August 28: St. Augustine, Bishop & Doctor
Summary
TLDRThis video celebrates St. Augustine, a pivotal figure in Christian theology, on August 28th. Born in Thagaste, North Africa, he became a bishop known for his profound psychological insights, evident in his seminal work 'Confessions.' A pioneer in autobiography, Augustine's introspective narrative focuses on his spiritual journey rather than historical details. His deep connection with God and his mother, and his role as a working bishop, showcase his dedication and self-awareness. The video invites viewers to emulate Augustine's honest and Christ-centered self-examination.
Takeaways
- 🎉 St Augustine is celebrated on August 28th as a bishop and doctor of the Catholic Church, known for his profound influence on Christian thought.
- 🏆 He is considered the greatest convert after St Paul and is the patron saint of theologians and printers.
- 🧐 St Augustine was a psychologist, theologian, and working bishop, renowned for his introspective writings and deep understanding of the human soul.
- 📚 He authored 'Confessions', the first autobiography, which focused on the inner journey of the soul rather than external events.
- 🌏 Born in Thagaste, North Africa, Augustine's intellectual contributions have had a global impact, shaping Christian thought for centuries.
- 👨👩👧👦 Augustine had a complex relationship with his mother, Pia, and faced personal challenges, including guilt over past actions and the difficulty of leaving his long-term partner.
- 💡 He was a pioneer in self-reflection and analysis, exploring unconscious motivations and psychological insights long before Freud.
- 📖 Augustine's 'Confessions' is not a traditional autobiography filled with historical details but rather an exploration of his spiritual and emotional journey.
- 💌 Known for his personal letters, he valued deep friendships and was a highly educated scholar who worked closely with the Roman Imperial Court.
- 🛐 In his later life, Augustine took on the role of a working bishop, excelling in pastoral care and serving his community with dedication.
- 🕊 May we emulate St Augustine's self-awareness and commitment to spiritual growth, focusing on our relationship with God and the continual examination of our conscience.
Q & A
Who is St. Augustine and why is he significant in the Catholic calendar?
-St. Augustine is a bishop and doctor of the Catholic Church, recognized as one of the greatest Christian thinkers. He is the patron saint of theologians and printers and is known for his profound influence on Christian theology and philosophy.
What is the significance of the date August 28th in relation to St. Augustine?
-August 28th is the feast day of St. Augustine, celebrating his life and contributions to the Catholic Church.
What was St. Augustine's early life like, and how did it differ from his later years?
-St. Augustine was born in a small Roman village in North Africa to a minor civil official and a headstrong mother. His early life was marked by a quest for self-discovery and fame, which contrasted with his later years as a mature, spiritual father and bishop dedicated to serving his community.
What is the significance of 'Confessions' in the context of St. Augustine's life and work?
-'Confessions' is an autobiographical work by St. Augustine, which is considered the first autobiography in Western literature. It focuses on his inner journey and the drama of the soul, rather than historical details.
How did St. Augustine's 'Confessions' change the narrative of autobiographical writing?
-St. Augustine's 'Confessions' shifted the focus of autobiographical writing from external events to the internal drama of the soul, making it a significant work in the genre of spiritual autobiography.
What is unique about St. Augustine's approach to self-reflection and analysis in 'Confessions'?
-St. Augustine's 'Confessions' is unique in its deep self-reflection and analysis, predating the methods of St. Ignatius and the theories of Freud by centuries. He provides an intimate look into his own psyche, motivations, and struggles.
What role did St. Augustine play in the development of Christian thought and theology?
-St. Augustine played a pivotal role in shaping Christian thought and theology. He is considered the saint of the first millennium and has few equals as a Christian thinker. His works laid the intellectual groundwork for the Church until the Scholastics introduced Aristotelian thought.
What were some of the personal challenges St. Augustine faced, as described in 'Confessions'?
