St. Augustine

Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church

Feast Day - August 28

Augustine was born of good parents at Tagaste in Africa, and in a short time surpassed all his companions in learning.  As a young man, when in Carthage, he fell into the Manichean heresy.  Later he went to Rome and was sent from there to Milan to teach rhetoric.  At Milan, he was persuaded by Monica, his most devout mother, to become a frequent listener to Ambrose the bishop.  Ambrose brought it about that Augustine was fired with a desire for the Catholic Faith, and baptized him when he was thirty-three years old. 

Going back to Africa, Augustine led a life governed by religion and holiness, and was made priest by Valerius, bishop of Hippo, renowned for his sanctity.  At this same period, he founded a religious community with whom he lived, taking part in their life and worship while he trained them very carefully to the apostolic life and to learning.  Moved by his devotion, Valerius made him his coadjutor bishop.  He wrote many works remarkable for their devotion, subtlety and diffuseness, to combat heresies and throw light on Christian teaching.

When the Vandals were laying Africa waste and Hippo had been besieged for three months, he was taken with a fever and went to the Lord in the seventy-sixth year of his age.  His body was buried first in Sardinia and then in Pavia, where it is venerated with honor.

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