Retreat Team Directors Rickey Huval,SR (35 years), Jonathan Hamlin (10 years), Ryan Huval (35 years)

Three and a half consecutive decades of just about anything is a rarity these days. In a culture characterized by immediate gratification and short attention spans, starting something and sticking with it has become increasingly less common. However, Rickey Huval and his team of confirmation retreat leaders have done just that, completing 35 years of service to the Diocese of Lafayette and confirming Catholics throughout the region by planning and executing an average of 20 retreats per year.  To commemorate this milestone, Huval gathered the team together and thanked all of the team leaders that made it happen with a 35-year reunion set to take place on March 24 from 2-5 p.m. at Nativity of our Lady Catholic Church Hall.

Like most good things, the start of this tradition came somewhat unexpectedly when Huval’s oldest son attended a confirmation retreat at their home church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help. He and his friends left so inspired that they decided to begin giving retreats of their own. After a year of training, during which Huval played chauffeur, the team gave one successful retreat before their associate pastor was transferred. With no one left to lead, the baton was passed to Huval…who didn’t necessarily want it.

“The kids wanted me to do it and I said, ‘No, no. I don’t talk in front of groups of people. No, I’m not,’” he recalls.  He couldn’t hold out for long, and pretty soon he and the team leaders successfully held their first retreat. What started as one or two retreats quickly multiplied, as did the number of students impacted by them.

“I started in 1984 thinking I’d give a few retreats,” comments Huval.  “But now, we’ve been doing it for 35 years and I’ve given retreats to more than 37,000 teenagers.”

In addition to large group talks, students are divided into several small groups led by team leaders who encourage them to speak honestly about their beliefs, while also allowing for deep self-reflection and real faith encounters. Huval prides himself on the fact that, although it is a mandatory event for students confirming into the Catholic Church, the majority of those who attend are excited to be there. “By the time they leave there Friday night, they’re looking forward to coming Saturday morning,” he states.

Huval is quick to give credit to the team leaders as the most impactful agents during retreat weekend. Additionally, the role they play before, during and after retreat weekend helps keep their system running smoothly, inspiring young adults in their faith as well as attracting new team leaders to the fold. Among this group of outstanding young adults, friendships forged over retreat weekends have been shown to stand the test of time. However, life happens and often has a way of drawing people apart.

“I just want to be able to get together and thank all these kids who helped give retreats and there’s quite a few of them,” he states. “Not many people want to work with 16 year olds, but we have the best time on the weekends, and I see a lot of positive things happening. That’s God at work and the glory goes to Him,” he adds. “But, I really want to thank these kids. We need their help and they’re the ones I’m proud of.”

ALLISON ABSHIRE – TEAM LEADER

 One of the new faces who has been instrumental in the success of these confirmation retreats for the past seven years has been Allison Abshire. After attending her first retreat during her junior year of high school, Abshire felt the pull of the Holy Spirit to get involved despite her reserved personality.

“At that time I was pretty shy,” she recounts. “When you’re doing retreats you have to stand up in front of a lot of people and give your testimony. I decided to go out on a limb and try it and after that I’ve missed very few.”

Abshire credits her role as a retreat team leader for the indisputable personal growth she’s experienced in recent years. “It’s definitely been a complete life changer for me,” she says. “It gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of people skills and, as time went on, I just took on more responsibility.”

In addition to the bond formed with students in her small groups, Abshire especially enjoys the camaraderie among her fellow team leaders. “We try to bring anybody who signs up, but we have our main group that we count on each weekend and we’re really like a family,” she states.

The opportunity to meet as well as reconnect with several other “family members” is the aspect of the reunion Abshire is most looking forward to. “Life happens and even when those people can’t do retreats anymore they’re still a part of the family,” she says. Of course, celebrating 35 years of service is also at the top of her priority list. “A lot of retreat teams in the Diocese kind of fall off after a couple years, but it makes me proud to be a part of that – those 35 years. It’s such a milestone,” she adds.

RYAN HUVAL – TEAM LEADER/RETREAT ORGANIZER

Besides Rickey, Ryan Huval is one of the only members of the retreat team who has been active from the very beginning. At the age of 12, he attended his older brother’s first confirmation retreat and helped form the initial retreat team that would soon be led by his dad, Rickey. Ever since, Ryan has been an integral part of the team serving for multiple years as a team leader and just recently stepping into a greater leadership role as one of the primary speakers.

Serving in this capacity for so many years has been more of an act of passion rather than obligation, as he credits that first retreat with his own spiritual awakening. “It was probably the first time somebody actually explained the Catholic faith to me in a way I could understand at the time,” Ryan recounts. Like most teenagers, he had questions and was grateful to have been given the knowledge to reinforce his own opinions and, consequently, solidify his faith.

Keeping his own experience in mind, Ryan has been diligent in making sure all confirming students have the same opportunity. “That is one thing I always appreciate about our retreat. We are always laying out the Catholic faith to them in a way they can understand, and not in a preachy or forceful way,” he says. “I know what the retreat did for me and I always felt like we are doing good by not putting pressure on these kids, but laying it out lovingly.”

Like his Dad, Ryan believes the team leaders take on the most important roles. “One of the key aspects to our retreats is the kids traveling with us,” he confides. “The real change that happens with those kids is in their small groups.” After spending several years as a team leader himself, Ryan knows firsthand the rewards of the job are not only in the students you impact, but also in the friendships made. He recalls, “When I was in high school, we spent a lot of time together and you really develop a friendship and family atmosphere with people on the team.”

After 35 years, he has seen his fair share of team leaders come and go, but Ryan remains proud of the bond and fellowship they all share. “Life just happens and you have some who helped us give retreats, but then they started to work or had a family and it gets more difficult to stay involved,” he states.

Despite time and distance, he knows this network of individuals will remain tightly knit. “ It really is a family and even though you may have only helped give one retreat, you still become a part of the family,” he concludes.