The Basics: Born 1244 in Italy; died November 9, 1307, in Italy; beatified September 7, 1798; feast day, November 17; shepherdess; woman religious.
The Story: Jane was a simple child whose life turned out to be somewhat extraordinary. She spent her early days as the family shepherdess with a deep concern for her flock. She didn’t initially interact much with her peers. But then they noticed that whenever bad storms broke out, Jane and her sheep would wait under a large oak tree and never be touched by a drop of rain. There are also stories about Jane crossing a
By Tuscanycalling (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
All the attention that these events drew was troubling to Jane. When she was twenty-three, she chose to become a Franciscan tertiary at a nearby convent. There, she closed herself up in a cell and become what is known as an anchorite for the remaining forty years of her life.
The residents of her hometown, Signa, honor Jane each year with a procession on Easter Monday. Her remains are housed at St. John the Baptist Church there.
What We Can Learn from Jane: When we feel confused and conflicted, we need to turn to the Lord for answers. People were likely very surprised that Jane withdrew into the contemplative life, but for Jane, it was the right thing.
To Learn More About Jane: Read about her in Lives of the Saints and Blesseds of the Three Orders of Saint Francis, published in 1887. Or, check out her page at the town of Signa, where she spent her early life.
To Learn More About Other Women Saints and Blesseds: Come back next week, or consider buying my book, Sisterhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration.
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