Prayer of a Mother for the Intercession of Saint Augustine

O God, You enlightened Saint Augustine with Your grace and, amid the darkness and misery of his sinful life, set him on fire with Your love; have pity also on my poor soul, and on my children, my husband and my relatives. Forgive us our ingratitude, disobedience, self-love and indifference, and every offense by which we have ever offended Your holy Name. Each of us has deserved severe punishment and each of us needs conversion; therefore we call upon the intercession of Your holy servant Augustine, who burned with so great a love for You!

O holy penitent Augustine, seraph of divine love, indescribable wonder of God's mercy, obtain for us a sincere and perfect sorrow for our sins, flowing from the depths of the heart, an ardent and faithful love for God that overcomes every difficulty, temptation and torment, and a wise and unceasing zeal in keeping God's commandments and fulfilling our duties.

Support us especially in the hard work of raising our children. Their virtue and innocence are exposed to many dangers in today's world. See how many snares and falsehoods it holds, which aim to destroy their souls through the things of the flesh, through words and through the bad example of people who think only in terms of this passing world. How will they be able to resist these temptations if they are deprived of extraordinary help?

O great Saint Augustine, take our children under your protection! For the sake of our parental care and efforts for them, intercede for them with God. Do not let our children, sanctified by the water of holy Baptism, be condemned to damnation and eternal punishment through any mortal sin. Above all, preserve them from the greatest evil, which is to deny the love of Jesus Christ by loving created things above all else. It is better for them and for us, their parents, to die in the grace of God than to live in mortal sin. We implore this grace through your intercession, O holy son of a holy mother, Monica, you who gladly receive and graciously hear the prayers of every mother who turns to you for help. I firmly believe that you will hear my petitions and obtain for me a gracious answer from God. Amen.