LA QUINCEAÑERA CELEBRATION
Notes on a Religious Service
In an Episcopal Context
The Diocese of Texas has an extremely large Hispanic population, both native born and from Mexico, Central and South America, and as such has come to recognize the need for acknowledging some of their traditions. La Quinceañera is one of those traditions celebrated in some Hispanic countries that is currently celebrated here. It has both religious and social connotations. The following pages summarize some of the history of the tradition, the checklists used in some of our Episcopal churches, and a sample order of service.
HISTORY
In many Hispanic countries, a celebration honoring the 15th birthday of a daughter is a critical celebration in her life, for it is through this celebration that the service is considered “the” marker signifying the girl’s transformation into a responsible adult, thereby making her eligible for responsibilities like marriage, work, volunteerism, and a new place within the family structure.
This ceremony and its attendant festivities have provided both the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches a problem, in that it is often considered a means of broadcasting that a daughter is ready for marriage, it does not carry true religious overtones now but rather only social ones, it can become quite costly when taking the entire celebration process into account, and it has no parallel for the males in the society.
As a rite of passage, a double standard does exist: Males are given more independence at an earlier age, while females are charged with looking after younger siblings, and, so long as she is single, she will remain in her parents’ home, with the attendant responsibility of ultimately caring for her parents. Historically, women generally married at about 15 years of age.
In Mexico when the Spanish conquered the Aztecs (circ. 1521), religious traditions of the Spanish and Aztecs were blended. The Aztec culture had treated women as useful only for marrying and bearing children. Elder women taught the younger ones cooking, housekeeping, weaving, so that by 16 they were considered experts in their new social position. Learning how to dance and play music were also vital skills for the girls.
Girls from wealthy families were sent to temple, to learn how to become priestesses. True to the transformation from child to adult, 15 became the age for decision even after the Spanish conquest: girls made a choice at this time in their life as to marriage vs. giving one’s life to the church.
In Mexico now women are still considered as second-class, yet they are the ones who pass on religious beliefs, legends, customs to their children, and they are the ones credited with maintaining the family.
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Both the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches here have come to emphasize religious aspects of Christianity in the church ceremony itself. Much of the emphasis is on renewal of baptismal vows along with church membership and attendance on a regular basis. Religious Celebration for the QUINCEAÑERA by Angela Erevia, published by the Mexican American Cultural Center in San Antonio, Texas, first published in 1980, has provided Roman Catholic (and Episcopal) priests a concise summary of Eucharist services, with attendant considerations (as, religious education or catechism classes, rite of penitence, requisites for church membership, appropriate music, and an appropriate homily). It is bilingual, published one side in English and one side in Spanish. Two priests of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas are working on manuals for the Episcopal church, outlining suggestions for the service.
While various objects often are as gifts to be presented to the girl during the service, remember that the girl is called to give thanks to God for her life, and to celebrate her happiness with her church and natural family, and with friends. Particularly if she has been previously baptized and confirmed, she is now celebrating amongst her church family the privilege of being alive, of thanksgiving for God’s work in her life.
While this event seems strange to Anglos, please remember that not only is it important to this particular culture, but also it provides both a social relief to those in poverty and a way to celebrate the family, and it has certain parallels in Southern culture in this country.
CHECKLISTS
I have worked in one Episcopal congregation for 15 years where I was one of the liaisons from the Anglo to the Hispanic congregation, and was “administrative assistant” in an all-Hispanic Episcopal congregation for over 3 years. The initial checklist offered below comes from experience in handling many quinceaños and wedding ceremonies for my priests within these two environments. A normal checklist for a Eucharist with either baptism or renewal of baptismal vows would require an additional checklist, as noted below.
Initial Checklist for Quinceaños
This checklist will need to be shared with the priest-in-charge, as s/he will have to be the person asking the family several of the questions, and s/hewill be responsible for setting policy for the local church.
Are you a member of our church (name on books or in very regular attendance)?
Are you attending church elsewhere? If the answer is yes, refer the girl/ family
back to that church, and if necessary call the priest in charge there. (Theory: they are shopping for a place to host the service.)
Are you already baptized?
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If yes, the service will have renewal of baptismal vows along with Eucharist.
If not, the service will include a baptism.
Decide on the format of the bulletin with the family.
Many want it in both English and Spanish, some in Spanish only, some in English only. This partly depends on whether or not only Spanish speakers are present, if parents attending speak only Spanish, if guests will be predominantly English speaking, if the girl is 3rd or 4th generation and is not wanting to identify with Spanish as her first language. Bulletin can be printed English one side, Spanish one side, with template stored in, say, MS Word, so it can be easily modified from one service to another. If necessary for the church budget, ask if a padrino be appointed to pay for printing of an especially large number of pew sheets.
Have a printed copy of the “rules of the church” printed up ahead of time and hand a copy to the parents and the girl during the meetings with them. In especially poverty level churches, the parents may not read, so the girl will have to have the hard copy. This action is to make clear to the family what things are expected upfront. It’s not that the rules are inviolate, because there may be circumstances where you may indeed want to change “the rules”, but handing them a set of rules makes things clear from the beginning basic expectancies. Considerations for this list include:
1. Hard liquor, wine, and other alcoholic beverages will not be allowed. (Caution: even if the family agrees to this, Uncle So-N-So from Michoacan will inevitably bring a bottle of Jimmie Walker Black Label. Have some ushers available to confiscate it or remove him from the property.) If this rule is violated, then do not allow receptions on the property again. Having hard liquor on church property is a violation of Diocesan policies.
