Augustine’s Monastic Life

The first community

The first community was in Cassiciacum. 1 Together with him were Monica, Navigius,
Alypius, Trigentius and Licentius, Lastidianus and Rusticus, and his son Adeodatus. There were
fifteen philosophical discussions which focused on three fundamental points: certitude,
happiness and evil. From these came four works: Against the Academics, The Happy Life, On
Order and the Soliloquies.2
Readers who look only at the general direction of the discussions will regard Augustine
simply as a philosopher, even not yet fully Christian. If we pay heed to the details, we find not
only a Christian who believes in the Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, and the sacred mysteries of
the Church, but also an ascetic who is dedicated to an austere manner of life. A. Trape describes
this:
His day began and ended with prayer. He spent half of the night in meditation,
often bathed in tears. During the day his attention was given to philosophical
discussions, household duties, and the instruction of his disciples Trigentius and
Licentius. He spent little time at table, eating only what was strictly needed for
allaying hunger.3

First Community

In Africa (speaks of Thagaste) he still had his father’s properties. And, in fact, one of these, a
country villa, provided this first community of African cenobites with their first residence.4

Once he had received the gift of grace he determined to return to Africa, to his
own house and his own countryside, together with his fellow citizens and friends
who had, like him, consecrated themselves to God. Having arrived there, he
stayed for about three years. He renounced his possessions and, along with others
who joined him, lived for God in fasting, prayer, and good works, meditating day
and night on the law of the Lord. The truth God revealed to his mind in
meditation and prayer he shared with others, present and absent, teaching them in
his sermons and books.5

This passage brings out clearly the essential points in the Augustinian program poverty,
common life, asceticism, study, and apostolate. The purpose, as Possidius says, was to “live for
God” (vivere Deo).6 Augustine also modeled his monastic community in Hippo after the early
Christian community.

1
Zumkeller explains that “the circle of friends at Cassiciacum was not yet a monastic community, but the
groundwork had been laid for the new way of life which was to be established at Thagaste and Hippo. See Adolar
Zumkeller, Augustine’s Ideal of the Religious Life (New York: Fordham University Press, 1986): 9. 2 A. Trape,
Augustine: Man, Pastor, Mystic, 110.
3
A. Trape, Augustine: Man, Pastor, Mystic, 112.
4
Possidius, Vita 2, 1; see A. Trape, Augustine, 115.
5
Possidius, Vita 3, 1-2; see A. Trape, Augustine, 118.
6
A. Trape, Augustine, 118-119.

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Soon after his ordination he founded a monastery near the church and began to live there with
the servants of God, following the way of life and rule that had been established under the holy
apostles. The most important provision was that no one in that community was to have any
property of his own, but rather they were to have all things in common, with each being given
what he needed;7this was the course Augustine himself had adopted when he had returned home
from overseas.8

Augustine as Priest

Now we know how Augustine spent his life immediately after his conversion. We saw
establishing a community in Thagaste with his friends and those who wanted to share his
monastic ideals. How did he become a priest and then a bishop? He was in Thagaste, right? Why
did he become a priest in Hippo which was kilometers away from Thagaste?

He came to Hippo in search of place to establish a monastery and to meet a friend and convince
him to live a monastic life. Possidius narrates:

How he became a priest

Now it happened at this time that one of those whom they call "agents in affairs" 9 who lived at
Hippo Regius, a good Christian who feared God, heard of his good fame and learning. He
earnestly sought to see him, declaring that he was ready to reject all the passions and allurements
of this world if he were but counted worthy to hear the Word of God from his lips… So of his
own accord he went in haste to that famous city and when he had seen the man he spoke to him
frequently and exhorted him that in so far as God had blessed him he should pay to God what he
had vowed.10