-In 'Confessions,' St. Augustine discusses personal challenges such as his complex love for his mother, the emotional darkness caused by the death of friends, and the guilt from stealing pears. He also faced the difficult decision to leave the woman he loved for 15 years and had a child with.
How did St. Augustine's relationship with his mother influence his life and work?
-St. Augustine's relationship with his mother was complex and deeply influential. His love for her is evident in 'Confessions,' and her death had a profound impact on him. This relationship shaped his understanding of love, loss, and the human condition.
What is the significance of St. Augustine's role as a bishop in his pastoral care?
-As a bishop, St. Augustine excelled in his role of pastoral care, serving his community with love and dedication. This phase of his life demonstrated his commitment to the Church and his people, embodying the heavy cross of routine pastoral work.
How did St. Augustine's life and work contribute to his legacy as a saint and theologian?
-St. Augustine's life and work contributed to his legacy through his profound theological insights, his pioneering autobiographical writing, and his dedication to pastoral care. His self-awareness and Christ-centered approach to life have made him a revered figure in the Catholic Church.
Outlines
🎓 St. Augustine: Theologian and Psychologist
This paragraph introduces St. Augustine as a significant figure in the Catholic calendar, celebrated on August 28th. Known as a bishop and doctor of the church, he is the patron saint of theologians and printers. St. Augustine is recognized as one of the greatest converts in Christian history, second only to St. Paul. Born in the Roman village of Thagaste in North Africa, he was the son of a minor civil official and a determined mother. The narrative describes his journey from a young man fascinated by the sea, to a mature spiritual leader who returned to Africa to serve as a bishop. The paragraph emphasizes his contributions to Christian thought, his role as the founder of an entire genre of thought, and his groundbreaking work 'Confessions,' which is considered the first autobiography. It highlights his introspective nature, his analysis of his own soul, and his profound psychological insights, which predate later thinkers like Freud.
🛐 Augustine's Commitment and Legacy
The second paragraph delves into St. Augustine's life as a working bishop, highlighting his dedication to pastoral care and his intellectual contributions to the Church. It discusses how Augustine's personal sensory privation symbolized a total commitment to God, leading him to excel in his role as a bishop. The paragraph also touches on his request for solitude at the time of his death, which occurred in his 75th year. The narrative concludes with a prayer for emulation of Augustine's self-awareness and focus on Christ, encouraging a continual examination of conscience to prune sin from the soul. The paragraph ends with a musical note, signifying the end of the reflection on St. Augustine's life and legacy.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡St Augustine
💡Confessions
💡Patron Saint
💡Theologian
💡Autobiography
💡Psychologist
💡Soul
💡Intellectual Path
💡Pastoral Care
💡Self-Awareness
💡Scholastics
Highlights
Introduction to St Augustine as a bishop and doctor in the Catholic calendar.
St Augustine is the patron saint of theologians and printers.
He is considered the greatest convert after St Paul.
St Augustine's intellectual influence has spread globally, likened to a long, deep shadow over the entire globe.
Born in the small Roman village of Thagaste in Northern Africa.
His mother, Monica, was a significant influence in his life.
Augustine's journey from a hot-tempered youth to a spiritual father.
He served as the Bishop of Hippo, deeply involved with his community.
Augustine is known as the founder of an entire genre of thought.
His 'Confessions' is the first autobiography, focusing on the inner drama of the soul.
Augustine is recognized as the world's first great psychologist, with self-reflection predating Freud.
He provides deep insights into his own life, including his complex relationship with his mother.
Augustine's 'Confessions' lacks historical detail, focusing instead on his inner journey.
His personal letters reveal a man deeply concerned with relationships, both with God and others.
Augustine's intellectual contributions paved the way for the church's thought until the Scholastics introduced Aristotle.
In his later life, Augustine took on the role of a working bishop, excelling in pastoral care.
His death at age 75 was peaceful, with a request to be alone in his room.
A call for readers to emulate Augustine's self-awareness and Christ-centered examination of conscience.
