Monica was the mother to Augustine. She was possessively involved in his life, intervening in his decisions about whom to marry and where to live. She spent much of her life in despair that her son was not a Christian. When Augustine converted, she was overjoyed, and the two went on to live together in a spiritual community where they discussed and practiced their faith. Near the end of her life, she and Augustine experienced a profound moment in which they sensed that everything around them had been silenced and that they were unified, facing outward towards God. When Monica passed away, Augustine remembered her as an advocate of pure faith standing against the rational and materialistic worldview of the times.
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Monica Character Timeline in The Road to Character
The timeline below shows where the character Monica appears in The Road to Character. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8: Ordered Love
...town counselor with no spiritual drive who hoped his son would be successful. His mother, Monica, was both a devout religious follower and a strong-willed individual. She managed the household, her...
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Monica’s control over Augustine was domineering and possessive. When Augustine was 28, he tried to escape...
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...turn away from worldly desires, renouncing them happily and turning to Christ. He ran to Monica to tell her of his transformation, and she was overjoyed. What happened to Augustine in...
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...group went back to Africa. On the way, they stopped in Ostia, where he and Monica had a profound conversation. Together, they experienced a hush taking over them by degrees, silencing...
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A few days after her profound conversation with Augustine, Monica died. Augustine was overcome with grief. But the next day, he found solace in weeping...
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