Now at this time the holy Valerius was bishop in the Catholic church at Hippo. (Who was
Valerius?) But owing to the increasing demands of ecclesiastical duty he addressed the people of
God and exhorted them to provide and ordain a presbyter for the city. The Catholics, already
acquainted with the life and teaching of the holy Augustine, laid hands on him—for he was
standing there among the people secure and unaware of what was about to happen. For while a
layman he was careful, as he told us, to withhold his presence solely from those churches which
had no bishops. So they laid hands on him and, as is the custom in such cases, brought him to the
bishop to be ordained, for all with common consent desired that this should be done and
accomplished; and they demanded it with great zeal and clamor, while he wept freely. But some,
as he himself later told us, at the time ascribed his tears to wounded pride and by way of
consolation told him that while he was worthy of greater honor the office of presbyter was but

7
The allusion is to what the Acts of the Apostles has to say about the first Christians, who shared all their goods
(Acts 2:44; 4:32-35). Augustine gave an extended and concrete description of his way of life in Sermons 355 and
356. See Van der Meer, 199-206.
8
Possidius, Vita 5,1.
9
Agentes in rebus were civil servants whose official duties were to carry imperial messages and supervise the
postal service. In practice they served to keep the court informed about the activities of the provincial governors
and the military commanders.
10
Possidius, Vita Augustini 3,3-4.

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little inferior to the bishopric. But the man of God, as he told us, understood with greater
comprehension and mourned as he apprehended the many imminent dangers which threatened
his life in the direction and government of the church, and for this reason he wept.11

Who was Valerius?

Valerius, was a devout and God-fearing man. Being himself a Greek by birth and insufficiently
master of the Latin language and literature, he recognized he was not up to this work. Contrary to
the usual practice of the African Churches, he gave his priest permission to preach the gospel in
church even when he himself was present and to hold frequent public discussions.12

He narrates this in one of his sermons:

I came to your city when I was still a young man, as many of you know, and here
I am, your bishop by the grace of God. I was looking for a place in which to
establish a monastery and live with my brethren. I had abandoned all worldly
hopes; I was no longer willing to become what I might have been, but neither was
I looking to be what I now am. “I chose to be lowly in the house of the Lord
rather than to live in the tents of sinners”(Ps. 83:11). I kept far from lovers of the
world, but I did not on that account regard myself as equal of those who govern
peoples. At my Lord’s urging I chose not a high place but the low and humble
place where it pleased the Lord to say to me: “Go up higher.”
I was so afraid of the episcopate that once my reputation began to spread among
the servants of God, I used to avoid places where I knew the bishop’s chair to be
empty. I was on guard against such a possibility and did what I could to work out
my salvation in a lowly walk of life rather than expose myself to the danger of
high office. But, as I said, the servant must not disagree with his master. I came to
this city to see a friend, with the hope that he would join us in the monastery. I felt
safe because a bishop occupied the see. But they laid hold of me and ordained me.
Thus, via the priesthood, I came to the episcopate.13

What happened was that he was praying in the church in Hippo one Sunday. The church was
named the Peace Basilica (basilica pacis). That time, Valerius told the people he needed the help
of a priest. And so the people seized Augustine and led him to Valerius and demanded that he be
ordained. Although he cried and objected, he was ordained in 391.

Leave in order to study the Scriptures

Now that I recognize my weakness I must carefully seek out all the remedies
provided in his Scriptures and through prayer and reading, ensure that my soul
will be strong enough for such dangerous duties. I did not do this sooner because I
did not have the time. Once I was ordained I thought I should spend my leisure
learning the divine Scriptures, and I arranged things so that I should have freedom

11
Possidius 4,1-2.
12
Possidius 5,2-3.
13
Serm. 355, 2; Possidius,Vita 4,2; ep. 126,7

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for this work. I really did not know as yet what I lacked for a task such as one that
 now torments and consumes me.14

Here we see that Augustine recognizes the need for a priest learned in Scriptures and to
be prayerful. He believes that they are requirement in order for him to become effective in his
task. He even resolved that he would learn the Scriptures in his leisure. What do we do for
leisure? Prayer life?

