March 31 | Blessed Jane of Toulouse

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, imagine walking through the bustling streets of Toulouse, France. It's the mid-1200s. It's a time of knights, kings, and castles. But amidst the noise of the market and the chaos of medieval city life, there is a woman who is looking for something quieter, something deeper.

Her name is Jane, and her story is about the courage it takes to be the first. So, here is the situation. Jane is living in the city, and something big happens in her neighborhood. A group of friars establishes a Carmelite monastery right there in town.

The Carmelites are a religious order dedicated to deep prayer and contemplation. When they set up shop in Toulouse, Jane watched how they lived. She saw their dedication, and something clicked in her heart. She realized that she wanted that same connection with God. But here was the problem. Jane wasn't a friar. She was a woman living in the world. How could she participate fully in this specific spirituality?

Fast forward 25 years. It's 1265. A very famous man comes to town, St. Simon Stock, and he's a noted reformer of the Carmelites. Imagine a celebrity or a major influencer coming to your school. That was Simon Stock to the Carmelite world. This is the dramatic turning point of Jane's life. She gets a meeting with him. She doesn't just want to watch from the sidelines. She wants in. Saint Simon Stock listens to her, and in a historic moment, he grants her permission to become the first Carmelite tertiary.

A tertiary is someone who is a member of a third order. It means Jane took a vow of chastity and lived in adherence to the Carmelite rule. But she didn't live locked away in a monastery. She lived out her faith right there in the community.

After taking her vows, Jane got to work. She rolled up her sleeves and served the people who needed help the most. She worked directly with the poor and the sick in her community. But there was something special about how she did it. You know how some people can be helpful but kind of grumpy about it? That wasn't Jane. The history books tell us she was known specifically for her gentleness. She was also a leader and a teacher. She mentored many young men in the town, helping them to discern their futures, encouraging them to serve the poor, and even to think about becoming Carmelite friars themselves.

She wasn't just living her faith, she was inspiring the next generation to do the same. Jane died in 1286, leaving behind a legacy that changed the Carmelite order forever. She was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1895. In a world that is often loud, aggressive, and competitive, gentleness is actually a superpower.

If someone drops their books, help them pick them up without making a joke about it. If someone is struggling with a math problem, offer to help them without making them feel less than. Jane of Toulouse showed us that you can be a trailblazer and a pioneer, and you can do it all with a gentle heart. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.