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OAD Lay: Our Lady of Grace, Santolan, Pasig (2026)

27/08/2026

OAD LAY PRAYER TO OUR HOLY FATHER AUGUSTINE

Model of Conversion, Truth, Charity, and Community Life

O Our Holy Father Augustine,
father and guide of the Augustinian family,
we, the Lay Discalced Augustinians,
humbly ask for your intercession.

You who sought the Truth with a restless heart,
teach us to seek God above all things.

You who experienced the transforming power of conversion,
help us to repent, grow in holiness,
and trust always in God's mercy.

You who were a man of prayer and contemplation,
teach us to find God in the depths of our hearts
and make prayer the foundation of our lives.

You who loved Sacred Scripture and the Church,
help us to listen to God's Word,
remain faithful to the Church,
and proclaim Christ through our lives.

You who taught charity, humility, and community,
help us to love one another,
seek unity, serve with humility,
and place the common good above ourselves.

Holy Father Augustine,
may we not only bear the name Augustinian,
but truly live your spirit—
seeking God, loving Truth,
growing in holiness,
and joyfully serving the Most High
in the spirit of humility.

Our Holy Father Augustine, model of conversion, pray for us.
Our Holy Father Augustine, lover of Truth and God, pray for us.
Our Holy Father Augustine, teacher of charity and community, pray for us.
Our Holy Father Augustine, guide of the Augustinian family, pray for us.

May our hearts, like yours,
remain restless until they rest in God.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Holy Father Augustine, pray for us.
Saint Monica, pray for us.
Our Lady of Consolation, pray for us.
Our Lady of Grace, pray for us.

27/08/2026

August 28 | Our Holy Father Augustine

St. Augustine of Hippo was a theologian, writer, preacher, rhetorician, and bishop. Although he experienced many hardships in his life, Saint Augustine set an example for men and women around the world to follow. His work is reflected in the lives of Catholics in the Augustinian tradition who continue to care for those in great need.

Who Is St. Augustine?

Aurelius Augustine was born in 354 at Tagaste, Algeria. He was the son of Patricius, a non-believer, and his devout Catholic wife, Monica. Augustine’s mother enrolled her son as a catechumen as a child. However, Augustine’s baptism was deferred to a later time in accordance with custom.

In his early years, Augustine possessed an inquisitive mind. He set his sights on a career that would bring him both wealth and fame. Augustine’s parents heartily endorsed their son’s career goals and wanted to provide their son with the best education.

Following his studies in Tagaste and later in Carthage, Tunisia, Augustine taught rhetoric. He first served as a teacher in his native town and later became a teacher in Rome and Milan.

Augustine traveled from city to city and encountered many opportunities and challenges along the way. He was also on a deep spiritual journey, searching for inner peace and lasting happiness.

Augustine Becomes A “Servant Of God”

The example, prayers, and influence of Monica played a role in her son’s spiritual journey. They ultimately led Augustine to convert to the Catholic faith.

At 33 years old, Augustine was baptized by Bishop Ambrose of Milan. He also made a commitment to spend the remainder of his life as a “servant of God.”

As a servant of God, Augustine agreed to live his life in celibacy. He made this decision in spite of the fact that he had spent several years living with a woman whom he deeply loved and fathered a son, Adeodatus.

After Augustine’s baptism, he, Adeodatus, and his friend Alypius set out for his native town. They sought a monastic style of life together with other men who had experienced a radical conversion to the faith.

On the journey, at Ostia Antica just outside of Rome, Monica became ill. She died suddenly but happily, as she had witnessed Augustine’s commitment to Christ and the Church.

Augustine Embraces A Life Of Prayer, Work, And Fellowship

In Tagaste, Augustine, Adeodatus, and several of their companions prayed, worked, and lived together in fellowship. They shared their insights about Scripture and the Christian vocation and learned from one another.

After three years, Augustine was called to become a priest while on a visit to the city of Hippo, about 50 miles from Tagaste. This was contrary to what Augustine might have chosen for himself, but he still chose to accept what he believed was God’s will for him.

In Hippo, Augustine established a monastic community that he directed while assisting the bishop, Valerius. Several years later, Augustine succeeded Valerius as head of the diocese.

