The St. Monica Ministry is a dedicated community and prayer network offering hope and support to the families and friends of fallen-away Catholics. In imitation of St. Monica, its members pray, fast, and care unconditionally for loved ones who have left the Church. The ministry also sponsors monthly Holy Hours, encourages recitation of the Rosary of Supplication for Our Prodigals, and publishes a monthly newsletter.

The St. Monica Ministry was established in 2022 in the Diocese of Allentown, PA. What started as a gathering of local Catholics has become a global outreach, with subscribers worldwide and chapters of the St. Monica Ministry in parishes across the U.S. The ministry reaches subscribers in 41 U.S. states and on five continents.

Resources are provided free of charge to anyone interested in forming a parish-based St. Monica Ministry chapter. For information, please email: StMonicaMinistry27@gmail.com.

“Nothing is far from God.”

~ St. Monica of Hippo

~ St. Monica Ministry Rosary ~

Since the thirteenth century, the rosary as we know it has been a powerful tool for conversion. Trusting in the power of the rosary to change hearts, the members of the St. Monica Ministry pray the Rosary of Supplication for Our Prodigals. This special rosary incorporates original meditations that speak to both the needs of prodigals and to the yearning of those who are praying for their loved ones’ return to the Faith.

The design of the St. Monica Ministry rosary was inspired by Giovanni Gottardi’s La Madonna della Cintura, which hangs in Rome’s Basilica di Sant’Agostino (Basilica of St. Augustine), directly above the tomb of St. Monica.

The painting depicts the appearance of Our Lady to St. Monica, who had besought Our Lady’s help in bringing her son Augustine back to the Faith. Mary came to the anguished mother and, as a pledge of support and a token of maternal consolation, gave St. Monica her cintura, or belt.

St. Monica later bequeathed the belt to Augustine who, after his conversion, gave it to the members of his monastic community. To this day, the Augustinians wear a black belt as part of their habit.

The image of La Madonna della Cintura is widely known as Our Mother of Consolation. Depictions of Our Mother of Consolation show Mary with the Child Jesus resting on her lap, their hands holding the belt. This represents the intimate relationship between Mary, giver of motherly care and comfort, and her divine Son, Who is the Source of all consolation.

The St. Monica Ministry rosary was created after an actual visit to the Basilica di Sant’Agostino. The rosary’s beads echo the colors in Gottardi’s painting. Each color carries a special significance:

Blue – Our Lady’s purity, as well as her royal status as Queen of Heaven;

Rose – Mary’s love and maternal devotion;

Black – the promise of consolation, as represented by Our Lady’s belt;

Gold – divinity and the enduring presence of God.

When we pray on the St. Monica Ministry rosary beads, we are asking our heavenly Queen to give us the strength and consolation that she gave to St. Monica. We turn to Our Lady as a child turn to its mother, trusting that she will provide for its needs with all solicitude. As we wait in hope for our prodigals’ return, we take solace in St. Monica’s own assertion that, “Nothing is far from God.”

~ Our Partnership ~

The St. Monica Ministry Rosary, along with other cherished items from this beautiful ministry, is available for purchase in the Cottage of Christian Curios’ Shop. The ministry also hosts monthly classes to guide participants in creating the St. Monica Ministry Rosary, a mission we are truly blessed to share. The 2026 schedule for these classes can be found under the Events page.