Mother Mary Francis was born Alberta Aschmann. She was born to John Aschmann (of German descent) and Anne Maher Aschmann (of Irish descent).
Alberta left St. Louis, Missouri for Chicago, Illinois on July 7, 1942 where she entered the Poor Clare Monastery to become a cloistered contemplative nun. A year after entering, on June 26, 1943, she received the holy habit and her new religious name, Sister Mary Francis of Our Lady. On November 7, 1948, she was among the original group of sisters who left Chicago, bound for Roswell, New Mexico to establish a new Poor Clare Monastery and remained there until her Heavenly birth on February 11, 2006.
On May 19, 1964, her community of sisters elected her as its new abbess and Sister Mary Francis became Mother Mary Francis. She held this office for approximately 41 years. In 1965, Mother Francis was elected head of the recently formed federation of Colettine Poor Clare Monasteries in the U.S.. She served as federal abbess for 16 years, and federal councilor for 13 years.
Mother Francis is also known for her literary accomplishments. She is the author of:
"Whom I Have Loved" (A book of poems)
"Marginals"
"Walled In Light"
"Forth And Abroad"
"A Right To Be Merry"
She is also the playwrite of:
"Counted As Mine" (A play about Our Lady of Guadalupe)
Her body was laid to rest, on her birthday, on the grounds of the Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Roswell, Chaves County, New Mexico.
Alberta left St. Louis, Missouri for Chicago, Illinois on July 7, 1942 where she entered the Poor Clare Monastery to become a cloistered contemplative nun. A year after entering, on June 26, 1943, she received the holy habit and her new religious name, Sister Mary Francis of Our Lady. On November 7, 1948, she was among the original group of sisters who left Chicago, bound for Roswell, New Mexico to establish a new Poor Clare Monastery and remained there until her Heavenly birth on February 11, 2006.
On May 19, 1964, her community of sisters elected her as its new abbess and Sister Mary Francis became Mother Mary Francis. She held this office for approximately 41 years. In 1965, Mother Francis was elected head of the recently formed federation of Colettine Poor Clare Monasteries in the U.S.. She served as federal abbess for 16 years, and federal councilor for 13 years.
Mother Francis is also known for her literary accomplishments. She is the author of:
"Whom I Have Loved" (A book of poems)
"Marginals"
"Walled In Light"
"Forth And Abroad"
"A Right To Be Merry"
She is also the playwrite of:
"Counted As Mine" (A play about Our Lady of Guadalupe)
Her body was laid to rest, on her birthday, on the grounds of the Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Roswell, Chaves County, New Mexico.
Mother Mary Francis was born Alberta Aschmann. She was born to John Aschmann (of German descent) and Anne Maher Aschmann (of Irish descent).
Alberta left St. Louis, Missouri for Chicago, Illinois on July 7, 1942 where she entered the Poor Clare Monastery to become a cloistered contemplative nun. A year after entering, on June 26, 1943, she received the holy habit and her new religious name, Sister Mary Francis of Our Lady. On November 7, 1948, she was among the original group of sisters who left Chicago, bound for Roswell, New Mexico to establish a new Poor Clare Monastery and remained there until her Heavenly birth on February 11, 2006.
On May 19, 1964, her community of sisters elected her as its new abbess and Sister Mary Francis became Mother Mary Francis. She held this office for approximately 41 years. In 1965, Mother Francis was elected head of the recently formed federation of Colettine Poor Clare Monasteries in the U.S.. She served as federal abbess for 16 years, and federal councilor for 13 years.
Mother Francis is also known for her literary accomplishments. She is the author of:
"Whom I Have Loved" (A book of poems)
"Marginals"
"Walled In Light"
"Forth And Abroad"
"A Right To Be Merry"
She is also the playwrite of:
"Counted As Mine" (A play about Our Lady of Guadalupe)
Her body was laid to rest, on her birthday, on the grounds of the Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Roswell, Chaves County, New Mexico.
Alberta left St. Louis, Missouri for Chicago, Illinois on July 7, 1942 where she entered the Poor Clare Monastery to become a cloistered contemplative nun. A year after entering, on June 26, 1943, she received the holy habit and her new religious name, Sister Mary Francis of Our Lady. On November 7, 1948, she was among the original group of sisters who left Chicago, bound for Roswell, New Mexico to establish a new Poor Clare Monastery and remained there until her Heavenly birth on February 11, 2006.
On May 19, 1964, her community of sisters elected her as its new abbess and Sister Mary Francis became Mother Mary Francis. She held this office for approximately 41 years. In 1965, Mother Francis was elected head of the recently formed federation of Colettine Poor Clare Monasteries in the U.S.. She served as federal abbess for 16 years, and federal councilor for 13 years.
Mother Francis is also known for her literary accomplishments. She is the author of:
"Whom I Have Loved" (A book of poems)
"Marginals"
"Walled In Light"
"Forth And Abroad"
"A Right To Be Merry"
She is also the playwrite of:
"Counted As Mine" (A play about Our Lady of Guadalupe)
Her body was laid to rest, on her birthday, on the grounds of the Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Roswell, Chaves County, New Mexico.
Bio by: Gary Wayne Parks
