Today in History:
 
1883 - Slavery banned throughout British Empire
1907  - UPS is founded by James E. Casey in Seattle, Washington.
2005 - Hurricane Katrina hammers the south eastern United States, especially New Orleans, Louisiana, and coastal Mississippi
 
A Saint's Feast Day:  St. Augustine of Hippo
 
This famous son of St. Monica was born in Africa and spent many years of his life in wicked living and in false beliefs. Though he was one of the most intelligent men who ever lived and though he had been brought up a Christian, his sins of impurity and his pride darkened his mind so much, that he could not see or understand the Divine Truth anymore. Through the prayers of his holy mother and the marvelous preaching of St. Ambrose, Augustine finally became convinced that Christianity was the one true religion. Yet he did not become a Christian then, because he thought he could never live a pure life. One day, however, he heard about two men who had suddenly been converted on reading the life of St. Antony, and he felt terrible ashamed of himself. "What are we doing?" he cried to his friend Alipius. "Unlearned people are taking Heaven by force, while we, with all our knowledge, are so cowardly that we keep rolling around in the mud of our sins!"
St. Augustine overcame strong heresies, practiced great poverty and supported the poor, preached very often and prayed with great fervor right up until his death. "Too late have I loved You!" he once cried to God, but with his holy life he certainly made up for the sins he committed before his conversion.  (catholic.org)
 
 
Daily Quotes:

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art...It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival."  -C.S. Lewis
 

"When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character."  -W. Somerset Maugham