The Spirit of St. Monica

Maria V. Gallagher discovers an important spiritual resource for families whose loved ones have left the Church. 

The memory is etched in my brain: I am in a lovely church, decorated with the festive finery of Christmas. My mother has taken me there for a nighttime Mass. I am only a toddler, but I am in awe of the beauty that surrounds me. I know that this is a special place, and that my mother has shown her love for me by taking me there. 

Fast forward a couple of decades, and I am so consumed by my part-time journalism job that I fail to arise early enough to catch the 7 AM Sunday Mass. My mother knows that I am skipping Mass, and she is heartbroken. I find that a little of my heart has broken, too, but I rationalize that I need my weekend reporting job and, after all, I did not set the hours at the radio station.  

Fortunately, I found my way back to church and to the forgiving arms of my heavenly Father. I now believe that it was my mother’s prayers that led me into the safety of Mother Church.  

My mother lived out the legacy of St. Monica, and you can, too, with the new prayer journal The Spirit of St. Monica: 28 Catholic Prayer Prompts for Fallen Away Loved Ones. As Brendan Lyons writes in the introduction, “St. Monica prayed for thirty years for her son’s conversion. Patience and trust are vitally important.” 

What I found truly inspirational about this prayer journal was that it recognizes the fact that we are all sinners in need of God’s mercy. As a result, the prayer prompts are designed to not only seek salvation for loved ones, but to purify our own hearts as well. The more we are vessels of the Holy Spirit, the better intercessors we will be.  

It was a long and winding road that led me back to the full expression of my Catholic faith. It is important to recognize the fact that it may take some time before our loved ones return to Church. 

But we leave them in God’s hands, knowing that He will guide them on their spiritual journeys. Rather than becoming frustrated and upset, we can be at peace, realizing that the Almighty cradles our family members and friends in His tender care. 

With The Spirit of St. Monica by your side, you may just achieve a level of consolation you never thought possible.        

Copyright 2023 Maria V. Gallagher
Images: Canva