The Confessions of Saint Augustine

Perhaps the most powerful of all St. Augustine's writings is The Confessions of Saint Augustine, a partial autobiography written in his forties because he in fact died in his seventies. His young years passed in a stable, financially sound family setting. His teen and young adult years were spent in an irresponsible life style, especially filled with sexual lust. This was an important element in his eventual life choices because it exposed him to exactly what he did not want to be, causing him much thoughtful anguish and eventual conversion to a life of service in the early church. Saint Augustine jewelry in the form of necklace, a pendant, a medal or medallion , and certainly a cross are worn as reminders of his early life that corresponds closely with modern day life and temptations.

Confessions Beginning

The confessions begin with commentary of his infancy through age 14, wherein he makes note of the facts that he cannot recall any major sins of that time period.

Sinful Teen Years

St. Augustine moves along to describe his sinful teen years as basically a thief and a punk obsessed with sexual lust in thought and action. During the decade of his twenties he studied Aristotle in depth, and also a close friend died, both of which caused him to realize love of anything is only valid through God, not valid through human alone.

St. Augustine's Thirties

The decade of his thirties he spent studying under the guidance of St. Ambrose and eventually converted to Christianity. St. Augustine reflects upon the spiritual value of confession and how it relates to the five senses, and spent considerable hours contemplating upon the Book of Genesis and upon the concept and the reality of the Holy Trinity.

Saint Augustine Patron Saint

Saint Augustine is the patron saint of candidates for priesthood, which is understandable given his brilliant thoughts and writings on the limitations of the human condition and the necessity of reliance upon the grace of God.