MEMORIAL: MAY 27
St. Augustine of Canterbury was born in the 6th century. Little is known about his early life, but he was the prior of a benedictine monastery at the time that St. Gregory the Great called for him and 30 other monks to re-evangelize Britain which had lost its faith. After initially turning back out of fear of persecution, the group of monks made it to Britain and were allowed to preach as long as they did not force baptism on anyone. In his 8 years in Britain, the mission was very successful, even converting the King. St. Augustine was consecrated as the first bishop of Canterbury and worked for conversions until his death. He is also known as St. Austin and is the patron saint of England.
