Quinceañera Mass requirements: what your parish will ask

Parishes usually ask that she's baptized and has made her First Communion and First Reconciliation, or is preparing for them. They also ask for a few preparation sessions before the Mass. Call your parish about a year before her date, and earlier if a sacrament is missing.

What do parishes usually require for a quinceañera Mass?

Parishes usually ask about her sacraments, a set of preparation sessions and whether the family belongs to the parish. Each diocese writes its own rules, and each pastor can add to them, so your parish has the final word.

The U.S. Catholic bishops approved an Order for the Blessing on the Fifteenth Birthday in 2007. It can be celebrated within a Mass or outside of one. Diocese guidelines, like the ones from San Diego and Fort Worth below, set what a family does before the day.

Which sacraments does she need?

She usually needs to be baptized and to have received First Communion and Reconciliation. If she hasn't, the guidelines below ask her to start preparing for them before the quince.

• The [Diocese of San Diego](https://sdcatholic.org/youth-and-young-adult-ministry/quinceaneras/) says she should have received Baptism, Reconciliation and First Communion. If she hasn't, the family should register about two years ahead for a preparation program, and the celebration isn't scheduled until she's enrolled.
• The [Diocese of Fort Worth](https://fwdioc.org/quince-anos-guidelines-english.pdf) asks that she be baptized and that she have received First Communion and Penance, or be preparing for them.
• Fort Worth also asks that she be in the parish religious education program the year of her quince and the year before, or in Catholic school or an approved home study program.

Confirmation isn't on either diocese's list. Fort Worth's guidelines ask parishes to invite quinceañeras to prepare for Confirmation as part of the process.

How many preparation classes does she take?

In the two diocese guidelines below, the preparation runs four to eight sessions. Both of them include the parents.

• San Diego's preparation runs 6 to 8 weekly sessions, and it includes the parents and her companions.
• Fort Worth's model program has four sessions, and a parent, godparent or guardian must attend the first one.
• Fort Worth also lets parishes offer the preparation as a day retreat, a day workshop or a week-long summer camp.
• The [USCCB](https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/sacramentals-blessings/persons/quinceanera) says a parish may ask her and her court to take part in a day of retreat or a few sessions, with Confession before the date.

Fort Worth's guidelines also ask for an interview with a priest or a member of the parish team, and ask that the family belong to that parish or get the pastor's permission to prepare somewhere else.

When should you call the parish?

Call about 12 months before her date to set the Mass. Call two years ahead if she still needs a sacrament, since some dioceses won't schedule the date until she's enrolled in a program.

1. Call the parish office and ask for the person who handles quinceañeras.
2. Ask which dates are open, and whether the parish holds quince Masses on their own or as part of a Sunday Mass.
3. Ask which sacraments she needs and which records the parish wants to see.
4. Ask how many preparation sessions there are, when they start and who has to come.
5. Ask about the donation and any fees, and when they're due.
6. Write the Mass date and time into your plan before you book the hall.

Have the name of the church where she was baptized and the date, plus the same for her First Communion. The parish will ask about those first. The quinceañera planning checklist puts the call to the parish at 12 months out and the classes at about 6 months out.

What happens during the quinceañera Mass?

She walks in with her parents and godparents, renews her baptismal promises and receives a special blessing. The USCCB describes this order for the celebration.

1. She enters the church in a procession with her parents and godparents, and often with her court.
2. If she has prepared a reading, she can read at least one of them.
3. After the readings, she renews her baptismal promises. She also promises God and the Virgin Mary that she'll live by her faith.
4. Her padrinos bring forward the blessed gifts, like the medal, the Bible and the rosary, and she receives them.
5. The priest gives her a special blessing.
6. After the Mass, she's presented to the community.

The Diocese of Dallas rite for the blessing within Mass adds that the priest may sprinkle her with holy water, and that she may take a flower or a bouquet to the image of the Virgin Mary. The same rite has wording for a group of quinceañeras who share one Mass.

Are there church rules for the court, the music and the gifts?

Yes, and they differ by diocese. Ask your parish for its rules before the court rehearses its entrance.

• Fort Worth's guidelines say the court shouldn't be paired up as couples in the church, or in any way that looks like a wedding. One example they give is the court lining the aisle as she walks in with her family.
• Fort Worth asks that the readings come only from Scripture and the music fit the liturgy.
• Fort Worth asks that gifts given in the church have a religious meaning, like a Bible, a rosary, a medal or flowers, or a cultural one, like the last doll.
• San Diego asks that guests be told about reverent behavior and dress, and that the parish offer a rehearsal for her and her parents.
• San Diego notes the church's rules for Advent and Lent, so ask about those seasons if her date falls in one.

How much does a quinceañera Mass cost?

Plan for a donation and some fees. Su Quince's 2026 data puts the Mass at $350 to $450 typically, with a low of $150 and a high of $1,500. Your parish will tell you its own amount.

Some families ask padrinos de misa to help with this cost. The quinceañera padrinos list has the other church padrinos and what each one gives.

The free Su Quince planner puts the call to the parish and the start of the classes on her checklist, with dates counted back from her quince.