Augustine was hesitant to move into the bishop’s house, since he did not want to disturb the peace of the monastic community. At this point, Augustine wrote his Rule for the community’s continued direction. He then established a third community for clerics in his new episcopal residence. Thus, from the time of his return to Tagaste until his death, Augustine resolutely opted for a monastic style of community life.

As bishop, Augustine found his desired life of contemplation and separation from worldly concerns. He focused on his many obligations as leader of the local Church and as a civil official. In addition to his pastoral duties within Hippo, Augustine traveled to church councils in the region of North Africa. He did so 40 to 50 times over the course of the 35 years he served as bishop. Augustine even made the nine-day journey to Carthage for meetings with other bishops about 30 times.

Augustine’s extensive travels were physically demanding, but they may be considered modest when they are compared to his writings and sermons. Over the course of Augustine’s lifetime, he wrote over 200 books and nearly 1,000 sermons, letters, and other works.

Death Of St. Augustine

In 430, Augustine fell ill. He took to his bed and spent his days and nights praying the penitential psalms, which he asked to have written on the wall of his room.

Augustine died on August 28, as the Vandals invaded Hippo. Following Augustine’s death, his body was laid to rest in Hippo. It was later taken to Sardinia and moved to Pavia, Italy, where it now rests in the Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro.

26/08/2026

OAD LAY PRAYER TO OUR HOLY MOTHER MONICA

Model of Faith, Perseverance, Prayer, and Motherly Love

O glorious Saint Monica,
faithful disciple of Christ and devoted daughter of Saint Augustine,
we, the Lay Discalced Augustinians,
turn to you with confidence and filial devotion.

You who remained steadfast in faith
amid trials, tears, and years of patient waiting,
teach us to persevere in prayer
when our petitions seem unanswered.

You who never ceased praying for the conversion
of your husband and your beloved son Augustine,
teach us the virtue of patient and persevering charity.
May we never lose hope in God's grace
and may we entrust to His mercy
those whom we love and for whom we pray.

Saint Monica, woman of deep faith,
help us to imitate your unwavering trust in God.
When difficulties test us, strengthen our hearts
to remain faithful to Christ and His Church.

Saint Monica, woman of persevering prayer,
teach us to make prayer the strength of our daily lives.
May we, as OAD Lay members,
faithfully practice the spirit of prayer,
remembering that no sincere prayer offered in faith is ever wasted.

Saint Monica, woman of patience and sacrifice,
teach us to bear our trials with humility,
to forgive generously,
and to serve others without seeking recognition.

Saint Monica, loving mother and faithful wife,
teach us to become instruments of God's grace
within our families and communities.
May our words, actions, and example
lead others closer to Christ.

Saint Monica, companion of Saint Augustine in his journey toward God,
pray that we may imitate your love for truth
and your desire that every soul may know and love the Lord.
Help us to accompany one another in our Augustinian vocation,
living not for ourselves alone
but in communion, charity, and fraternity.

Teach us to seek God in the depths of our hearts,
to live with humility,
to love the Church,
to persevere in our vocation,
and to joyfully serve the Most High
in the spirit of humility.

May your example remind us
that holiness is often formed quietly—
through prayer, patience, sacrifice, fidelity,
and love that never gives up.

Saint Monica, woman of faith, pray for us.
Saint Monica, woman of persevering prayer, pray for us.
Saint Monica, model of patience, pray for us.
Saint Monica, example of faithful family life, pray for us.
Saint Monica, mother of Saint Augustine, pray for us.
Saint Monica, model for the Lay Discalced Augustinians, pray for us.

May we, through your intercession,
remain faithful to our OAD Lay vocation,
grow continually in holiness,
and become instruments of God's mercy and love.

Saint Monica, lead us to Christ.
Saint Monica, teach us to persevere.
Saint Monica, teach us to pray without ceasing.
Saint Monica, teach us to love without giving up.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint Monica, pray for us.
Saint Augustine, pray for us.
Our Lady of Consolation, pray for us.
Our Lady of Grace, pray for us.

26/08/2026

August 27 | Our Holy Mother Monica

The Church has set aside today and tomorrow for the celebration of two saints of special significance to us and to each other – a mother and son whose journey to holiness was made together.

