Saint Augustine of Hippo

 Saint Augustine of Hippo, Bishop and Doctor of the Church—Memorial

354–430

Patron Saint of brewers, printers, and theologians

Invoked against sore eyes and vermin

Pre-Congregation canonization

Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1298

Referred to as “Doctor of Grace” by popular acclaim

Liturgical Color: White

Late have I loved You, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved You! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for You. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which You created. You were with me, but I was not with You. Created things kept me from You; yet if they had not been in You they would not have been at all. You called, You shouted, and You broke through my deafness. You flashed, You shone, and You dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for You. I have tasted You, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for Your peace. ~Saint Augustine’s Confessions, Book X

Yesterday, the Church honored Saint Monica, the mother of today’s saint, Saint Augustine. Despite her challenging life, Monica fulfilled her most crucial duty as a mother and wife. She prayed for her family and demonstrated such compelling virtues that her husband, mother-in-law, and all three of her children were converted to Christ. Among them was Saint Augustine of Hippo, one of the Church’s most revered saints.

Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis, known as Augustine, was born in Tagaste, present-day Souk Ahras, Algeria, North Africa. He was the oldest of three children, including a younger brother and sister. His father, Patricius (Patrick) was not wealthy but had civic responsibilities in his city, which was part of the Roman Empire. His father was a pagan, known for his violent temper and immoral lifestyle. Augustine’s mother, known today as Saint Monica, struggled with alcohol at an early age but overcame that vice. She was raised a Christian and wholeheartedly embraced her Catholic faith. Despite suffering due to her husband’s temper and adulterous behavior, Monica was a model of charity, and her prayers eventually converted her whole family.

Augustine’s father would not permit his children to receive baptism, despite their mother’s pleas. Nevertheless, Monica ensured their catechetical formation from an early age, as well as an education in the classics. Monica’s faith instilled within Augustine an awareness of Christ his Savior, but that awareness never fully penetrated his young mind. Instead, he became a troublemaker. For instance, he and his friends once stole some pears, not because they were hungry or because the pears tasted good, but merely for the thrill of it. He later recounted in his Confessions, “I loved my own undoing. I loved my error—not that for which I erred but the error itself…seeking nothing from the shameful deed but shame itself. It was a love of sin.”

Because Augustine excelled in his studies in his hometown, his proud father decided to send him to the thriving nearby city of Carthage to continue his education, once he could find someone to pay for it. This took several months, and Augustine’s idleness during that time only led him into greater mischief. His father died that year, but a wealthy citizen of Tagaste offered to sponsor Augustine’s education. By the time he arrived in Carthage, he was ripe for a life of sin. Many of the other students lived immorally, the theaters stirred up his passions, and he became intoxicated by his literary successes. Shortly after his arrival, he moved in with a young woman and fathered a child out of wedlock. When he was nineteen, he read a book that would begin to change his life: Cicero’s Hortensius. Although that book is now lost to history, it extolled the virtue of wisdom. Reading it awakened a hunger for truth within Augustine, which he began to pursue earnestly. Unfortunately, at this time he started doubting his Christian faith, primarily due to his struggles with the Old Testament, which he perceived as violent and confusing. He then encountered the religious philosophy of Manichaeism, which claimed to have discovered secret knowledge and supported his view that the Bible had contradictions. Manichaeism looked at reality as a struggle between light and dark, good and evil. It regarded the created world as part of the dark side, aiming to trap us in darkness. This new religion influenced him, and he looked into it more. Although he never formally joined, he pursued their teachings in the hope of discovering the wisdom they promised. Several years later, he would abandon them altogether, especially after meeting their leader, Faustis, who proved a disappointment and less than wise.

When Augustine completed his studies in Carthage around the age of nineteen, he returned home to Tagaste with his girlfriend and son and began teaching grammar at a local school. When he told his mother he was considering becoming a Manichaean, she threw him out of her house but later reconciled with him due to divine inspiration she received. He was so successful as a teacher that he was invited back to Carthage a few years later to teach Rhetoric. After several successful years, he received an invitation to Rome, which was a great honor. When he informed his mother, she told him that she was going with him, to which he reluctantly agreed. However, Augustine tricked his mother and left for Rome without her. In Rome, he became disgusted with the students who cheated him out of tuition fees, and after a few years, accepted a position in Milan. It was in Milan, when Augustine was thirty years old, that his mother finally caught up with him and witnessed his conversion.

