How Are St Monica and St Augustine being Celebrated In Rome This Week

More St Monica and St. Augustine News. Yes they are still with us and can intercede for us so we are pumping them this week

The Ratzinger Forum has translated these two articles here on what is going on in Rome.

ST. AUGUSTINE CELEBRATIONS IN OSTIA AND ROME-
Saint Augustine is also the patron saint of the Roman Lido (beach area), particularly the ancient port city of Ostia, titular seat of the Dean of the College of Cardinals, currently Cardinal Angelo Sodano, and before him, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

By a coincidence. St. Augustine's feast day, comemmorating his death, is August 28, whereas that of hsi mother St. Monica, is on August 27. Two conferences about the City of God, the saint's second most famous work after his Confessions, were held this weekend, with the participation of political and civil officials. A Mass in honor of St. Augustine will be celebrated tonight by Cardinal Sodano at the church of Sant'Aurea, preceding a Mass tomorrow on the feast day of St. Monica. Concerts, theatrical presentations, a historical procession are on the program, as well as fireworks to conclude the festivities on Tuesday, August 28.

In Rome, celebrations are centered in the Basilica of St. Augustine in Campo Marzio, where St. Monica's remains are kept. The observance began Friday with Eucharistic Adoration, Vespers and Mass. There will be Mass tonight, dedicated to all mothers, followed by a concert of sacred music on the historic church organ which was recently completely restored after more than 10 years of work. St. Monica's feastday on Monday will begin with a Mass for spouses and widows, and at midday, a special prayer meeting for St. Monica. In the evening, the parish will screen Rossellini's film "Augustine of Hippo".

On Tuesday noon, Augsutine's feastday, Archbishop Luigi Moretti, auxiliary bishop of Rome, will preside at a concelebrated Mass with all the parish priests of the district. At 6 pm, there will be Vespers to be attended by Augustinian priests and nuns, led by Fr. Robert Provost, prior-general of the Augustinian order. A church of great historical and artistic value, the Basilica of St. Augustine is now the property of the Italian Ministry for Artistic and Cultural Assets. It is undergoing urgent repair and reconstruction of dangerous structural weaknesses that have developed after centuries.

A private fund-raising drive called Adopt A Church is also underway to enable the faithful to contribute to the effort, which has been repeatedly postponed in the past due to lack of funds.

The sea at Ostia and the immensity of God in the life of St. Augustine
By Angela Ambrogetti VATICAN CITY -
The hagiography tells us that it was while wlaking along the beach in Ostia that Augustine confronted the immensity of God.

Whether that is true or not, Augustine and his mother spent some time in Ostia, where she died eventually, and Augustine tells of the conversations with his mother in the pages of Confessions called "The ecstasy of Ostia." But for many decades, Ostia - a suburban city of 400,000 - appeared to have largely forgotten this.

Only in 2004 was Augustine declared its patron saint, thanks to the efforts of the ASsociazione Culturale Sant’Agostino, which has been in charge since then of promoting Augustinian celebrations. At the two conferences scheduled this year, the themes were Augustine's most 'political' - the City of God and the City of Man - about the values for building the common good, the community of man according to the saint's concept of the City of God.

Participants included Andrea Riccardi, head of the Sant'Egidio community, and Marcello Pera, former Senate President, to explain to the citizenry what Augustine's political philosophy was. Augustine was also the father of European identity, according to Prof. Rosa Caccioppo, secretary-general of the Association: "Augustininan thought, which has had a renewal thanks to Pope Benedict XVI, integrates perfectly into the European perspective.

St. Augustine helped effect a transformation in the fifth century of a Europe that was thoroughly convulsed by the dissolution of the Roman Empire. He imposed a new sense of history and in this sense, he was very modern. In today's context, Augustinian thought can be an important and fundamental force in the reconstruction of a Christian identity for Europe."

The Association is headed by Rinaldo Raganato, who has spent the past 50 years trying to promote Augustine in Ostia. In November 2004, Augustine's relics were taken from Pavia to Ostia for the first time for the city's veneration. Cardinal Ratzinger, as titular Archbishop, celebrated Mass for the occasion. In his homily, he chose to read Augustine's life from a European perspective. He compared Europe to the progidal son in the parable. "It is the situation of Europe, which has gone to a place very remote from God, so remote that the name of God may not even appear on the European Constitution, as if to do that were to take a risk that is not allowed in that distant country."