Because Augustine realized that he still lacked many things, he ask that his ordination be
delayed until Easter to prepare himself. Adlib: Nowadays we want to rush our ordinations. When
formators extend our formation years, we get mad but we forget to ask ourselves “how prepared
are we for the task, for the mission?”
Another thing that made Augustine hesitate to become a priest is “the tension and even
opposition between monastic life, which provides quiet for mediation, and the priestly ministry,
which obliges a man to immerse himself in apostolic action.15

On Helping the Church16

If Mother Church asks for your service, do not accept from an eager desire to go
out of the monastery nor refuse it from the tempting desire to do nothing. Instead,
obey God with a humble heart. Do not prefer the quiet of contemplation to the
needs of the Church; for, if no one among the good were willing to help the
Church in begetting new children, you yourselves would not have come to birth in
her.17

As far as my own comfort is concerned, I would much rather work with my hands
at set hours every day, as in properly ordered monasteries, and have times free for
reading and praying or studying the Scriptures, instead of suffering the torments
and perplexities caused by questions of others. But we are servants of the Church
and servants, above all, of its weakest members.18

Augustine also compared his life in the monastery as the mountain where Jesus had his
transfiguration. Peter wanted to stay at that mountain, but there was a need to go down. In being
called to be a priest, Augustine saw the need to go down the mountain. In his sermon, he said,

“You wanted to stay on the mountain, but instead go down! Preach the word..toil,
sweat, suffer torments…Do you then refuse to toil? Seek not your own interests.
Have love, proclaim the truth. Then you will reach eternity and find freedom from
care.”19

14
Ep. 21,3; Agostino Trape, Saint Augustine: Man, Pastor, Mystic. New York 1986, 127.
15
Agostino Trape, Saint Augustine: Man, Pastor, Mystic. New York 1986, 128.
16
A. Trape, Augustine: Man, Pastor, Mystic, New York 1986, 129.
17
Ep. 48,2
18
On the work of monks 29,37.
19
Sermon 78,6.

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Life as a Pastor (Possidius Vita 5,1-5)
But the holy Valerius who ordained him, a good man fearing God, rejoiced and gave thanks to
God. He said the Lord had heard the prayers which he had unceasingly poured forth that divine
Providence would grant him such a man, who by his salutary teaching of the Word of God could
edify the Church of the Lord. For Valerius, a Greek by birth and less versed in the Latin
language and literature, saw that he himself was less useful for this end. Therefore, he gave his
presbyter the right of preaching the Gospel in his presence in the church and very frequently of
holding public discussions—contrary to the practice and custom of the African churches. On this
account some bishops found fault with him. But the venerable and prudent man knew well that
this was the custom in the Eastern churches and considered only the welfare of the Church and
took no notice of the words of his detractors, if only his presbyter might do that which he saw
could not be accomplished by himself as bishop. Wherefore this burning and shining light was
placed upon a candlestick and gave light to all who were in the house. And after the report of this
had rapidly spread by reason of the good example which preceded it, some other presbyters by
permission of their bishops began to preach to the people in their presence.20

Monastic Life Continues

Soon after he had been made presbyter he established a monastery within the church and began
to live with the servants of God according to the manner and rule instituted by the holy apostles.
The principal rule of this society was that no one should possess anything of his own, but that all
things should be held in common and be distributed to each one as he had need, as Augustine
had formerly done after he returned to his native home from across the sea.21

Even though he was already in Hippo and ordained priest, he still did not abandon his ideal.
Thus, he established his monastery in hippo. When Augustine was ordained bishop, he left his
monastery and moved to the Episcopal residence, but his residence later became “a monastery in
which he established the practice of common life with his clerics, who entered upon the
observance of poverty and religious discipline.”22

Knowing my plan and desire to live in a monastery with the brethren, Bishop Valerius of holy
memory gave me the plot where the monastery now stands. I began to assemble brethren of
goodwill, men who would possess nothing, as I possessed nothing and were ready to follow my
example. I had sold my small property and given the proceeds to the poor; these men who
wanted to join me did the same. We would all live from a common store, and that great and most
fruitful property that is God would likewise become our common possession.23