Still searching for the truth, Augustine met the future saint, Bishop Ambrose of Milan. Ambrose was a great thinker and preacher. He also paid attention to Augustine, listening to him, offering him friendship, and answering his many questions. Ambrose introduced him to the proper reading of the Bible, especially helping him with his difficulties with the Old Testament. When Ambrose came into conflict with the Empress Justina who was trying to take his Cathedral and make it Arian, Ambrose stood his ground in an act of great courage and defiance. She backed off and Augustine was greatly impressed.

One day while sitting in a garden, Augustine heard a child’s voice say to him, “Take and read.” Although he didn’t know where the voice came from, he picked up the Bible next to him and randomly opened to Romans 13:13-14 which read, “…let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” This passage affected him so deeply that he began his conversion in haste.

Augustine spent time with good Catholic friends and had lengthy conversations, which helped him immensely. His mother’s presence was also a great support. Although she was uneducated, her wisdom and insight into the truth were undeniable, and she always held her own with her well-educated son. All of this, coupled with Monica’s tearful prayers, led the thirty-two-year-old Augustine toward his final conversion and baptism the following year by Bishop Ambrose during the Easter Vigil in 387, along with his son. Once baptized, Augustine decided to return to his hometown with his mother, son, and friends. On the way, his mother fell ill just outside of Rome and died. Augustine later recounted her passing in the Confessions, which is one of the most beautiful depictions of a mother and son’s love ever written.

Upon returning to Tagaste, Augustine formed a religious community with his friends. His reputation within the Christian community grew quickly, and their hometown genius who had become a Catholic became a source of hope for many. By acclamation of the people, he became a priest in 391 and was consecrated as bishop of the nearby town of Hippo in 396. During his forty-three years as a Christian, Augustine became one of the greatest, if not the greatest, theologians in the history of the Church. His pastoral work with the people, his regular sermons, and his attentiveness to the people’s needs changed their lives. 

Augustine’s voluminous writings remain among the most read and quoted texts today. His works include apologetics, sermons, letters, scripture commentaries, a monastic rule, and philosophical and theological treatises. His greatest work, Confessions, is autobiographical, deeply personal, and humble. It traces his internal conversion and intersperses it with profound theological insights. In his other great work, City of God, he defends the faith and refutes the idea that the sack of Rome in 410 was caused by a rejection of pagan gods. Instead, he compares the city of man with the city of God, pointing society to the ideals to which it is called. He also wrote a famous work on the Trinity, among numerous other works. In total, over five million words written by Augustine have survived until today, numbering over 1,000 documents. In his last year of life, he witnessed the destruction of Hippo as the barbarians invaded, murdered, destroyed churches and buildings, and overthrew the town as they had done in Rome years earlier. They could not, however, destroy the lasting impact Saint Augustine would have. His influence extends far beyond the Church; he has profoundly impacted the entirety of Western thought. 

As we honor this pillar of wisdom, consider especially Augustine’s personal journey towards Christ. In many ways, Saint Augustine lived two lives. At first, he was a weak, confused, and sinful man. After that, he became a sinner who was redeemed and transformed by grace. His struggle led him to the truth and when that happened, God used him in extraordinary ways. His life can be summed up in one of his most famous quotes, “Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you.” Ponder your own story of conversion, and especially any ways that you are restless. Follow this saint’s example and seek the Truth with all your heart, knowing that God will reveal Himself to you when you are ready, so that you can rest in Him.

A world within a World

 

British native crayfish by Trevor Rees (UK)

 

Checkered Lily

 If you’re looking for a uniquely patterned flower, this could be a sure bet for your garden. The bell-shaped lily-like blooms are reddish-brown, purple, or deep crimson in color with white speckles, providing a checkered pattern. They sit on top of tall, slender stems that grow up to 16 inches tall. Blooming throughout spring, they look great when planted with shorted spring blooms. Hardy in zones four to eight, it will bloom year after year in the best conditions. 

French Water Feature

 

Roof top pool

 

Meissen Porcelain Oriental figure, c. 1715

 

Different shades of blue to embolden your dining table.

