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RKBRTB
Guest
Does anyone have a resource for a very simple Quincinera celebration. The mother has requested just a prayer for her daughter on her birthday at a weekday mass and other relatives are coming. Thanks
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benedictgal
Guest
The USCCB Committee on Divine Worship has a very good resource. You can find it here:
usccb.org/liturgy/page2.shtml
Does your parish have a Book of Blessings? You can certainly use the Birthday blessing for the Quincenera. By the way, the Quincenera is the girl, herself. The celebration is called a Quince Anos.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Qunice Anos, this particular celebration is prevelent in the Mexican-American culture. Qunice is Spanish for 15. According to cultural tradition, a young girl comes of age at 15 and her parents present her to the Church for a blessing. As in the case of the OP, many families opt for a simple celebration; others, however, turn this into a fiesta that often rivals Princess Diana’s wedding (complete with huge dress, 15 escorts and sponsors of the event).
What you might also want to to consider is asking the pastor if he could celebrate a special Mass that day. The Gospel we use is the one for the Annunciation, since, the Blessed Mother was about the same age as the Quincenera when she received the visit from St. Gabriel. Furthermore, there is a special consecration that the young girl makes to the Blessed Mother.
usccb.org/liturgy/page2.shtml
Does your parish have a Book of Blessings? You can certainly use the Birthday blessing for the Quincenera. By the way, the Quincenera is the girl, herself. The celebration is called a Quince Anos.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Qunice Anos, this particular celebration is prevelent in the Mexican-American culture. Qunice is Spanish for 15. According to cultural tradition, a young girl comes of age at 15 and her parents present her to the Church for a blessing. As in the case of the OP, many families opt for a simple celebration; others, however, turn this into a fiesta that often rivals Princess Diana’s wedding (complete with huge dress, 15 escorts and sponsors of the event).
What you might also want to to consider is asking the pastor if he could celebrate a special Mass that day. The Gospel we use is the one for the Annunciation, since, the Blessed Mother was about the same age as the Quincenera when she received the visit from St. Gabriel. Furthermore, there is a special consecration that the young girl makes to the Blessed Mother.
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OutinChgoburbs
Guest
Quincies can be hedonistic dress-up parties or great blessings. This one sounds nice.
Our priest in Old Parish used to use the birthday blessing out of the Book of Blessings with the traditional questions asked of the godparents in relation to the girl’s faith prior to the blessing (Was she well behaved? Go to Mass and Confession regularly? Helps out family with chores? Known as a good friend? Volunteers for parish activities?). This is after Communion. The parents and baptismal godparents (not to be confused with the padrinos who are sponsoring various parts of the quincie) also give the young woman a prayer book, a Bible, a rosary, a doll (future children). The girl walks into church in “child’s shoes” and her parents change these after Communion for “ladies shoes” which are usaully her first high heels.
The young woman across the street is making hers soon. Her papi has the chamberlanes and damas practicing a dance in the driveway on the weekends.
Our priest in Old Parish used to use the birthday blessing out of the Book of Blessings with the traditional questions asked of the godparents in relation to the girl’s faith prior to the blessing (Was she well behaved? Go to Mass and Confession regularly? Helps out family with chores? Known as a good friend? Volunteers for parish activities?). This is after Communion. The parents and baptismal godparents (not to be confused with the padrinos who are sponsoring various parts of the quincie) also give the young woman a prayer book, a Bible, a rosary, a doll (future children). The girl walks into church in “child’s shoes” and her parents change these after Communion for “ladies shoes” which are usaully her first high heels.
The young woman across the street is making hers soon. Her papi has the chamberlanes and damas practicing a dance in the driveway on the weekends.
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benedictgal
Guest
In Mexico, the Quincenera makes her consecration and receives her blessing after the homily. This practice is also quite common along my stretch of the Texas-Mexico border (I’m not sure how the Valley handles it, but, puzzleannie can explain).
