“Here we do not speak evil of anyone.”

Augustine is probably the most famous saint with a sinful past, which is surprising since his own mother, Saint Monica, was a devout Christian.

He was a Roman African born in 354 and later moved to Carthage, Rome and then Milan. He rejected his Christian upbringing to live a life of hedonism and constant partying. He fathered an illegitimate son with his young mistress whom he abandoned at the prospect of marrying an heiress.

He was very intelligent and full of pride but with his mother’s relentless prayers and urging to repent, he finally became convinced that Christianity was the one true religion, but he didn’t think he could ever live a pure life. “What are we doing?” he cried with terrible shame to his friend Alipius. “Unlearned people are taking Heaven by force, while we, with all our knowledge, are so cowardly that we keep rolling around in the mud of our sins!”

His conversion was prompted by a childlike voice he heard telling him to “take up the read” which he understood as a divine command to open the Bible and read the first thing he saw which was Paul’s Epistle, the “Transformation of Believers”. He was baptized, moved back to Africa, sold the family possessions which was given to the poor, and converted the house into a monastic foundation. He became a priest, a bishop, Catholic writer, founder of religious priests and of the greatest saints.

He overcame strong heresies, practiced great poverty and supported the poor, preached very often and prayed with great fervor right up until his death. “Too late have I loved You!” he once cried to God.

He is a considered a Doctor of the Church through his influential writings and is the patron saint of brewers and beer. He related his story in a volume titled Confessions, which is still widely read and referenced today.

He is the patron saint of brewers, printers, and theologians.

His feast day is August 28.

For God’s Glory.