 

Marble as the focal point

 

Mediterranean flair

 

Alnarps slott, Alnarp, Lomma Municipality, Scania, Sweden

 

2019 Bentley Continental GT Coupe 6.0

 

Full Pleated Skirt

 

Old Hickory 1959

 

“Quality at your feet”. Pumps by Brown, 1959.

 

‘Serpents’ corsage ornament by René Lalique, 1889-1900,

 

Allievi Fratelli S.n.c. from Italy. Fancy Form.

 

Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe

 

August 14: Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Priest and Martyr—Memorial

1894–1941

Patron Saint of drug addicts, families, journalists, prisoners, and the pro-life movement

Canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 10, 1982

Liturgical Color: Red

Remember that you belong exclusively, unconditionally, absolutely, irrevocably to the Immaculate: Whoever you are, whatever you have or can, whatever you do (thoughts, words, action) and endure (pleasant, unpleasant, indifferent things) belong to the Immaculate. Consequently, may she dispose of them according to Her will (and not yours). In the same way it belongs to Her all your intentions; therefore, may she transform them, add others, take them away, as She likes (in fact, She does not offend justice). ~Saint Maximilian Kolbe

     

Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe, born as Raymond, hailed from Zduńska Wola in present-day Poland. At the time of his birth, his hometown had been under the control of the Russian Empire since 1795. Despite their material poverty, his family was spiritually rich, particularly owing to their mother, Maria, who instilled in her children a deep devotion to the Mother of God. They prayed the Angelus, the Litany of Loreto, and the rosary daily. Raymond had two surviving brothers: an older one named Francis and a younger one named Joseph. Two other brothers, Walenty and Antoni, passed away at a young age.

As a child, Raymond was known for his devoutness, as well as his mischief. Whenever he committed any transgressions, he would immediately offer himself for corporal punishment, which was common during that period. After one such prank, his mother exclaimed, “What will become of you!” This question profoundly affected young Raymond, who later prayed to the Blessed Virgin about his future. He was only twelve at the time. His mother observed a significant change in his behavior following this episode. He created an altar for the Blessed Mother in his room and spent long periods in prayer, often to the point of tears. On being questioned about his altered behavior, Raymond shared that after his mother’s reprimand, he had sought guidance from the Blessed Mother, who had appeared before him in the church, offering two crowns—one white signifying purity and one red signifying martyrdom. When she asked which one he chose, he replied, “I choose both!” This encounter further deepened his devotion to the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph.

   

      

Due to the family’s financial constraints, Raymond received most of his early education from his mother and the parish priest. Upon recognizing Raymond’s intellect, a local pharmacist offered to tutor him. At the age of thirteen, Raymond and his older brother Francis attended a retreat organized by the Conventual Franciscans. They were then invited to join the newly established seminary in Lwów, present-day Lviv, Ukraine, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This necessitated crossing the border without a passport, which they accomplished with the aid of their father. In 1907, Raymond and Francis entered the minor seminary.

   

   

In 1910, Raymond and Francis toyed with the idea of leaving the Franciscans to join the military. Before they could decide, their mother showed up and informed them that their younger brother was also joining the Franciscans, so they decided to stay. Their mother further shared that their father was moving to Krakow to live with the Franciscans and that she would be living in Lwów with the Felician Sisters to stay close to her sons. Raymond was given the name Maximilian upon entering the novitiate and made his first vows in 1911. He made his final vows in 1914, also adopting the name Mary, becoming Brother Maximilian Mary Kolbe. He was sent to Rome to complete his studies, earning doctorates in philosophy and theology.

Marianna Dabrowska  moved to Krakow, entered the Felician Sisters, and adopted the name Sister Maria Felicyta

During World War I in 1914, Brother Maximilian’s father joined the Polish Legions fighting for Polish independence. He was subsequently arrested and executed by the Russians. His mother moved to Krakow, entered the Felician Sisters, and adopted the name Sister Maria Felicyta. His brother Francis left the seminary to serve in the military, later marrying and having one child. Unfortunately, he died in a concentration camp in 1943.

