Sister María Estela Solis was the ninth of eleven children of a farming family in Michoacán. Her parents were active in their parish; her father was a sacristan and four of her female relatives were in religious life. Sister Estela helped the Sisters teach catechism until she became an aspirant in Querétaro at age 18. After professing her first vows on August 29, 1976, her first mission was to teach in a Catholic school in Casas Alemán. She then went on to study spirituality in the Carmelite Institute for Men and Women Religious in Mexico City and worked in the office evangelization and catechesis in Querétaro. She served both as regional councilor and regional superior.