“The Episcopal residence of Hippo became a nursery of founders who quickly covered Africa
with monasteries and bishops for the sees of the neighboring dioceses. Possidius enumerates ten

20
Possidius, Vita Augustini 5,2.
21
Possidius, Vita Augustini 5,1.
22
Eugene Portalie, A Guide to the Thought of Saint Augustine, Chicago 1960, 22.
23
Serm. 355,2

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friends and disciples of the saint who were promoted to the episcopate. Thus Augustine merited
the title of patriarch of the religious life and reformer of clerical life in Africa. He also won
others by his example.”25

This is how Possidius described Augustine’s monastery:

Some of the men who were serving God in the monastery with and under the direction of holy
Augustine began to be ordained clerics for the Church of Hippo. Thus the truth of the preaching
of the Catholic Church became daily better known and more evident, and so did the way of life
of these holy servants of God with their continence and austere poverty. Other Churches
therefore began eagerly to ask and obtain bishops and clerics from the monastery that owed its
origin and growth to this memorable man.26

His Contribution to the Church of Africa as a Priest (Vita 7,1-4)

In private and in public, at home and in the Church , whether in in books or sermons, Augustine
was preaching and teaching the word of salvation with complete freedom against all African
heretics, especially the Donatists, the Manichees and the pagans.27
The result was that by the grace of God the Catholic Church of Africa began to lift its head after
having long been protrated, led astray, weighed down and oppressed.28 He preached and arged
based on the authority of the sacred scriptures.29

Augustine is Ordained Bishop (Vita 8,1-3)

But the blessed and aged Valerius rejoiced more than others on this account and gave thanks to
God for the special blessing bestowed upon him. He began to fear, however, for such is human
nature, that Augustine would be sought for the episcopal office and be taken from him by some
other church which lacked a bishop. And this would have happened, had not the bishop himself,
since he knew of it, taken care that he should remove to a secret place, and had thus hidden him
so that he could not be found by those who sought him. But since the venerable old man still
feared this and realized that he was aged and very infirm, he communicated by a secret letter
with the Bishop of Carthage30, the episcopal Primate, mentioning the weakness of his body and
the burden of his years, and beseeching that Augustine might be ordained bishop of the church of
Hippo, because he would not in that case then succeed to his office, but would be associated with
him as coadjutor-bishop. And what he thus sought and desired he obtained in a satisfactory
answer. Later on, accordingly, when Megalius, Bishop of Calama, and at that time primate of

24
Possidius, Vita 11,3; In addition to Possidius himself, Alypius of Thagaste; we know of Severus of Mielve
(Augustine, Letter 31,9, where he also mentions Peregrinus, a deacon who had come from the monastery of
Hippo), Urbanus of Sicca (Letter 149,34), Evodius of Uzalis, Profuturus of Cirta, Privatus, and Servilius (Letter 33,2;
158,9 and 11), Paul of Cataqua (Letter 85,1), Anthony of Fussala (Letter 209,3).
25
Eugene Portalie, A Guide to the Thought of Saint Augustine, Chicago 1960, 22.
26
Possidius 11,1-2.
27
Possidius 7,1.
28
Possidius 7,2.
29
Possidius 7,3.
30
Aurelius was Bishop of Carthage from 391 to about 430. Confirmation of elections was usually sought from the
primate and was all the more necessary in this case because, as Possidius goes on to remind his readersthe

