Quinceañeras Parte Numero Dos!:Quinceañeras Part Number Two

Hey everyone, so I am updating the Quinceañera blog posting with the second installment. Enjoy! If you come from a spanish speaking family chances are that you are catholic. Most Quinceañeras involve the church due to old traditions. Down below are some different church requirements that I have found. Also most churches require the soon to be Quinceañera to do a church retreat. Some of these only require the Quinceañera, while others require the entire Quinceañera's royal court (which are the Damas and Chambelanes which we'll get to later).

Church requirements

            Each church varies on what they require from future Quinceañera’s and require a fee. One church I found has its requirements posted online. Their requirements go as follows:

Requirements for Quince Años Ceremonies:

1) The family must be registered in the parish for a period of three (3) months prior to the date of the first preparation session. The family should be attending Mass weekly and tithing. 

2) The honoree should register for her Quince Años ceremony on or before her 13th birthday but no later than her 14th birthday (one year before her 15th birthday). This will allow sufficient time for preparation classes before celebrating her Quince Años ceremony after her 15th birthday.

 3) The honoree must have been baptized in the Roman Catholic Church and must have received First Eucharist prior to the time of the ceremony. If the honoree has not received the Sacrament of Communion, she should be enrolled to prepare to receive the sacrament before the Quince Años ceremony. (Certificates must be provided.)

 4) The honoree should be registered and attending religious education classes for one full year while preparing for her/his Quince Años celebration. The Thursday night Youth Engaging Scripture! Bible Study will count as religious education. The young person should also be actively involved in the parish’s youth ministry program.

5) The honoree must attend and complete five (5) preparation sessions accompanied by her parents. The honoree must also attend a retreat. If circumstances prevent the young person from attending one of the sessions, she must attend the session(s) missed with the next group. The honoree must also attend a spiritual retreat.

6)  As Christians we are called to serve others, the honoree is encouraged to participate in at least three service projects organized by the youth ministry program between the beginning of her preparation and the Quince Años ceremony.

7)  The preparation sessions will consist of:

a. Session I: Traditions of the Quinceañera Ceremony/Review of the Guidelines

b. Session II: Personal Identity and Independence

c. Session III: Sacraments and Catholic Identity

d. Session IV: Women’s Roles in Our Society

e. Session V: Adolescence and Christian Values

f. Retreat: For young person preparing for her Quinceañera

The second church I found had similar yet different requirements such as:

·    The Quinceañera must have received the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) or be registered in classes at St. Peter preparing to celebrate these sacraments;

·    The Quinceañera must actively participate in the parish, regularly attending Sunday Mass;

·    The Quinceañera should present a copy of her Baptismal and Confirmation certificates before the celebration of the Quinceañera;

·    The Quinceañera must have attended at least four preparation classes

Church three I found required that the Quinceañera and her family to be active in the church:

 A family is considered active in the life of faith of the Church if:

·             regular attendance at Mass

·             Regular attendance of religious education classes.

·             family registered in the parish

·             the Quinceañera needs to be involved in the youth program

The Quinceañera must have ALL this done and handed in two weeks before the date of the celebration to the Director of Religious Education:

·    The Quinceañera will have a signature form for the Deacon or Father to date/sign after attending Mass.

·    The Quinceañera must have received the sacraments of Baptism and First Communion=submit a copy of certificate if not done at St. Mary's Church.

·    The Quinceañera Candidate must complete 25 hours of community service at St. Mary's Church prior to the Quinceañera celebration.

·    Must receive the Rite of Reconciliation (confession)

·    If the Quinceañera is lacking in any of these requirements, there will be no celebration.   

The church I attended only required that I be baptized, done my first communion, got confirmed and then attend a church retreat for Quinceañera’s. In addition to that church retreat for Quinceañera’s I had to also memorize and read the following statements

Para las XV Años

Priest: La iglesia te da la bienvenida y se une a ti, tus padres y familiares, y a tus amistades que se han reunido para celebrar contigo esta fiesta de tus XV años. Vamos a darle gracias a Dios que te dio la vida y a ayudarte a pedir que sepas cumplir los deberes que esa vida te exija para ames a Dios y a tus semejantes como Cristo te ama a ti.

Terminado la homilia

Priest: Cuando tu naciste tus padres y tus padrinos te trajeron a las aguas bautismales para que recibieras una vida nueva, como hija de Dios. En aquel momento ellos hicieron una profesion de fe en tu favor y un compromiso religioso en tu nombre, eas misma fe y compromiso que te han hecho venir hoy ante este altar. Como tu ahora eres responsable de lo que haces, la iglesia te pide que ratifiques y renueves esa misma fe y ese compromiso de continuar tu vida cristiana. Asi pues, en presencia de tus padres, que te dieron la vida que recibieron de Dios, que te han dado tu nombre cristiano y te han orientado y apoyado en estos primeros años  de tu vida y te han brindado afecto y comprension y quieren lo mejor para ti. Y en presencia de tus padrinos, que se alegran, porque vas a reafirmar tu fe cristiana. Y en la presencia de la iglesia, representada aqui por todos los que te acompanan, familiares y amigos. Yo te pregunto:

Priest: Aceptas a Cristo como tu Salvador?

Quinceañera: Si lo acepto.

Priest: Quieres seguir a Cristo toda tu vida?

Quinceañera: Si, lo seguire.

Priest: Quieres comprometerte ante esta comunidad cristiana a vivir plenamente tu compromiso bautismal?

Quinceañera: Si, quiero con la ayuda de Dios.

Compromiso con la comunidad

(Quinceañera must say this infont of everyone in the church)

Yo __________ delante de todos ustedes, con gran alegria confieso mi fe cristiana y acepto mi compromiso bautismal con Cristo, para vivir el Evangelio y trabajar como cristiana en mi comunidad parroquial. Les pido a todos ustedes que recen por mi para que sea fiel a este compromiso.

Compromiso con el senor

(Quinceañera must say this infont of everyone in the church)

Senor Dios, creo en ti con todas la fuerzas de mi ser y por eso te ofrezco mi juventud, guia mis pasos, mis acciones, mis pensamientos. Concedeme a la gracia de vivir tu mandamiento nuevo, para amar a mis hermaños  por ti. Que tu gracia en mi no resulte vana. Te lo pido por Jesus, tu hijo, mi salvador. Oh Maria, madre mia! Ante ti presento mi ofrenda al Senor. Se para mi el modelo de mujer fuerte. Toma mi corazon y hazme digna hija de Dios. Amen.