St. Michael High School alumna professes first vows as Dominican Sister

Five young women professed the simple vows of poverty, chastity and obedience as members of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville, Tennessee on Aug. 10. Among those who made their first profession was Sara (Sister Naomi Grace) Lavastida OP, a former parishioner of St. George Church in Baton Rouge.

Sister Naomi Grace is the daughter of Maureen and Jorge Lavastida, also parishioners at St. George. Sister Naomi graduated from St. Michael High the Archangel School, Baton Rouge and attended Louisiana State University. She is currently working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies and Elementary Education at Aquinas College in Nashville, which is owned and operated by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia.


The Mass for the Rite of First Religious Profession was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville.

The Most Reverend J. Mark Spalding, bishop of the Diocese of Nashville was the main celebrant. He was joined by numerous visiting priests who were friends of the sisters. The homilist was the Reverend Samuel Hakeem OP, vocations director for the Dominican Province of St. Albert the Great.

Sister Naomi Grace’s uncle, Father Jose Lavastida, pastor of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Church in New Orleans and Father Paul Gros, pastor of St. Margaret Queen of Scotland Church in Albany were also present at the profession Mass.

In addition to the sisters making first profession of vows, 12 young women professed their perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience with the Nashville Dominicans on July 25.

Photos provided by St. Michael the Archangel High School in Baton Rouge and the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia