St. Augustine of Hippo: His life, writings and spirituality

St. Augustine of Hippo, bishop and doctor

St. Augustine of Hippo, c. 354-430: considered to be the greatest of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church

Biographical sketch

St. Augustine was born on November 13, 354, in Tagaste, Numidia, North Africa. He was the eldest son of St. Monica and Patricius (a pagan Roman official). At sixteen, St. Augustine studied at the University of Carthage (in what is now modern Tunisia) to be a lawyer. However, he instead devoted himself to literary pursuits. It was these pursuits that led him to abandon the Christian faith. He got involved with a heresy called Manichaeanism. Manichaeans believed that evil was caused by an outside force - relieving the guilt of people for their sins. It was at this time that Augustine also lived with a mistress who bore him a son (whom he ironically named Adeodatus - meaning, "gift of God"). Straying from Christianity, the faith of his mother, Augustine studied and taught rhetoric at Tagaste, Carthage, Rome and Milan.

At Milan, a turning point came to his life when he attended the mass celebrated by St. Ambrose. The sermon of St. Ambrose impressed St. Augustine. This experience, together with the incessant and sacrificing prayers of St. Monica, brought Augustine back to Christianity. He was baptized, together with his son, in the Easter Vigil of year 387.

St. Augustine set out for Tagaste with St. Monica and his son. On the way, his mother died. That was November 387. Two years later, his son also died. After these events, he was ordained a priest at Hippo. Then after three years, he was consecrated as its bishop. He was 41 years old when he became the bishop of Hippo. Though he was responsible for Hippo, St. Augustine preferred the monastic life. He had to forego this desire because the need of the Church at the time was for him to be a dominant figure in the affairs of the North African Church.

St. Augustine was bishop of Hippo for almost 35 years. He established a monastic community for clergy who all live frugally and simplicity. He also founded a community of religious women with his sister Perpetua as the abbess. His rule for community life became the basis for the rules of many religious orders, most especially, the Augustinian Canons, Augustinian Friars, the Dominicans, and the Ursulines. These religious orders followed a rule of poverty, obedience, celibacy, and a strict monastic life.

In 426 A.D., St. Augustine went into semi-retirement to concentrate on his writings. On August 28, 430 A.D., after being ill since the summer, St. Augustine died peacefully in the grace of the Lord at the age of 85 years.

Teaching and spirituality

St. Augustine wrote a lot of written material. Attributed to him are 200+ treatises, 300+ letters, and 400+ sermons. Important in his writings is his knowledge of theology and philosophy. St. Augustine's teaching and spirituality is important because much of the quotes in the present edition of the Catholic Catechism, are sourced from his writings. Of the two great teachers in the Catholic Catechism, St. Augustine and St. Thomas of Aquinas are the most often quoted. St. Augustine is quoted 85 times, while St. Thomas quoted is 58 times.

Three writings which bear much of his teaching and spirituality are "The Confessions of St. Augustine", "The City of God", and "On the Trinity". His "Confessions" has subject matter that has psychological complexity. It is an autobiography made by St. Augustine himself. The "City of God" on the other hand is very rich in political insights. The third writing, "On the Trinity" is a theologically deep treatise.

Two texts in scripture are good sources of St. Augustine's spirituality: the "eyes of your heart being enlightened" (Eph 1:18) and "blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Mt 5:8). From these two scriptural texts St. Augustine helps us see the heart to be the inner person, the soul. To see God, the eyes of the heart, i.e., the soul, need to be healed and receive the light of God's grace. At first, Augustine thought that this vision of God comes only after death. But he realized that even on earth, God can be seen by one who has been unified by a single longing for God. This single longing for God and the healing of the soul by faith is not, according to St. Augustine, enough to see God. There is need of light to see God by also loving our neighbor.

Excerpts from writings

St. Augustine wrote many tracts of teaching based on his spirituality - his way of life, prayer and work.


Listed below are excerpts from his writings. We can learn about St. Augustine's spirituality through what he wrote especially about the vision of God.

Not our merits but God's mercy purifies the heart that it may see God (Homilies on St. John's Gospel, 2.16)


Look for the source of your love of your neighbor - there you will see God (Homilies on St. John's Gospel, 17.8)


Return to your heart...see there what...you can perceive of God, for in it is the image of God...recognize its Author (Homilies on St. John's Gospel, 18.10)