Transcripts
[Music]
welcome to Saints and feasts of the
Catholic calendar meeting the greatest
men and women who have ever
lived August 28th St Augustine bishop
and doctor 3:54 to 4:30 patron saint of
theologians and printers a psychologist
Theologian and working Bishop is the
greatest convert after St
Paul The Mighty African St Augustine
climbed the heights of thought stood
upright on their peaks and turned toward
Rome and thus spread his long deep
Shadow over the entire Globe as a
Christian thinker he has few equals he
is the saint of the first Millennium
Augustine was born in the small Roman
village of tast in Northern Africa to a
minor civil official and to pias
Headstrong mother tast had no Swagger
its simple people were bent over from
working the land since time immemorial
the great African cities hugged the
Mediterranean Coast far from tast which
was cut off 200 mil Inland when he was a
boy Augustine imagined what the far off
waves of the sea were like by peering
into a glass of water when he was 28 he
descended from his native Hills and
sailed for Rome to find himself God and
holy Fame when he returned to Africa
many years later it was for good the
hot-tempered young African had matured
into a cool headed spiritual father he
was now their Bishop lovingly and
tirelessly serving the open forthright
townsmen that were his natural kin it is
challenging to categorize someone who is
the founder of an entire genre or school
of thought no one knew what an
autobiography was until Augustine wrote
his confessions there was Caesar's
gallic War before and there would be
Jean jaac Russo's confessions later and
there is volume after volume now all
pale Augustine wrote the confessions as
the bishop of Hippo when he was about 43
covering his life up to the age of 33 it
is not a great book due to its density
of historical detail the reader hungers
for facts and is left unsatisfied
whereas autobiographies are normally
stuffed with people places and things
Augustine says almost nothing about his
father only mentioning his death and
passing he does not clarify how many
siblings he has it is often not clear
when or where events occur Augustine is
clearly not concerned in short with his
outward Journey it is the inner drama
the drama of the soul that he wants to
recount the confessions changes the
answer to the perennial question what
really happened from the outside to the
inside Augustine is the author of the
first story of a soul Augustine is the
world's first great psychologist he does
self-reflection and Analysis ages before
St Ignatius and perceives unconscious
motivation centuries before Freud
the painfully self-aware tell you
everything what are you hiding hyper
modern psyche of today is deformed
augustinianism it took a long time for
the future to catch up with him
Augustine does so many things first does
them better and does them as a Catholic
with the historical details left to the
side he self- investigates his early
childhood his unsatisfied father hunger
the emotional Darkness caused by the
death of friends his enduring guilt for
stealing some pears his complex love for
his mother and how hard it is how hard
to leave the woman he has loved for 15
years they have a child together after
all but Augustine must let her go he
must move on and he does she is the
confession mysterious character he never
even gives her
name reading other great theologians one
knows almost nothing about them their
friends or their personal thoughts or
desires reading Augustine you get the
man in full he is concerned with
relationships that of his to God and to
his mother and that of others to himself
he would start his personal letters with
duus kis my dearest friend and he meant
it he was a highly educated scholar a
great letter writer who worked in the
close orbit of the Roman Imperial Court
and a sophisticated thinker who most
opened the intellectual path the church
would walk until the Scholastics of
medieval times introduced Aristotle to
Christian thought when Augustine turned
his head from the beauty of the senses
toward the holy beauty of God his
personal sensory privation was more than
an absence it was a total commitment in
the second phase of his life Augustine
placed the heavy Cross of routine
Pastoral Care on his shoulders he became
a working bishop and excelled at this
role this complex man this highly
fruitful working intellectual asked to
be alone in his room when death finally
came for him in his 75th
year St Augustine May our own
examination of conscience be like yours
continual honest and Christ centered you
achieved a high level of self-awareness
not for for its own sake but to prune
all Sin from your soul may we be as
self-focused and as god-focused as you
were amen
[Music]
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