I have a huge problem w/ ANY congregation of ANY faith allowing this kind of mockery to occur. All the person in charge had to say was "NO". Real simple word. One syllable. And yet it seems that more and more leaders are caving in to it. You can't change the spoiled bratdom of people like this woman and her kid, but you can set a decent example.
Re: other rites of passage - if she'd waited 2 more years, a quincinera would have been perfectly appropriate. But I doubt this oh-so-dedicated "Catholic" knows what that is. I'm guessing she's Catholic in name only but couldn't find her local parish w/ a police escort.
--add
(I'm not a morning person.....)