sometimes happens that persons feel more intense sorrow for the death of their children than for the grievousness of their sins”. Augustine himself wrote in his Confessions that “she shed for him more tears than other mothers shed over a coffin”. However, another seventeen years of prayer would be needed for Augustine, led astray by heresy and impurity. Their son, Augustine was then seventeen years old. A year before Patricius’s death, Monica’s ceaseless prayers and sacrifices were rewarded with his baptism. Monica’s piety annoyed Patricius, but he always respected her. She was raised as a Christian but given in marriage to a Roman pagan, Patricius, who is said to have had a violent temper and dissolute manners. St Monica (331-387) was born in modern-day Algeria. It is their inexhaustible work for the conversion of souls. However, there is something that these two female saints have in common, which is more important than time and space and of particular importance to the time of Advent. Obviously, they could have had no contact with one another, albeit that St Rita eventually entered an Augustinian convent in Cascia in central Italy, and thus became a spiritual daughter of St Monica’s natural son, St Augustine. St Monica and St Rita were born on different continents over a thousand years apart. Home » Articles » St Monica and St Rita – what two graceful agents of conversion can teach us this Advent St Monica and St Rita – what two graceful agents of conversion can teach us this Advent
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