From what I gather, there are also special readings attached for this particular Mass, although the Mexican Roman Missal doesn’t have any particular prayers for the young lady. The readings that we have used are taken from the Votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The girl walks in with her parents (after the whole slew of attendants and chamberlains) and then she is situated much like a bride and groom (sans the groom) with a kneeler and seat. During the blessing ceremony, she is presented with a Bible and a Rosary (which are blesed during this time by the priest or deacon).
It is actually quite interesting that while the Mass will sometimes be in Spanish, most of the Quinceneras will make their consecrations and receive their blessings in English.
From what I gather, there are also special readings attached for this particular Mass, although the Mexican Roman Missal doesn’t have any particular prayers for the young lady. The readings that we have used are taken from the Votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The girl walks in with her parents (after the whole slew of attendants and chamberlains) and then she is situated much like a bride and groom (sans the groom) with a kneeler and seat. During the blessing ceremony, she is presented with a Bible and a Rosary (which are blesed during this time by the priest or deacon).
It is actually quite interesting that while the Mass will sometimes be in Spanish, most of the Quinceneras will make their consecrations and receive their blessings in English.
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OutinChgoburbs
Guest
That is pretty much it, except our bishop is very strict about the when according to GIRM. We used to have it after the homily, and now we have it after Communion…Well, that and the shoes and the doll.
Most of these girls understand Spanish, but don’t speak it well. My DH has the same thing going on with Italian (his grandmother) and German (his mother). They all hear it in the foreign (to us) language, then reply in English.
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benedictgal
Guest
I guess ours is a very different situation regarding the GIRM because, obviously, we follow the adaptations approved for the USCCB, but, we do use the Mexican Roman Missa (including lectionary and Book of the Gospels), their Book of Blessings, Order for Funerals and Weddings, and whatever is done for Quince Anos. From what I gather in the Mexican conference, the Quince Anos ritual, for lack of a better word, occurs after the homily (just like the Nuptial Rite).
Believe me, I’ve been to a jillion of them, with everything ranging from what the OP reported to what you stated. I’ve had to line up the attendants and their chamberlains and remind the whole group that this is not a style show. I’ve also had to keep the paparazzi at bay. I’ve seem many a Quince Anos celebration outdo even the most lavish of weddings.
Thankfully, for me, my Italian father was way too practical for that kind of stuff. My German/Hispanic mother was n full agreement.
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Chatter163
Guest
Just as a matter of accuracy, the Quincenera celebration is common to countries throughout Latin America, and is not limited to Mexico. In south Florida these are extremely popular celebrations, and very small percentage of the Hispanic population there is Mexican. Cubans, Colombians, Peruvians, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, Hondurans, Dominicans, Guatamalans, Argentines, Bolivians, Costa Ricans, et al.–all of these cultures observe the Quincenera to some degree.
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benedictgal
Guest
Thank you. It’s just that in my neck of the woods (deep South Texas, albeit the whole state, really), it is mostly, if not 100%, Mexican in culture.
And, for further accuracy, the celebration is Quince Anos because the honoree is the Quincenera (we even have Quinceneros, since the boys started wanting some sort of celebration, too).
To the OP, the Mexican American Cultural Center in San Antonio (MACC) will probably have some resources for you regarding your situation. As I said before, the consecration and blessing happen after the homily. The priest reminds the young lady of her baptismal promises, asks her to renew them, and then, she recites a prayer of consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary. After that, the priest (or deacon) will impart the blessing. Sandwiched in between, depending on the circumstances, are special blessings for the Bible and Rosary she will receive.
I hope this helps you. I certainly didn’t mean to sidetrack your original intent. It’s just that this might be an unknown celebration to those who might be reading this thread and wondering what we are taking about as far as 15th birthdays are concerned.
J
John_Lilburne
Guest
The General Instruction at the front of the Book of Blessings includes:
“28 Because some blessings have a special relationship to the sacraments, they may sometimes be joined with the celebration of Mass.