Saint Augustine acknowledges that he was brought to faith in the Church through the prayers and tears of his saintly mother who, in turn, was led to confident trust in God through the prayers she offered continually for her wayward son.

Monica was born in Tagaste, present day Algeria, in 331, to a deeply Christian family of some means. She was given in marriage to Patricius, a pagan, who was a small land-owner. Together they had three children, Augustine, Navigius, and a daughter whose name is not known to us.

Strong of character as well as of faith, she sought to guide her family in their human and Christian development most of all by her own example and prayer but, when necessary, also by her persuasive words and diligent actions. Thus she brought her husband to discover the beauty of the Catholic faith, as well as the son of her many tears, Augustine. Monica figures significantly in Augustine’s journey all the way through to his eventual conversion, and is remembered in history – according to his own words – as the mother “who brought me to birth, both in her flesh, so that I was born into this temporal light, and in her heart, that I might be born into eternal light” (Conf. 8, 17).

Her great joy was to witness the baptism of Augustine, after his long and restless journey to the faith of the Church, by Bishop Ambrose in Milan in 387. Some months later, as mother and son, together with Augustine’s own son and a small group of friends were making their way back to North Africa to begin living a monastic life, Monica died at Ostia while awaiting the ship. There she was buried and in time the site of her burial was lost. Later, however, it was rediscovered and her remains were transferred to the Basilica of Saint Augustine in Rome where they are now venerated.

Monica is that wise and prudent woman about whom Scripture speaks, not afraid to live her faith openly nor to share it with others. It would not be fair to characterize her, however, as an over-bearing and meddling woman. Just as she knew how to win the heart of her husband through silence and patience, she learned how to touch that of her son through her words and persistent attention.

(THE OAD LAY CONNECTION TO SAINT MONICA | The OAD Lay is also aggregated, as a Confraternity, to the Archconfraternity of the Sacred Cincture of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Consolation and of Saints Augustine and Monica which was canonically erected in the Church of Saint Augustine in Rome. - OAD LAY Statutes, 5)

26/08/2026

August 26, 2026
Commemoration of Saint Zephyrinus, Pope and Martyr
Commemoration of Saint Liberatus, Saint Boniface, and Companions, Martyrs
Commemoration of Blessed James Bianconi of Bevagna, Priest

It is an established fact that we will be persecuted by the world because of our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot deny the reality that the world will hate us simply because we have turned our backs to it because we chose to follow God and live by His statutes. Even if we uphold the truth, we will still be hated by the world, as it delights in the lies that are comforting and convenient to hear. Our challenge as followers of our Lord Jesus is to stand our ground and never let the lies sown by our adversary overcome us and our faith in God. This is an uphill battle, and we may lose everything, even our lives in this world. But we are assured that as we lose everything for God, we will be rewarded with our place in His Kingdom to come. Hence, losing what we have right now because of our persistence for the truth is just worth it, because heaven is waiting for us at the end of our journey. As we commemorate the martyrdom of St. Zephyrinus, let us ask God for the grace that will make us courageous in living our faith in Him amid the pressures posed on us by the world to just give up and compromise. May our pursuit of holiness always lead us to seek God in everything that we do while we are in this world.

26/08/2026

August 26 | Augustinian Martyrs of Gafsa (Africa)

We celebrate today the memory of a group of seven monks of North Africa who were martyred during the Christian persecutions of the late 5th Century. They had each chosen to live monastic life under the inspiration of Saint Augustine’s early communities and chose, as well, to meet death together rather than deny their faith. They are the Liberatus, Boniface and Companions

In 484, some 34 years after the death of Saint Augustine, the Vandal king, Hunneric, issued a decree ordering the closure of all Christian monasteries and the consignment of all monks and nuns to the Moors.

The seven members of the monastery of Gafsa, Tunisia, founded under Augustinian inspiration, were taken prisoners. They were the Abbot Liberatus, Deacon Boniface, Subdeacons Servus and Rusticus and the lay monks Rogatus, Septimus and Maximus. They were taken to Carthage where efforts were made, in vain, to have them renounce the faith.

The youngest, Maximus who was only 15 years old was particularly pressured to abandon his confreres and his Christian way of life, but refused, preferring to accept the same fate as the rest. They were then ordered to be burned alive. When it proved impossible to set the wood of their funeral pyre afire, they were clubbed to death.

