They prepared for this night in two key ways. In their own parishes, they took part in the process of formation and training in the Christian life that is provided in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. This process of training and formation in the Christian life is often more familiarly called the catechumenate or RCIA. They have done this for quite some time.

And then, on the First Sunday of Lent this year, they celebrated the diocesan Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion at the Cathedral Church of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. At that rite Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, in the name of the whole diocese, formally called them to the mighty prayers and liturgies of Lent and to the sacraments of initiation to be celebrated at the Easter Vigil.

The names are divided into neophytes (N), Catholics completing initiation (CCI), or Christians celebrating reception in the full communion of the Catholic Church (FC).

CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION in Springfield
N: Gary Casper, Archie Harmon
CCI: Theodore Keith Preston
FC: Amanda Humke, Matthew Humke, Kristie Sadowski

BLESSED SACRAMENT in Springfield
N: Justin Klasinz, Melissa Klasinz
FC: Robert Draper Jr., Amanda Hayes, Karla Magnotta, David Pittman, Daniel Wright, Jeffrey van Zuiden, Ayla Rose van Zuiden

LITTLE FLOWER in Springfield
N: Lori Dodson
FC: Jennifer O'Brien, Ashley Schafer, Tina Sims

ST. AGNES in Springfield
N: Noah Alderman, Nicholas Austin
FC: Staceyann Cabey-Kaufmann, Virginia Sprinkel, Jeremy Steinkruger

ST. FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI in Springfield
CCI: Caitlyn Danielson, Taylor Danielson, Zane Danielson

ST. ALOYSIUS in Springfield
N: Paula A. James, Judy Ann Pellman, Brett Michael Starkweather, Ian-Philan Corsiga Wheatley
FC: Paul Richard Cumby

ST. JOSEPH in Springfield
N: Cristynna McGinley, Rayleigh McGinley

SS. PETER AND PAUL in Alton
N: Steven Price, Hayden Crone, Grace Scholar
CCI: Michelle Price
FC: Regan Taylor

ST. MARY, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION in Alton
N: Philip Charles Dienoff, Charles Micca Rose, Julia Ann Spears, Elle Valladares
CCI: Ashley Lucile Hanneken
FC: Brian Scott Copeland, Aaliyah Daria Johnson, Alan Douglas Johnson, Edna Lurren Johnson, Raymond Arthur McIntire, Derek Drew Ross, Leslie Ray Tiek, Susan Kay Tiek, Joshua Ryan Watson, Dustin James White

ST. FIDELIS in Arenzville
N: Craig E. Grimsley

ST. ALEXIUS in Beardstown
N: Benisse De Souza, Rodja De Souza, Emile K Guilavogni, Patrice Massa Guilavogni, Comlan Daniel Kougbahoue, Ruth Kougbahoue, Essoyodou Christian Mahini, Mawaba Rejoice Mahini, Michael Marco Sassou, Dovi Gratias Yovo

OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE in Bethalto
N: Jasmine Dale, Makayla Dale, Bradley Fulk, Jeff Klaustermeier, John Jay McCurdy, Amy Prater
FC: Robert Bloemker, Linda Dennis, Connie Naylor, Kyle Stumpf

SS. MARY AND JOSEPH in Carlinville
N: Samuel Harding
FC: William Edge

ST. CHARLES BORROMEO in Charleston
N: Shawn Daniels
FC: Vickie Tucker, Gordon Tucker

EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY NEWMAN CATHOLIC CENTER in Charleston
N: Hillary J. McKitrick
FC: Laura Lucas

ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER in Chatham
N: Justin Perry, Chuck Hoerner
CCI: Ilse Johnstone
FC: Verna Rightnowar, Stacey Duncan, Matt Stark, Joe Monsour

SS. PETER AND PAUL in Collinsville
N: Paige Elizabeth Anderson, Jeremy James Dawley, Dakota Shaver, Hannah Marie Slone
CCI: Cindy Alexandra Acheson, Keana Fox, America Jacquelyn Gutierrez-Trejo
FC: Lisa Isselhardt

HOLY FAMILY in Decatur
FC: Patricia Ann Bagley, Jeremy D. Bleavins, Daniel Ray Brown, Ryan C. Fultz, Stephen Ray Goetter

OUR LADY OF LOURDES in Decatur
CCI: Kari Antoinette Turner

SS. JAMES AND PATRICK in Decatur
N: Kelly Clark, Willow DiMondo, Caroline Edgecomb, Melissa Katt, Pamela McLemore, Willow Mena, Romeo Montes, Cynthia Morrow, Harrison Myers, Shelby Myers, Ronald Solomon
CCI: Nathan Beard, Paul Eguia, Raymond Goodwin
FC: Sabrina Eguia, Natalie Pistole, Sarah Wood, Brian Wright

ST. BONIFACE in Edwardsville
N: Zachary Medema, Keith Stewart
CCI: Jamie Niemerg
FC: Laura Bernaix, Lindsey Bernaix, Dennis Chandler, Ashley Church, Anne Dillow, Meredith Frey, Chris Gelsinger, Daniel Henke, Scott Randall Lyerla, Daniel Willis

ST. MARY in Edwardsville
N: David Michiaels
CCI: Jennifer Humphrey
FC: Jonathan Clinton Corzine

SACRED HEART in Effingham
N: Michael Stanfield
FC: Laura Tays

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA in Effingham
FC: Keri Gorman, Nicole Iatropoulus, Molly Myracle, Kurt Strullmyer

ST. CECILIA in Glen Carbon
N: Joseph Alan Foster, Hilary Kehrer Harris
FC: Bryan Michael Crites, Michael Louis Rogers, Tim Robert Samet, Denver Parkes Seay