This book specifies what such blessings are and the part or rite with which they are to be joined; it also provides ritual norms that may not be disregarded. No blessings except those so specified may be joined with the eucharistic celebration.”
My 1989 edition of the Book of Blessings for the USA does not include this one. I do not know if it is in Spanish speaking editions, such as for Mexico.
“28 Because some blessings have a special relationship to the sacraments, they may sometimes be joined with the celebration of Mass.
This book specifies what such blessings are and the part or rite with which they are to be joined; it also provides ritual norms that may not be disregarded. No blessings except those so specified may be joined with the eucharistic celebration.”
My 1989 edition of the Book of Blessings for the USA does not include this one. I do not know if it is in Spanish speaking editions, such as for Mexico.
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benedictgal
Guest
John, being in Australia, Iyou may not, I believe, have such a ceremony Down Under. However, I think that before we start quoting documents, we have to realize that this is one of those times when inculturation comes into play.
This is what the USCCB says regarding the celebration of Quince Anos:
Now, in Mexico, the blessing takes place after the young lady renews her Baptismal promises and makes a consecration to the Blessed Mother. Because my diocese is on the Texas-Mexico border, we use the Mexican ritual books. Incidentally, I brought up this point at the FDLC when I met with Msgr. Moroney, the now-former secretary for the USCCB Committee on Divine Worship. He said that until such time as the USCCB comes up with its own version of the Spanish Roman Missal and ritual books, we are to use the Mexican version.
His statements were further affirmed by the USCCB Committee on Divine Worship when it notes that:
Note that this is proposed. Nothing has come down the pipeline yet. Because we don’t have an official “ritual”, per se, in the United States, those of us who do have the Mexican ritual books use what that country is doing until such time as the USCCB gains the necessary permission to establish its own norms.
Now, our bishop, to the best of my knowledge, has not indicated that we should change anything yet on the manner in which the Quince Anos ritual is conducted. In fact, in his own Cathedral, the young lady is blessed immediately after she makes her consecration. This is done at the end of the Liturgy of the Word.
John, please don’t take offense, but, it is sometimes best to familiarize oneself with the cultural situation of a particular ritual before quoting documents. You are a great resource, please know that.
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RKBRTB
Guest
You are all fantastic. Thank you for your information. Have a safe 4th weekend.
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OutinChgoburbs
Guest
I understand completely about what Benedictgal speaks. I live in a city in the suburbs of Chicago, but I might as well live in Mexico City or Havana. We are anglo, but my littlest girls are talking about quincies. I know while they will probably not have one, a lot of their friends will celebrate their fifteens, and ask them at least once to be damas. I was a dama twice, and two of my sisters were damas at least three times each from my memory. It is that heavy an influence here, and has much to recommend it.
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John_Lilburne
Guest
From usccb.org/liturgy/innews/1204.shtml :
“November, 2004 Meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Three Liturgy action items were approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in the course of its meeting on November 15-17, 2004. The first two items were approve by all of the Latin Church Bishops present and voting, while the third item was approved with only one negative vote. All three action items were developed by the Hispanic Liturgy Subcommittee, chaired by Bishop Carlos Sevilla.
The first item consisted of an adaptation to the U.S. edition of the Bendicional for the Bendición Al Cumplir los Quince Años (Blessing on the Fifteenth Birthday) in English and Spanish. This rite for the Quinceañera was developed in response to the request of many Bishops and is designed to help them to guide and regulate celebrations of the Quinceañera, a coming of age ceremony now placed in the context of a renewal of Baptism by a young woman reaching the age of fifteen. A resource document entitled Fifteen Questions on the Quinceañera may be following this article and may be used for catechesis on this rite. …
Having received the approval of two thirds of the Latin Church Bishops, all three ritual texts will now be submitted to the Holy See for the requisite confirmation.”