Constant in their Christian resolve and fidelity to one another, these seven monks offered wonderful witness to the faith as well as to their fraternal communion. Our Order was granted the right to celebrate their liturgical memorial on June 6, 1671.

25/08/2026

August 25, 2026
Optional Memorial of Saint Louis IX, King and Confessor
Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph Calasanz, Priest and Founder

Our love for God is best translated through our love for others, for those in our communities, especially those who cannot love us back or even acknowledge what we do for them. As it is said, we cannot truly love God and hate the people around us, for how can we love Him who we do not see and treat otherwise those who we see. Furthermore, God is love, and His influence in us should always lead us to love, even those who, in our worldly opinion, do not deserve to be loved. We can only genuinely love God if we can love selflessly those around us. As the Gospel says, we should love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Putting ourselves first and considering others next is not the option to go for. Rather, after we love God and be influenced by His love for us, we love others next. What we think we deserve, God will provide, for He is always good and will never forsake us. Hence, loving ourselves should never come to our minds because this will just make us centered on ourselves and forget everyone else. As we reflect on the holy life and works of St. Louis IX, let us ask God for the grace that will make us truly love our communities by our love for God. May our faith in Him always translate in the way that we love and care for those we encounter everyday.

25/08/2026

August 24, 2026
Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

Our genuine faith in our Lord Jesus Christ will make us see everyone beyond the ordinariness that our eyes can see. The world will make us see people as they are, looking at the surface and judging them based on how they look and seem to appeal to our senses. But looking deeper into the mystery of every person, we get to see and understand that within each individual who we encounter is the presence of God shaping him/her back to His own image and likeness. The world may have thwarted the reality of every person since the fall of our first parents. But God continues to work to bring us back to Him through His constant provision of His graces upon us. In our celebration of the feast of St. Bartholomew, let us ask God for the grace that will make us always see the beauty of every person, the presence of God residing in every individual that makes him/her unique and closer to His image and likeness. May our pursuit of holiness truly lead us to see God in everyone, and eventually everything, that we encounter in our lives everyday.

24/08/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday, fray Jose Carlo of Mary, Mother of God!🎂🙏

The OAD LAY Community of Our Lady of Grace joyfully joins you in thanking God for the precious gift of your life and for your generous response to His call as a Novice Member of the Lay Discalced Augustinians.

May this new year of your life be a time of deeper faith, stronger commitment, and joyful growth in your vocation. May the Lord grant you wisdom, perseverance, humility, and a heart always ready to seek and serve Him.

May Our Lady, Mother of God, whose name you carry with devotion, lovingly guide and protect you, and may Our Holy Father Saint Augustine inspire you to continually seek God with an undivided heart.

As you continue your formation and journey in the OAD LAY, may you grow ever more deeply in our charism:

“Joyfully serving the Most High in the spirit of humility.”

May God bless you abundantly, fray Jose Carlo, and may your life always become a beautiful testimony of faith, fraternity, and humble service.

Happy and Blessed Birthday! 🎂🥳

With fraternal prayers and affection,
OAD LAY Community of Our Lady of Grace
Lay Discalced Augustinians

24/08/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday, fray Justine Rein Cruz, OADs! 🎂

On this blessed occasion, the OAD LAY Community of Our Lady of Grace joins in giving thanks to God for the gift of your life and vocation as a Simple Consecrated Member of our Secular Fraternity.

May the Lord continue to strengthen you in faith, deepen your love for the Augustinian way of life, and bless you with wisdom, joy, good health, and perseverance in your journey of consecrated service.

May the example of Our Holy Father Saint Augustine inspire you to continually seek God with a sincere heart, while Our Lady of Grace lovingly accompany you in every step of your vocation and service.

May you always live our OAD charism:

“Joyfully serving the Most High in the spirit of humility.”

May this new year of your life be filled with abundant blessings, meaningful moments, and renewed grace to serve God and His Church.

Happy Birthday, Fray Justine! 🥳🙏
May God bless you abundantly today and always!

With prayers and fraternal affection,
OAD LAY Community of Our Lady of Grace
Lay Discalced Augustinians

OAD Lay: Our Lady of Grace

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