ST. AMBROSE in Godfrey
FC: Leah Diane McCormick, Jennifer Lynn Godar

ST. PATRICK in Grafton
N: Caleb Daniel Allen, Noah Patrick Allen
FC: Angie Lee Weiner

ST. ELIZABETH in Granite City
N: Dylan Hilton, Jim Rowland
FC: James Irvin

HOLY FAMILY in Granite City
N: Alicia Marie Lignoul, Elizabeth Louise Stoneking, Tonya Kathaleen Hahne, William Everett Alexander Carruba, Tanya Lynn Kennedy, Edward Louis Lance III, Lauren Ashlee Stuart, Mackenzie Renee Kennedy
CCI: Patrick Robert Dreste, Hollie Beth Sturdivant, Gerardo Zamacona
FC: Gary Warren Jessen Jr., Emma Katherine Sturdivant, Will Christopher Sturdivant

ST. GERTRUDE in Grantfork
FC: Barbie Weis

ST. MICHAEL in Greenfield
N: Evonne E. Taylor

ST. PAUL in Highland
N: Trent Workman, Cody Zobrist
FC: Trista Gubera, Natalie Henschen, Michael Plocher, Jennifer Schmidt, Melissa Zobrist, Whitney Zobrist

ST. AGNES in Hillsboro
N: William Harpole, Natasha Stratton
FC: Elizabeth Gonzalez, Tammy Knodle

OUR SAVIOUR in Jacksonville
N: Toluwalope Aderinsola Babington, Ethan Bonacorsi, Mattie Dunnagan, Ben Kluge, Amanda Lahey, Abbie Vieira
CCI: Aaron Rosengren
FC: Jennifer Baptist, Autumn Bruere, Donald Parks, Carol Piper

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER in Jerseyville
N: Steven Thomas Dawdy
CCI: Jayce Griffith Heberling

HOLY FAMILY in Litchfield
CCI: Deborah Meyer

ST. MARY AND ST. MARK in Madison and Venice
N: Sandra Nonn

MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP in Maryville
FC: Aimee Lynn Brown, Joetta Elaine Schmidt

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION in Mattoon
N: Amanda Arena
FC: Gayle Davis, Anita Hoene, Brooke Hoene, Betty McGinnis, Ashley Taylor

ST. EDWARD THE CONFESSOR in Mendon
FC: Lennie Brown

ST. MAURICE in Morrisonville
N: John Lee Jack, Merandia Sue Ann Jack, Matthew Tarrant, John Thomas Sinnard
FC: David Jack, Dianne Sullivan

ST. FRANCIS DeSALES in Moweaqua
N: Dylan Brownback, Faith Brownback, Jackie Brownback

ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE in Newton
N: Bobbi Ochs, John Phillips, Keely Gosnell, Joshua Schafer
FC: Marissa Bower, Bambi Hall, Roy Kautz, Amanda Schafer

ST. LOUIS in Nokomis
CCI: Nathaniel Jones
FC: Angelique Marie McClain

OUR LADY OF LOURDES in Oblong
N: Alaina Michelle Stigler, Misty Kay Noblit, Troy D. Noblit

ST. PATRICK in Pana
FC: Gary L. Johnson, Vickie Sue Johnson, Nicole Clark, Shelley Leepper

ST. MARY in Paris
FC: Joy Stewart

ST. PETER in Petersburg
FC: Christopher Schirding

ST. MARY in Pittsfield
CCI: Lisa Kaye Welch

BLESSED SACRAMENT in Quincy
N: Amber Bordewick, Kayla Chase, Kevin Douglas, Nora Holman, Dale L. Johnson
FC: Gale F. Hill

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA in Quincy
N: Caitlin Stout, Feng Yang
FC: Samuel Coggeshall, Justin Deege

ST. JOSEPH in Quincy
N: Adam Utterback
FC: Nichole Utterback

ST. FRANCIS SOLANUS in Quincy
N: James Blair, Margaret Curry, Kyle Hinkamper, Teal Smith, Kimberly Stillwell, Emily Wheeler (on Pentecost)

ST. PETER in Quincy
N: Cassandra L. Bainbridge, Matthew C. Bainbridge, Craven Shannon Gilley, Jeffrey Alan Groll II, Mark Hill, Jason Thomas Merrill
FC: Bill Connell, Hannah Marie McNeff, Tom Moore, John David Moore

ST. JAMES in Riverton
N: Alyssa Hergert, Britney Maiers
FC: Tammy Putnam, Tom Harms

ST. ELIZABETH in Robinson
FC: Elizabeth Ann Murray

ST. JUDE in Rochester
N: Cameron Fairbanks, Mallory Fairbanks

SAINT JAMES in St. Jacob
FC: Amanda Reilson

ST. MARY OF THE ASSUMPTION in Sainte Marie
FC: Tiffany Pinkston

ST. JOHN VIANNEY in Sherman
N: Lisa Noonan, Jamie Antonacci

ST. MARY in Taylorville
N: Kevin Brown, Heather Eyer, Jeremiah Gunning, Jacob Loman
FC: Danny Fallin, Gary Jones, Tanya Michel, Kody Page

SAINT JEROME in Troy
N: Kevin Lee Lewis, Anthony Michael Mason, Everett Andrew Mason, Jessica Lynn Seger
CCI: Anna Louise Mason

FORTY MARTYRS in Tuscola
N: Vanessa Nicole Vandeventer
FC: Nicole Finley, Alan Ray Shoemaker

SACRED HEART in Virden
FC: Teresa Ann Bristol, John Downs

MOTHER OF DOLORS in Vandalia
N: Kelcey Elder, Tracy Smith
FC: Dennis E. Helm