Although the Easter Vigil is the normative time for the baptism of adults and children of catechetical age (about the age of 6 or 7 and older), it is not the only time the Roman Catholic Church “makes” new Catholics. Infants of Catholic parents are regularly baptized soon after birth.

Adults and older children, who have been raised in other Christian churches, can become Roman Catholic outside of the Easter season if they have already been baptized. The parish can celebrate the rite of Reception of Baptized Christians into the full communion of the Catholic Church whenever readiness for the sacraments is established. This liturgy usually takes place at Sunday Mass in the parish. The candidate makes a profession of faith using the Nicene Creed (the one Catholics proclaim each Sunday), is then confirmed by the parish priest, and comes to the Eucharistic table to eat and drink the Body and Blood of the Lord.

In some rarer instances, and with the diocesan bishop’s permission in each case, full initiation (with baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist) can be celebrated outside the Easter Vigil. Although this is not the usual practice, it can be done when extraordinary circumstances prevent the candidate from completing all the steps of the catechumenate (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). In addition, the bishop may decide that the candidate can receive baptism without delay because of a depth of religious maturity and Christian conversion.

In a survey taken by the diocesan Office for Worship and the Catechumenate, the following persons have been identified by their parish or university as adults and children of catechetical age who celebrated initiation sacraments between the Easter Vigils of 2015 and 2016.

LEGEND
FI: Full Initiation
CCI: Catholic Completing Initiation
FC: Full Communion

CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
in Springfield
FC: Michael Edsel Thomas

BLESSED SACRAMENT PARISH
in Springfield
FI: Chloe Elizabeth Kren, Andrew Thomas Lenz, Connor Michael Lock

CHRIST THE KING PARISH
in Springfield
FC: Nicki Gantt, Cherri Montgomery, Leonard Montgomery

ST. CLARE PARISH
in Altamont
FC: Cheryl-Lyn Lou Goldstein, Tina Lucille Verdeyen

SS. PETER AND PAUL
PARISH
in Alton
FI: Thomas Patrick Freeman

ST. CHARLES BORROMEO
in Charleston
FC: Dora Wheeler

HOLY FAMILY PARISH
in Decatur
FC: Debra Sue Peters

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA PARISH
in Effingham
FI: Elijah Link, Ellie Link, Samuel Link

HOLY FAMILY PARISH in Granite City
FC: Alan Douglas Arakaki, Eric Roy Klumpp, Andrea Rene Klumpp, Autumn Renee Gartner

ST. AGNES PARISH
in Hillsboro
FC: Renee Rovey

ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE PARISH
in Newton
FC: Carol Bracken, Sharon Schackmann, Beth Shamhart, Calvin Wilson

ST. PATRICK PARISH
in Pana
FC: Rich Gibson

ST. FRANCIS SOLANUS PARISH
in Quincy
FI: Laurie Schmits
FC: Drew Erwin, Jeremy Roberts, Brandi Spoonmore

ST. JUDE PARISH
in Rochester
FC: Robert Dees, Ciara Freres, Dorothy Beeman

ST. JEROME PARISH
in Troy
FC: Jim Eden, Rachel McCoy, Vicki Price

ALL SAINTS PARISH
in White Hall
FC: John M. Todd