Summary
Sister Francine Schuster, ASC, celebrated 60 years as a vowed member of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ at Benedictine Living Community at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows on Saturday, July 1, 2023.
Sister Francine Schuster, ASC, celebrated 60 years as a vowed member of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ at Benedictine Living Community at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows on Saturday, July 1, 2023. She made her first profession on July 1, 1963, and her final vows on June 28, 1970. Joined by the ASC community, she marked her anniversary with the Eucharist and a reception.
Sister Francine was born in Moorland, Iowa to Frank and Mary Elizabeth (McIntyre) Schuster. She earned her bachelor of science degree in Nursing from St. Louis University in 1968. She was certified as a Nurse Midwife through the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS in 1979. Sister Francine was certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives based in Washington, D.C., recognized as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in the state of Texas and certified to practice midwifery in New Mexico.
Sister Francine began her nursing ministry at two of the ASC community-sponsored hospitals in Illinois: St. Vincent (now Taylorville) Memorial Hospital in Taylorville, and St. Clement (now Red Bud Regional) Hospital in Red Bud.
After her certification as a Nurse Midwife, her first place of ministry was the Family Clinic at St. Anthony Parish in Raymondville, TX, then the Harlingen Clinic at St. Anthony Parish in Harlingen, TX. She later served as a Midwife volunteer and parish minister at Holy Rosary Parish in Fairmont City, IL.
At the University level, Sister Francine was an instructor in the Clinical Nurse Midwife Program at the University of Arizona Airforce Base in Tuscon; Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, in conjunction with St. Joseph Hospital in Murphysboro, IL and Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. She established the Nurse Midwife Program in conjunction with Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and St. Joseph’s in Murphysboro. She served for several years as a Nurse Midwife with Carondelet Family Care Services in St. Louis.
For the final 18 years of her medical ministry, Sister Francine was the Director of Casa San Jose in Grants, NM, a residence for pregnant women. At the same time, she was a clinical instructor at the State University of New Mexico. Sister Francine was elected as a councilor on the Leadership Team of the United State Region of Adorers of the Blood of Christ in 2012. At the conclusion of her term, she began Living Mission in Later Life, while continuing as a member of the Neighborhood Community in Waterloo, IL. She recently moved to Benedictine Living Community at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows near Belleville, IL.