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Numidia, had come at his request to visit the church at Hippo, unexpectedly to all, the bishop
Valerius made his desire known to the bishops who happened at that time to be present, and to
all the clergy of Hippo and to all the people. But while all who heard rejoiced and clamored most
eagerly that this should be done and accomplished, the presbyter refused to accept the episcopate
contrary to the custom of the Church, since his bishop was still living. However, when they had
convinced him that this was generally done and had appealed to examples from the churches
across the sea as well as in Africa, though he had been ignorant of it before, under compulsion
and constraint he yielded and accepted the ordination to the higher office. Later he both said and
wrote that this should not have been done in his case, namely to ordain him while his bishop was
still living, because of the prohibition of the Ecumenical Council 31 of which he learned after his
ordination; for that which he regretted to have had done in his case he did not wish to have done
to others. Therefore he endeavored to have it decreed by the councils of the bishops 32 that the
rules governing all the priests should be made known by the ordaining bishops to those about to
be ordained and to those already ordained. And so it was done.33

Augustine as Judge (Vita 19,1-6)

Consequently, whenever Christians or even persons from one or other sect appealed to him, he
listened to the case with diligent care…Sometimes he heard cases right up to the dinner hour,
sometimes he fasted the entire day, but he always examined the facts and passed judgment with
an eye on the movements of Christian souls, that is, considering how each party was advancing
or falling off in faith and morals. He took the opportunity of teaching both parties the truth of
God’s law and bringing it home to them and of reminding them of the means of obtaining eternal
life.

Lifestyle of Augustine

Simplicity of Life (Vita 22)

Clothing
His clothing and shoes, and even his bedding, were simple and appropriate, being neither over
fastidious nor slovenly…
Meals
His meals were frugal and economical; at times, however, in addition to herbs and vegetables
they included meat for the sake of guests or sick brethren. Moreover, they included wine. “It is
the uncleanness of gluttony that I fear, not unclean meat (Confessions 10,31,46).” Even at table
he found more delight in reading and conversation than in eating and drinking. To prevent one
plague that afflicts social intercourse he had these words inscribed on the table: “Let those who
like to slander the lives of the absent know that their own are not worthy of this table.” In this
way he reminded all his guests that they ought to abstain from unnecessary and harmful gossip.
On one occasion, when some fellow bishops, close friends of his, had forgotten the inscription
and disobeyed its warning, he rebuked them sternly…

31
Council of Nicea, canon 8. See also Augustine Letter 213.
32
Third Council of Carthage (397), canon 3.
33
Possidius, Vita Augustini 8, 1-5.

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Charity
(Vita 23)
He was always mindful of his fellow poor and distributed to them from the same source on
which he and those living with him depended: the income from the Church’s property and the
offerings of the faithful.

(Vita 24,14-17)

When from time to time the Church was without money, he would tell the Christian people that
he had nothing to give to the poor. For the sake of prisoners and a large number of needy people,
he even ordered the sacred vessels to be broken and melted down… At times, too, when
speaking to the faithful in church he would admonish them for neglecting the ppor box and the
collection for the sacristy, which supplied the needs of the altar.

Vandal Invasion (Vita 28,4-5)

A vast army, equipped with varied weapons and experienced in war, came by ship from Spain
across the sea and poured into Africa (428). It was made up of savage hordes of Vandals and
Alans, intermingled with Goths and men of various other nations.

Miracle (Vita 29,5)

In like manner when he was sick and confined to his bed there came a certain man with a sick
relative and asked him to lay his hand upon him that he might be healed. But |119 Augustine
answered that if he had any power in such things he would surely have applied it to himself first
of all; to which the stranger replied that he had had a vision and that in his dream these words
had been addressed to him: "Go to the bishop Augustine that he may lay his hand upon him, and
he shall be whole." Now when Augustine heard this he did not delay to do it and immediately
God caused the sick man to depart from him healed.

Advice on the Conduct of the Clergy in Face of the Invaders

Those who wish to take refuge, if possible, in fortified places are not to be prevented and that, on
the other, we are not to break bonds by which love of Christ binds us to our ministry and to
abandon the churches we are obliged to serve.

Death (Vita 31)

God granted this holy man a long life for the benefit and prosperity of his holy Church (he lived
seventy-six years almost forty of them as a cleric and bishop.)