  

Maximilian Kolbe commemorated on a West German stamp from 1973. Issued by Deutsche Bundespost

In 1917, while praying in the seminary chapel, Brother Maximilian was inspired to form the Militia Immaculatae, the “Army of the Immaculate One,” particularly in response to witnessing anti-Catholic sentiments during the war. The organization aimed for the conversion of sinners, heretics, schismatics—particularly Freemasons—and the sanctification of all people under the guidance of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Following his ordination as a priest, Father Kolbe relocated to Krakow, where he taught Church history and expanded his Militia Immaculatae.

Knight of The Immaculate

In 1922, Father Kolbe started publishing a monthly magazine titled “Knight of the Immaculata.” In 1927, he founded a new Franciscan friary near Warsaw called Niepokalanów, or “City of the Immaculate Mother of God.” In 1930, Father Kolbe established a religious house near Nagasaki, Japan, where the friars produced a Japanese version of their magazine, eventually printing 50,000 monthly papers. He returned to Niepokalanów in 1936. By 1939, the friary had become one of the largest religious houses in the world, also housing his Militia Immaculatae. They printed their materials from the friary, eventually reaching over a million households each month. His younger brother, now named Father Alphonse, aided him in his endeavors. 

World War II broke out in 1939 when the Germans invaded Poland. Father Kolbe and his friars did their utmost to help those being persecuted. At first, they were forced out of their friary but were later permitted to return. Once they returned, they recommitted themselves to their work. At that desperate time, their publications inspired people and gave them hope. Though the friars were careful in what they wrote, the German authorities eventually designated them as enemies. Furthermore, the friars provided refuge to thousands of Poles, including 2,000 Jews whom they protected from the concentration camps. After two years of German occupation, the Gestapo had had enough.

On February 17, 1941, the German Gestapo showed up at Niepokalanów where Father Kolbe warmly greeted them. By the end of their visit, however, the Gestapo arrested Father Kolbe and four of his friars, sending them to the Pawiak prison. In this first prison, Father Kolbe did all that he could to inspire faith and hope in his fellow inmates. He endured harsh treatment from some of the guards but always responded with charity. He heard confessions of fellow inmates, pointed them to Christ, and prayed with them.

  

Father Kolbe was transferred to Auschwitz as prisoner #16670 on May 28. Auschwitz was a death sentence, and those who went there knew it. This didn’t deter Father Kolbe from his divine mission. Though he exchanged his Franciscan habit for a blood-stained prisoner’s uniform, he continued to minister to the people all around him. In Auschwitz, Father Kolbe and the other prisoners endured the harshest of treatment. They were beaten to the point of death and then expected to work. After one harsh beating that Father Kolbe survived, he was brought to the infirmary by fellow prisoners. The doctor who tended to him later testified, “I can say with certainty that during my four years at Auschwitz, I have never seen such a sublime example of God’s love for one’s neighbor.”

In July, after a man escaped from Father Kolbe’s barracks, ten men were selected to die by starvation as punishment and as a deterrent to others who thought of escaping. Among the selected was Franciszek Gajowniczek, who cried out, “My poor wife, my poor children!” Father Kolbe’s heart was moved to compassion in that inhumane environment, and he requested permission to take Franciszek’s place, explaining to the guard that he had no wife or children. Permission was granted. He survived for two weeks before the impatient guards, needing the bunker for other purposes, administered a lethal injection. Father Kolbe willingly offered his arm, showing no fear of death. Soon after his death, word of his martyrdom of charity spread throughout Auschwitz and inspired many with faith and hope.

Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe’s vision had come true. He first received the crown of purity and then the crown of martyrdom. His work to spread the Gospel through the Militia Immaculatae had a powerful effect upon the people of his time. His love, to lay his life down for a stranger, will live on until the end of time. Ponder the depth of love it would take to do such a thing, and pray that this same love will permeate your own life in imitation of this holy saint of God.

The Universe of a Tree

 

Seal Pup

 

Carnation

 Also known as the Clove Pink, it is believed to have originated from the Mediterranean region, mentioned in Greek literature over 2,000 years ago. It is a herbaceous perennial that produces slender stalks carrying lightly scented blooms. The natural color is bright purple to pink, but other colors and various patterns are available. They require full sun and well-drained soil. They make great cutting flowers, often used in ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. 

French Garden

 

Outdoor Living

 

Two white dishes with floral décor - Hallwylska museet

 

Summer Dining

 

Billiard Room