Priest uses creative approach to keep youths engaged during retreats

Published: 2004-09-28

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (CNS) -- Those who think it is hard to talk to teenagers, especially about God, should meet Augustinian Father Terry Deffenbaugh, who has been leading youth retreats for 30 years. And even though he is much older than his audience, Father Deffenbaugh has no trouble keeping the attention of a group of teens. He also speaks openly on subjects such as sexuality, manic depression, divorce and suicide. Carole Sluce, youth minister at Our Lady of Consolation in Merrillville in the Gary Diocese, likes the priest's energy level. "He just keeps going; there's no rest," she said. "He's a lot of fun, but the kids respect him." According to Sluce, the theme of a retreat the priest led at her parish in August was "This is not a boring retreat; everything will be different." For Father Deffenbaugh and Sluce, that meant serving breakfast when dinner was expected and vice versa; opening the retreat by having the young people walk through a maze blindfolded to give them an impression what being blind is like; and replacing their name tags with tags bearing names of biblical characters. Anyone using his or her real name received a squirt from Father Deffenbaugh's loaded water pistol.

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