Universal Devotion     Though this devotion, and the prayer that goes with it, was written from the perspective of parents in relationship to their sons and daughters who have fallen away from the Church, this devotion can always be used for any of our relationships among family and friends and even those whom we don’t even know. All are welcome to insert into the specific prayer of this devotion any person of any relationship, the actual name of a person, or even “all those who are away from the Church.”

Masses     All are encouraged to have Masses offered in your local parishes for those who have left the Church. Masses can be offered for specific individuals by name, for “a loved one” to return to the practice of the Faith, for “a fallen-away,” or for “my grandfather,” “my brother,” etc. and by any other description with which you and your parish priest are comfortable using.

The Image Saint Monica didn’t become a saint overnight. Her son, St. Augustine, didn’t convert to Catholicism overnight. It was a process. Many people have moments of profound conversion experiences in their lives but those moments are mere beginnings. If those moments aren’t pursued or built upon they fall by the wayside and momentum is lost. Our Lord wants friendship with us. He wants a relationship that is forged over time. Even in our own human relationships, brief and occasional encounters rarely lead to deep friendship and usually have a tendency to be utilitarian. Similarly, the return of loved ones to the practice of the faith is often a process which occurs over a lengthy period of time. Those who pray and sacrifice for the return of loved ones to the practice of the faith must be committed for the long-term. They must be persistent and persevering.

I’m confident the image for the Masses and Tears devotion will be helpful to people who must persevere in their prayer for loved ones. Though there is nothing new, no new insight, associated with this devotion, the image brings together a number of reminders for those persevering in prayer. Whether hanging in a church or chapel or home or on a holy card in our favorite prayer book, the image speaks a reminder of some aspect of our relationship with God the Father or of some aspect of our prayer for others. Monica’s tears remind us that the pain of a loved one estranged from God can always serve a purpose when we offer that pain to the Father in union with the Son. The arches remind us we never go through this alone; the Church is always at prayer for her wayward sons and daughters. Most especially, the rays remind us that God is always working even when it seems as though He may not be active. This is the real power of the image. Every time we look at the image, some aspect of the image has the power to strike at our heart and mind, lifting us up, encouraging us to persist and persevere.

What else can you do?     If this devotion has helped you in some way as you pray for a loved one, perhaps there are others who could be helped in a similar way. If you think this devotion can help someone you know, send them a holy card or the brochure or both or one of the other materials. If you think this devotion can help people in your parish, talk to your parish priest about getting a large image for your church or chapel and some information to put near it. If it’s possible to have votive candles nearby, perhaps that might encourage this devotion through the intercession of Saint Monica.