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 2016 and 2017.

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

CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
in Springfield
FC: Jantzen Eddington

BLESSED SACRAMENT PARISH
in Springfield
FI: Portia Fern Apostol
FC: Colin Hugh O’Grady

ST. KATHARINE DREXEL PARISH
in Springfield
FI: Miguel Thomas Ashenfelter, Maya Guadalupe Ashenfelter
FC: Michael Dean Curtis

ST. CHARLES BORROMEO PARISH
in Charleston
FC: Scott Walker

EIU NEWMAN CENTER
in Charleston
FI: David Peter Lauzon, Tatyanna Michele Sheppard

SS. PETER AND PAUL PARISH
in Collinsville
FC: Brett Allen Bergman, Phyllis Elaine Davis, Jeremy Eade, James Richard Fuhrman, Elizabeth Janet Fuhrman, Sherri Lynn Fuhrman, Elizabeth Dawn Steele, Terry Ray Wilson

HOLY FAMILY PARISH
in Decatur
FC: Sharon Gregory, Jerry Groves

SS. JAMES AND PATRICK PARISH
in Decatur
FI: Charles McClure, Chapin Watts
FC: Rita Oyler, Robert Talkington

ST. GERTRUDE PARISH
in Grantfork
FC: Cassie Ambuehl Korte

ST. PAUL PARISH
in Highland
FI: Cole Markunas
FC: Joetta Schmidt

ST. AGNES PARISH
in Hillsboro
FC: Dale Stewart

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PARISH
in Jerseyville
FC: Mary Rue

HOLY FAMILY PARISH
in Litchfield
FC: Elaine Fisher

ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE PARISH
in Newton
FC: Jessica Ann Schackmann, Jason F. Meyer, Laurie Zuber, Jacob Steven Jahraus, Kaleigh Allison Beavers, Nancy Rae Beavers

SACRED HEART PARISH
in Oconee
FC: Gorden Diduit

ST. MARY PARISH
in Pittsfield
FI: Charles Martin Mooney

ST. FRANCIS SOLANUS PARISH
in Quincy
FC: James A. Terwelp, Brook Vonvertloh, Kathryn Sparks

BLESSED SACRAMENT PARISH
in Quincy
FC: Kathryn Ann Arrambid

ST. MARY OF THE ASSUMPTION PARISH
in Saint Marie
FC: Jill Kistner

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH
in Teutopolis
FC: Lisa Foster

ST. LUKE PARISH
in Virgina
FC: Alvin D. Kobernus, Jo Ann Kobernus