“November, 2004 Meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Three Liturgy action items were approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in the course of its meeting on November 15-17, 2004. The first two items were approve by all of the Latin Church Bishops present and voting, while the third item was approved with only one negative vote. All three action items were developed by the Hispanic Liturgy Subcommittee, chaired by Bishop Carlos Sevilla.
The first item consisted of an adaptation to the U.S. edition of the Bendicional for the Bendición Al Cumplir los Quince Años (Blessing on the Fifteenth Birthday) in English and Spanish. This rite for the Quinceañera was developed in response to the request of many Bishops and is designed to help them to guide and regulate celebrations of the Quinceañera, a coming of age ceremony now placed in the context of a renewal of Baptism by a young woman reaching the age of fifteen. A resource document entitled Fifteen Questions on the Quinceañera may be following this article and may be used for catechesis on this rite. …
Having received the approval of two thirds of the Latin Church Bishops, all three ritual texts will now be submitted to the Holy See for the requisite confirmation.”
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benedictgal
Guest
However, that was back in 2004. To my knowlege, Rome has not yet indicated that the documents have the necessary recognitio. In fact, the 15 questions do exist because that is the link that I posted. However, the ritual is still a detail that remains to be worked out. This also holds true for the inculturation matters of the Nuptial Rite (where the arras and the laso are included).
Incidentally, we had a Quince Anos ritual at tonight’s Mass. The PV at the Cathedral was a little miffed that the parents of the young lady waited until the last minute to get the particulars about processing pu the aisle. I got the group lined up and warned the paparazzzi not to go psycho happy with the camera. That is one big problem down here.
To the OP: be thankful that the mother is requesting something simple. These Quince Anos ceremonies wind up taking a life of their own if parameters aren’t set beforehand.
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benedictgal
Guest
I tried to edit my post, but was locked out.
After some digging, I found out that nine months ago, Rome had given the necessary recognitio for the new Quince Ano blessing.
Here is the link:
usccb.org/liturgy/Quinceanera.pdf
What amazed me is that, even after nine months, our bishop has not sent word down the pipeline that we are no longer to use the version currently employed by the Mexican Episcopal Conference. Furthermore, the ritual is now moved from after the homily (as the CEM had it) to now just prior to the final blessing.
What is even more surprising is that the new rector of the Cathedral, who is heavily involved in the USCCB Subcommittee on Spanish liturgical texts (and who has been here for over a year now) is still employing the method used by the CEM instead of the one that carries the recognitio from the Holy See. In fact, the CEM version is still the status quo at many, if not all, of our parishes. No one is performing this ritual according to the USCCB document.
John, I know I give you a hard time, but thanks for leading me in the right direction. I am going to email the rector and find out what gives.
To the OP, I hope that this new piece of information will be helpful to you.
After some digging, I found out that nine months ago, Rome had given the necessary recognitio for the new Quince Ano blessing.
Here is the link:
usccb.org/liturgy/Quinceanera.pdf
What amazed me is that, even after nine months, our bishop has not sent word down the pipeline that we are no longer to use the version currently employed by the Mexican Episcopal Conference. Furthermore, the ritual is now moved from after the homily (as the CEM had it) to now just prior to the final blessing.
What is even more surprising is that the new rector of the Cathedral, who is heavily involved in the USCCB Subcommittee on Spanish liturgical texts (and who has been here for over a year now) is still employing the method used by the CEM instead of the one that carries the recognitio from the Holy See. In fact, the CEM version is still the status quo at many, if not all, of our parishes. No one is performing this ritual according to the USCCB document.
John, I know I give you a hard time, but thanks for leading me in the right direction. I am going to email the rector and find out what gives.
To the OP, I hope that this new piece of information will be helpful to you.
K
KCtheMommy
Guest
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OutinChgoburbs
Guest
Indeed the OP should!
