Baby Blessing Traditions in a Spanish Mass

"La presentacion" is a traditional ceremony often held at Catholic churches that offer a Spanish-language Mass. The ceremony can be held for babies about 40 days old or for preschoolers at age 3. Presentacion -- or presentation -- is not one of the Catholic sacraments, but it is often followed by the sacrament of baptism.

  1. La Presentacion

    • The purpose of "la presentacion" ceremony is to formally present a new baby or young child to the Catholic church and the community of churchgoers. According to an article in "Homiletic and Pastoral Review Magazine," this custom began in Mexico as a way for Catholic parents to thank God and the Virgin Mary for protecting their young child and to ask the Virgin Mary to continue to protect the child after baptism. After Mexican immigrants brought the custom to the United States, it was adopted by other Hispanic immigrant communities as well. With the growing number of Hispanic Catholics and the increasing availability of Spanish Mass in the United States, the ceremony has spread into many communities.

    The Ceremony

    • In the ceremony, the godparents or "padrinos" of the new baby carry him down the aisle of the church and present him to the priest. The priest says a prayer over the baby in Spanish, then says a second prayer over the parents and godparents. The priest marks the child with the cross and anoints his chest with oil of catechumens. Finally, the priest picks the child up and says a third prayer in Spanish to put the child under the protection of the Virgin Mary.

    Symbolism

    • According to the Rev. Gus Puelo in "Homiletic and Pastoral Review Magazine," the ceremony of "la presentacion" symbolizes the Biblical ceremony in which Mary and Joseph took the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer him to God. Despite the importance of the ceremony n the Hispanic community, Puelo stresses that this ceremony cannot substitute for the sacrament of baptism and should not be used to stand-in for a baptism while the family saves money for a large baptismal celebration.

    Variations

    • As "la presentacion" is more of a popular custom rather than an official part of Catholic liturgy, the format of the ceremony is not completely standardized and may vary from place to place. For instance, presentacion ceremonies at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Angeles are only held for children who are already baptized and usually for children who are 3 years old rather than 40 days. The ceremony at this church is also shorter, as the priest simply puts his hands on the child to confer a blessing and then holds her up for the applause of the congregation.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • What is the possessive format of Babies?
      The possessive form of babies is babies. Since babies is a plural noun, we simply add an apostrophe after the s.
    • What is babies blood?
      A babys blood is essentially the same as an adults blood, but with a few key differences:* Higher levels of fetal hemoglobin: This type of hemoglobin binds oxygen more tightly than adult hemoglobin, which is crucial for getting oxygen to the fetus in
    • At what age should Valerie and Todd expect their baby to say its first word?
      Its impossible to say exactly when Valerie and Todds baby will say its first word without more information! Heres why:* Every child develops at their own pace: While there are general milestones, some babies talk earlier, and others later. * Theres