Chapter 11 Court Required Notification

Quinceañeras

Traditional Celebration to Mark Milestone

When Jesus encounters the woman caught in the act of adultery as she is about to be put to death by a group of men, He asks one question, “Who among you is without sin?” Jesus was teaching us to find ways to be merciful, and still find ways to hold an offender accountable. “Go, and sin no more.”

Guidelines for preparation and Celebration of a Quinceañera

The following guidelines are intended to provide parishes in the Diocese with pastoral and liturgical help for formation and preparation of the quinceañera celebration. Each parish is encouraged to prepare and make available its own guidelines/ requirements for the preparation and celebration of Quince Años.

Pastoral concerns:

All youth, regardless of race or cultural background, who have reached 15 years of age, may request a quinceañera celebration within the following guidelines:

  • The 15-year-old should have already received the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and First Communion. Youth who have not received these Sacraments should register with sufficient anticipation (for example, 2 years) to be able to enroll in an adapted Sacramental preparation program. Quinceañera celebrations should not be scheduled before youth are enrolled in such program.
  • Quinceañera celebrations are to be considered as a part of comprehensive youth ministry based on the Bishop’s document “Renewing the Vision: A framework for Catholic Youth Ministry,” therefore youth are encouraged to participate in the parish’s Youth Ministry programs and events.

Celebration:

  • Quinceañeras may be celebrated as a Mass or a Liturgy of the Word. Celebrations may be done individually or for a group and should be done in a parish church or chapel.
  • Liturgical norms are to be respected, in particular during Advent and Lent.
  • Quinceañeras, their families and friends should be instructed of appropriate reverence and dress attire for the celebration.
  • A rehearsal and overview of the Mass or liturgy of the Word should be offered for the youth and their parents.

Preparation:

A parish Quince Años team is recommended for the catechetical and liturgical preparation of the youth. The parish team should meet the Diocese Safe Environment requirement to serve as an instructor or catechist in the program.

  • Preparation for the quinceañera should include adolescent catechesis and evangelization.
  • Preparation programs may vary from 6 to 8 weekly sessions. (These should not be substituted for any sacramental catechetical classes.)
  • Parishes should create a model of preparation that best suits the parish community.
  • Parents and quinceañera companions should be included in preparation programs.

(The Office for Youth Ministry can provide resources for preparation programs.)

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About the Coat of Arms

Bishop Pulido’s coat of arms is divided into four quarters with wavy horizontal lines from top to bottom. The blue and white lines represent the Blessed Virgin Mary. They also suggest water, which alludes to Jesus washing the feet of His disciples and to the waters of baptism. The red and gold lines represent the Holy Spirit and fire. The colors also can be seen as referring to the Blood that (along with water) poured from Jesus’ side at His crucifixion, as well as to the bread (gold) and wine (red) transformed into the Eucharist. At the center is a roundel featuring a symbolic representation of the “mandatum” (washing of the feet), which he believes exemplifies service to all humanity. The roundel’s outer edge is a line composed of small humps; it is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Diocese of Yakima, where Bishop Pulido served as a priest before being named a bishop.

About the Coat of Arms

Bishop Pham’s coat of arms depicts a red boat on a blue ocean, which is crisscrossed by diagonal lines suggesting a fisherman’s net. This symbolizes his ministry as a “fisher of men,” as well as how his own father had been a fisherman. The boat is also a symbol of the Church, which is often referred to as the “barque of Peter.” At the center of the sail is a red beehive (a symbol of the bishop’s baptismal patron saint, St. John Chrysostom, who was known as a “honey-tongued” preacher). The beehive is surrounded by two green palm branches (an ancient symbol of martyrdom; the bishop’s ancestors were among Vietnam’s first martyrs). The eight red tongues of fire around the boat are a symbol of the Holy Spirit and a representation of the diversity of ethnic and cultural communities. The red of the boat, the beehive and the tongues of fire allude to the blood of the martyrs.

About the Coat of Arms

The coat of arms combines symbols that reflect Bishop Bejarano’s spiritual life and priestly ministry. The main part of the shield shows four wavy vertical lines on a gold background. These represent flowing waters. This alludes to his chosen motto and also symbolizes the graces that come from the Divine life to quench our thirst for God. The upper third of the shield is red because it is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Order of Mercy, of which the Bishop’s patron saint, Raymond Nonnatus, was a member. The central symbol resembles a monstrance because St. Raymond is often depicted holding one. The Eucharist is Bishop Bejarano’s inspiration for his vocation. It was through the Eucharist that he received his call to the priesthood at age seven and which keeps his faith and his ministry going. It represents the call to offer oneself as a living sacrifice. The monstrance is flanked on either side by an image of the Sacred Heart, alluding to the mercy of God and echoing the idea of a sacrificial offering of oneself united to the sacrifice of Christ, and of a rose for Our Lady. It is an allusion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, and highlights the bishop’s Hispanic heritage.

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