Quinceañera

Thank you for making us a part of your child’s celebration of passage to adolescence. This is an important part of your child’s journey to become a faithful adult. To have a better understanding of this special tradition, please read the article below from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Coordinator: Deacon Raul Michel (Email)

Among several Spanish-speaking countries and among many Hispanics in the United States there is the custom of celebrating the passage from childhood to adolescence with a ritual that expresses thanksgiving to God for the gift of life and that asks for a blessing from God for the years ahead. This celebration may take place within Mass or outside of Mass. Commonly asked questions about the Blessing on the Fifteenth Birthday (Quinceañera) are answered here.

1.  What is a quinceañera?

The quinceañera is a traditional celebration of life and gratitude to God on the occasion of the fifteenth birthday of a young Hispanic woman. The ritual emphasizes her passage from childhood to adulthood. The family usually requests a Mass or a blessing to be held in the Church. The rite is frequently celebrated in several countries in the Americas, including Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. It is frequently requested by Hispanic Catholics in the dioceses of the United States of America.

2.  What is the origin of the quinceañera?

The tribes of Meso-America, possibly the Mayas and Toltecs, celebrated elaborate rites of passage for their young men and women. Rites of passage are known to have existed in the Iberian Peninsula as well. The Spanish conquistadores may have brought the practice to Meso-America. It is possible that the missionaries would have approved of this practice, since these rites closely paralleled Christian practices of initiation and marriage. The ancient Mozarabic Rite of the Iberian peninsula had elaborate rituals marking the passage of baptized adolescents, each of which included specific references to Christian initiation and each of which was celebrated following the reception of Holy Communion at Mass. With the suppression of the Mozarabic Rite, many of these rituals passed into popular religious practice.

(Continue reading from the source:  USCCB.ORG)

Requirements

• Class (100% attendance in Quinceañera Formation class, 80% attendance in Confirmation)
• Mass Attendance
• Essay
• Parent Class
• Verification on enrollment in Confirmation Class
• Community service Hours
• Sacrament certificates verified
• Celebrate reconciliation
• Fees paid in full