Six Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia celebrated their Silver Jubilee on July 12. Among those celebrating 25 years of religious profession were Sister Anna Christi Solis, O.P., and Sister Miriam Kopenhafer, O.P.

A native of Colleyville, Sister Anna Christi grew up in St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Grapevine and is the daughter of Vance and the late Mary Solis.  She made her first profession of vows on August 10, 2001. Sister Anna Christi, who received an M.A. in Montessori Elementary Education in 2011 from Loyola University in Maryland, has served over the years as a teacher in St. John Vianney Catholic School in Gallatin (TN); St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School in Woodbridge (VA); Overbrook Catholic School in Nashville (TN) and Cathedral Academy in New Orleans (LA). She also served in various catechetical apostolates in the Diocese of Aberdeen, Scotland, and as a faith formation leader has offered classes for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, USA. Sister Anna Christi is currently serving as a Religion teacher at St. Rose Academy in Birmingham, where she also guides Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in the school’s Atrium.          

The daughter of James and Frances Kopenhafer, parishioners of Saint Bede in Williamsburg, Virginia, Sister Miriam attended the College of William and Mary before entering the community in 1999. She made her first profession of vows on Aug. 10, 2001. Over the years Sister Miriam has served as a teacher at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea School in Hampton, VA; St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School in Woodbridge, VA; St. Cecilia Academy in Nashville, TN; and Bishop Machebeuf High School in Denver (CO). She is currently serving as an English and theology teacher at John Carroll Catholic High School in Birmingham.          

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in honor of their Silver Jubilee was celebrated in the Chapel of St. Cecilia, St. Cecilia Motherhouse in Nashville, TN. Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney was the main celebrant.

In 1860, the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia was established in Nashville, where its Motherhouse is located. The Sisters of St. Cecilia are dedicated to the apostolate of Catholic education. The community of 300 sisters serves in 53 schools throughout the United States and abroad, with mission houses in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Rome and Bracciano, Italy; Elgin, Scotland; Sittard, The Netherlands; and Limerick, Ireland. For more information on the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation, please visit their website at www.nashvilledominican.org.