A Mother’s Prayer to St Monica

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,under the weight of my heartful burden, I turn to you, dear Saint Monicaand request your assistance and intercession.From your place in heaven, I beg that you will plead before the Throne of the Holy One,for the sake of my child, [Name], who has wandered from from the faith, andall that we have tried to teach.I know, dear Monica, that our children belong not to us, but to God,and that God often permits this wandering as part of one’s journey toward Him.Your son, Augustine, wandered, too; eventually he found the faith, and came to believe,and in that belief became a true teacher.Help me, therefore, to have patience, and to believe that all things — even this disappointing movement away from the faith — work ultimately to His own good purposes.For the sake of my child’s soul, I pray to understand and trust in this.St. Monica, please teach me to persist in faithful prayer as you did for your son’s sake.Inspire me to behave in ways that will not further distance my child from Christ, but only draw [Name] gently towards his marvelous light.Please teach me what you know about this painful mystery of separation,and how it is reconciled in the re-orientation of our childrentoward heaven.O Saint Monica, lover of Christ and His Church,pray for me, and for my child [Name], that we may acquire heaven,joining with you, there, in offering constant and thankfulpraise to God,Amen.