Here, they have private Quince Anos Masses, there are “fifteens” as a part of regular Masses (my favorites), and then there is this Mass where every fifteen year old in the deanery descends on the biggest parish with her damas y chamberlanes and a cast of characters. I have no idea what the big attraction is for All Deanery Quince Anos, but the biggest parish happened to be Old Parish. Some parents stuck to the guidelines, but some went all out for limos, hummer limos, more than 15 damas, etc. The parking lot looked like a wreck after everybody went inside, and during the delivery of the girls to the church MAN! Traffic was backed up for six blocks in any direction, what with limos and photographers.
J
John_Lilburne
Guest
Well found. I did not find it with google searches, or looking at usccb.org/liturgy. But clicking on “Documents” there brings it up among that list.
So it is has clearly been permitted in the USA, since 26 July 2007, outside Mass or in it.
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benedictgal
Guest
I guess what boggles my brain is the fact that as late as yesterday, we were still placing the Quince Anos “ritual” right after the homily (just as it is found in the Mexican version) as opposed to what should be now in force. Now, I can understand my diocese still using the old version until the new one was ready, but, now that we have it approved, we should be following the directive.
I sent this to both the diocesan director of Divine Worship and to a priest friend of mine who has a plethora of Quince Anos. We’ll see what happens.
Thanks for your patience with me, John. You are an invaluable resource. Are you going to see the Holy Father when he’s in your neck of the woods?
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benedictgal
Guest
Late this afternoon, I spoke to the priest who now serves as our diocesan director of Divine Worship. He was on the committee that worked on the 15th Birthday document and gave me a little history as to how this came about.
It seems that Latino families were approaching priests in non-Hispanic areas about having Quince Anos blessings for their daughters. The priests had indicated that since such a “ritual” didn’t exist in the Book of Blessings (used in the US), they would be reluctant (and unwilling) to do this, even though this is a centuries-old tradition in countries such as Mexico.
The USCCB then charged the sub-committee on Spanish-language texts to come up with a bilingual blessing that would, in essence, solve the problem, especially since we don’t have such a feature in the English-language liturgies. Now, according to the priest, one can still have this blessing after the homily, as is the custom in Mexico. However, the document itself indicates that the blessing should be after the post-communion prayer.
I asked him why our local ordinary hadn’t promulgated the new version yet. He indicated that since the issue of unwillingness towards a Quince Anos blessing wasn’t at play here, the Mexican norm would remain in effect.
He also noted something rather interesting: He said that just because the document now has the recognitio from the Holy See, it must still be approved by the entire USCCB. This is somewhat difficult to understand. Why could we not use something that, in the first place, the USCCB approved by what appears to be the necessary 2/3 vote to send to the Holy See for its recognitio? Furthermore, if the document now has the recogitio (it’s had it for a year, now), why would the USCCB have to vote on it again?
He was even surprised that I knew about it.
It seems that Latino families were approaching priests in non-Hispanic areas about having Quince Anos blessings for their daughters. The priests had indicated that since such a “ritual” didn’t exist in the Book of Blessings (used in the US), they would be reluctant (and unwilling) to do this, even though this is a centuries-old tradition in countries such as Mexico.
The USCCB then charged the sub-committee on Spanish-language texts to come up with a bilingual blessing that would, in essence, solve the problem, especially since we don’t have such a feature in the English-language liturgies. Now, according to the priest, one can still have this blessing after the homily, as is the custom in Mexico. However, the document itself indicates that the blessing should be after the post-communion prayer.
I asked him why our local ordinary hadn’t promulgated the new version yet. He indicated that since the issue of unwillingness towards a Quince Anos blessing wasn’t at play here, the Mexican norm would remain in effect.
He also noted something rather interesting: He said that just because the document now has the recognitio from the Holy See, it must still be approved by the entire USCCB. This is somewhat difficult to understand. Why could we not use something that, in the first place, the USCCB approved by what appears to be the necessary 2/3 vote to send to the Holy See for its recognitio? Furthermore, if the document now has the recogitio (it’s had it for a year, now), why would the USCCB have to vote on it again?
He was even surprised that I knew about it.
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