The Colonel Catholics will host their annual Awakening Retreat this weekend, which welcomes anyone to form a deeper connection with their faith.

There will be activities including mass and adoration, which covers talking about the Eucharist and prayer. There are many different topics based off of the Catholic religion. They also have a power prayer, which allows those who attend the retreat to learn about the Rosary, and other prayers. Skits are performed as well at the retreat. It costs $35, which includes meals for the weekend, a t-shirt and other supplies that have to be bought in preparation.

Katie Lively, senior and Family and Consumer Science major from Plaquemine, said, “It is a great retreat to come to if you are looking to not only better your relationship with God, but also grow as an individual.”

The goal of the retreat is to bring young adults into a personal encounter with Jesus, which Lively said would make a big difference in their lives. Nicholls’ first Awakening was in the spring of 1974, in which 12 young adults participated.

It was a transforming experience for the 12 participants, as well as for the staff. The ones that attended the retreat asked if another Awakening would be scheduled in the fall of 1974.

They were told if they were to recruit, then the Aquanis Center would offer another retreat date in the fall. This is when the retreats began at St. Thomas. St. Thomas at first put on one Awakening weekend per semester, as well as one in the summer.

Cody Leblanc, math major and first year grad student from Larose, said, “Attending Awakening gives you an opportunity to relate to other people who are walking the same journey and who are asking the same questions.”

Leblanc said some of these questions consist of: What is the meaning of my life? What is my purpose? Even more specific: What is the meaning of my life as a Christian? What does it mean for me to live as a son or daughter of God?

People would come to staff the retreats since it could only be held one weekend. That, however, was not enough to feed those who wanted to continue their growth in their lives with Christ. The Center eventually hosted two Growth weekends, along with the two Awakenings, each year.

The Awakening was developed by the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese retired Bishop, Emeritus Sam Jacobs. The retreat had spread through many colleges throughout the United States since it first started.

In 1973, along with some young adults who had a personal encounter with Jesus throughout the Search weekend and with assistance from a religious sister on staff, the Bishop took elements from other retreats like: Search, Teens Encounter Christ and Cursillo to develop the Awakening Retreat.

Grant Ordoyne, senior Elementary Education major from Thibodaux, said, “It is an experience of a lifetime that is truly worthwhile.”