Saint Monica

27th August

Saint Monica’s life is a testament to the two virtues of Patience and Perseverance. These two virtues, though seemingly the same, are slightly different.

The virtue of Patience helps people remain calm and not to complain when other people otherwise would. Most of the time, this virtue is practiced in relationships with other people and in situations where many things go wrong.

The virtue of Perseverance might demand greater moral strength. Although it is based on the virtue of Patience, it is also the strength to keep going in difficult situations where you feel like giving up.

Saint Monica is an example of these two virtues because she practiced them with her husband and his mother, and especially with her son, Augustine.

After watching the video with the children, it would be a good idea to discuss these two virtues with them, in light of Monica’s life. It would be difficult for the children to identify these qualities on their own, therefore you should ask them:

  • Do you think that Saint Monica showed a lot of patience?
    • With whom and how?
    • Do you have to be patient with someone?
      It would be good to consider their opinion, maybe even with a sense of humour! Include your opinions as well. Encourage them to identify situations at home and at school.
    • What can we do?

Help them understand how Saint Monica displayed the virtue of Perseverance when she never gave up to see Augustine change his life:

  • Let them mention how this was presented in the video.
  • Ask them: Do you ever feel like giving up? (in a school subject, for example, or a hobby, a sports activity, and in something that they do not think is going according to plan)

You can help the children to identify these thoughts in a more practical way:

  • They can choose a chore that they find very difficult and they choose to do it for a couple of days
    • You can give them a knotted skein to
    • You can use a game (even online) that test the children on how long they keep trying to find an answer or a solution

Monica kept on praying and she never gave up:

  • Help the children understand that when we pray we are talking to Jesus
    • In a prayer together, let them mention
      • Where
      • When
      • With whom they have lost their patience
  • Then invite them to address Jesus and to make a decision to change their attitude.
  • Encourage them to think about situations in which they need to persevere, and to ask for help from Jesus, so that he can guide them just as he did with to Saint Monica.

From a young age, Saint Monica used to love praying, going to church, and helping those in need. She helped her husband to start believing in God. Her biggest worry, however, was her son Augustine. She never stopped praying for him, and he eventually converted to Christianity. She kept praying for him until she died.

Today we are going to sow a plant!

Materials needed:

  1. Pot full of soil
  2. Seed
  3. Water and nutrients (to plant and water it according to the plant you choose)

Instructions:

  1. Put the seed in the pot and cover it with more soil
  2. Water it
  3. Keep watering it and keep giving it the nutrients it needs according to the plant you have chosen
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How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Saints of the Church. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the holy life, helping you to connect the saints to daily life in a meaningful way.