2. Notify the family of fees expected to be paid. These can be changed according to the finances of the family, and if given early enough warning, padrinos can be found to pay (an honoraria to the priest, costs for the parish hall for the reception, costs to help defray utility expenses and communion expenses etc.)
3. Something about being relatively on time for the service. If the invitation says 3:00 for the service, starting at 6:00 is disrespectful to those attending and the place where the reception is being held. Accidents, illness, etc. are permitted reasons for delay, but those assisting in the service will not wait more than (one hour) past the start date listed in the invitation and on the bulletin.
As far as preparing for Communion, as a rule do not expect that the entire congregation will receive communion, the way that you would for a normal Sunday service. A good guesstimate is to prepare for 25% of those attending (more elements can always be blessed). Reason for low participation: if they are Roman Catholic, especially Mexican
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Roman Catholic, they have been warned by the Roman Church that it is a sin to receive Communion in any other denomination’s church.
Determine church policy ahead of time on several issues.
How many attendants will you allow the girl? (15 is often customary.)
What room do you want to use for the girl/attendants to assemble? She and
attendants will probably come already dressed.
How long will you wait for the family etc.? Service will not usually start on
time, so determine how long you are willing to wait (recommend up to one hour)
What other ornamentation will you allow in the church proper? Many want to
bring extra candles, etc.
The quinceaňera will want to bring a vase of real roses, dedicated to the Virgin Mary,
before or after the service. She will want to place them on the altar -- so have an extra floral stand available to receive them. Ask ahead of time if she intends to bring the roses, so you won’t be surprised. It is your (the rector’s) call about what to do with the roses afterward. (Possibility: send as a hospital arrangement or to someone who is sick.)
The girl/family will often bring arrangements of silk flowers to use for the altar
arrangements. You may want to allow silks on the pew markers, but definitely head off the silk arrangements on the altar early -- these traditionally are real flowers. Exception can be made if the family is especially poor and the flowers will be used at the reception. Try to talk the family into getting a padrino/a for real arrangements, then use them for the Sunday service, noting the gift from the family in the bulletin for Sunday.
The family/friends will want to bring an inordinate amount of gifts, to be given to the girl
during the service. Instead of allowing an unknown quantity, limit to 4 or 5 (as, ring, rosary, Bible, medallion, crown) and have the others (as, last doll) be presented at the reception. Set aside one time during the service for the gifts to be presented. Determine ahead of time if they are to be presented from the congregation or are to be placed on a table then presented by padrino/a at the appropriate time. The “table arrangement” will allow the priest to bless them all at once, prior to their being physically presented to the girl.
Consider having a rehearsal the night before.
Consider requiring that especially the girl receive instruction in (baptismal
covenant)(confirmation) weeks or months ahead of the actual service.
Consider having the girl participate in a community service project, or assist
somehow around the church community ahead of the service.
Ask the family if there are other considerations in the service, especially if there are more
than one country represented in your congregation. Wedding customs and 15th customs vary from country to country.
Occasionally, a girl will have been married before she turns 15. Usual rule of
grace: allow her to celebrate her 15th birthday.
Determine when the florist is to dress the church (that is, by what time), and
whether or not an arch is to be used, where it is to be placed if used.
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Determine church policy about photographs, flashes. (Family is apt to disregard, tho’)
If there is the possibility of having many 15th ‘s, consider doing one service a month.
Service Checklist
1. The basic checklist is that for a Service of Holy Eucharist.
2. Make certain that the Paschal Candle is out, and lit, before the service.
3. If the girl is to be baptized, follow the checklist for Holy Baptism, that is, include preparation of font, water ewer, baptismal candle. Be certain that the Parish Register for Baptisms is filled in appropriately, the certificate is available at the service.
4. Make certain that there is a table, appropriately dressed, to receive gifts,
and one to receive the vase of roses.
5. If altar flowers arrive and they are silk, ask the priest-in-charge how to handle the situation.
6. Make certain that a space for car/limo is available in front of the church.
7. Have a room available for the girl/attendants, preferably near a restroom.
8. Double check that appointed readers (usually from family) are really in attendance. Especially on prayers for the girl, be available for reading the prayers for the girl.
9. After the service, assist in cleaning up, getting items to (parents’) car or to the reception.
10. Reset the church for the next service, esp. if there is to be one on Sunday.
11. Liturgical color for the service is white. Paraments must be changed after the service to the appropriate color for the next service.
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LA QUINCEAŇERA CELEBRATION
Notes on a Religious Service
In an Episcopal Context
ORDER OF SERVICE (PEW SHEETS)
A sample order of service in Spanish follows. Episcopal books available in Spanish are:
Libro de Oración Común
Ritual para Oraciones Especiales
El Himnario
Hymns and song suggestions include:
Juntos como hermanos (El Himnario 214, modified version)
Somos uno en Cristo (El Himnario 222)
Oracion de San Francisco (El Himnario 383
El amor nos Unio (c. 1977 Mexican American Cultural Center)
Vamos cantando al Senor (c 1973 Juan Espinosa, OCP Pub.)
If baptism to occur, or baptismal vows are to be renewed, then include those portions in appropriate places, being certain to say the Creed or the Lord’s Prayer only once,