Endow has announced the launch of Quinceañera Created for God | Creada para Dios, a bilingual eight- to 10- week formation program designed to spiritually prepare young women for their Quinceañera — a cultural rite of passage deeply rooted in Latin American Catholic tradition.

Endow (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) is a Catholic organization that offers formation programs aimed at fostering faith and identity among women and girls through study and small-group discussion.

The organization’s new program originated with Bishop Jorge Rodríguez, auxiliary bishop of Denver and a board member of Endow. Annette Bergeon, Endow’s executive director, said the bishop recognized a pastoral gap: Many Hispanic families were requesting Quinceañera Masses or birthday blessings, but there was no dedicated faith preparation to accompany the celebration. 

Traditionally celebrated at age 15, a Quinceañera marks a young Latina’s passage into womanhood. The event often includes a Mass and a festive gathering with family and friends. 

While the celebration holds deep cultural significance, Bergeon told CatholicVote in an Aug. 5 interview, “You don't really want them to just come for one day. You want to invite the families back, and you want the religious ceremony to be the pinnacle of the event rather than the big party.”

To meet that pastoral need, Endow developed a program that offers young women a deeper formation ahead of their celebration.

“We invite them into a formation program where they build relationships under the guidance of an adult mentor,” she said, “and they really come to know themselves and their dignity and their identity as a beloved daughter of God.”

The formation often yields lasting spiritual fruit, according to Bergeon. One participant said, “After this group, I no longer consider myself an atheist.” 

Another asked, “Why has no one ever told me this before? Why haven't I learned this in school?”

“It's really opening up a whole new world and letting them see their faith as something that can truly enhance their life and give them strength, give them virtue, and give them a community,” Bergeon said.

While some parishes offer one-day retreats or minimal catechesis ahead of Quinceañera celebrations, Bergeon said Endow’s program is distinct in its scope and depth. 

“The richness of the faith and introducing them to a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ at this pivotal moment, kind of like a rite of passage, is a unique aspect of our program,” she explained.

The program’s structure fosters not only personal growth but also community. Girls go through the weeks together, forming friendships rooted in shared faith while strengthening their ties to the parish. 

“They build relationships with each other as they are learning about the beauty of their feminine dignity and vocation,” Bergeon said.

Parishes interested in the program can access a self-contained guide, which has received an imprimatur from the Archdiocese of Denver — a Church endorsement indicating the material is free from doctrinal or moral error. To accommodate different parish needs and capacities, Bergeon said Endow encourages those interested to schedule one-on-one consultations to help with implementation.

Many young women who complete the program become more involved in parish life. According to Bergeon, some express a renewed desire to attend Mass regularly, reconnect with friends from the group, and take on roles such as lectors or youth group members — often encouraging their families to return to church as well.

Bergeon said the program helps young women understand their worth on a deeper level.

“When you let them know that their identity comes from the fact that they’re made in the image and likeness of God and that they’re a beloved daughter of God,” she said, “it changes their outlook completely.”