After more than four decades in Catholic education, including the last 30 years at Detroit Catholic Central, Kevin Walters is retiring from his role as Director of Campus Ministry and Theology Department Chair.

For generations of Shamrocks, Mr. Walters has been far more than a teacher or administrator. He has been a mentor, retreat leader, spiritual guide, and one of the most recognizable and beloved figures on Catholic Central’s campus. Through Kairos retreats, daily conversations in the hallways, theology classes, service opportunities, and moments of prayer, he has helped countless young men deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ and discover the kind of men God is calling them to become.

A lifelong Catholic educator, Walters dedicated 43 years to Catholic schools as a theology teacher and campus minister. He joined Catholic Central in 1997 and quickly became a cornerstone of the school’s faith formation efforts. 

Under his leadership, Campus Ministry expanded opportunities for retreats, Eucharistic Adoration, Christian service, discipleship groups, and the Order of Christian Initiation for Teens (OCIT) program, which has helped students enter fully into the Catholic faith.

“The Spirituality of Catholic Central is a search process to see how and where Christ provides an answer,” Walters once shared on our Faith Enrichment page. “We look to Him and His message. And, of course, we are constantly guided by Mary, Alma Mater — She, who was the first to say, ‘Yes.’”

Throughout his tenure, Walters became especially known for the profound impact of Kairos retreats. Thousands of students experienced transformative moments of faith and brotherhood through the program, many describing it as one of the most meaningful experiences of their lives.

His influence extended well beyond retreats. Walters helped foster Catholic Central’s culture of service, where students collectively complete tens of thousands of service hours annually and support organizations throughout Southeast Michigan. From partnerships with Focus: HOPE to fundraising for Basilian Missions, he consistently challenged students to put their faith into action.

Walters is a graduate of Sacred Heart Seminary and earned his master’s degree from St. John's Provincial Seminary, including graduate studies at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem. He is also an active parishioner at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth.

Outside the classroom and chapel, Walters often shared his personal testimony of faith, perseverance, grief, and joy. He frequently spoke about how God carried him through the loss of his first wife, Kathy, before later blessing him with his wife, Paula, and their blended family.

As he steps into retirement, the Catholic Central community gives thanks for Mr. Walters’ extraordinary ministry and faith, and the lasting impact he has had on generations of Shamrocks.

His legacy will live on in every student whose life was changed through a retreat, a conversation, a prayer, or a simple reminder that “Jesus Christ is the reason.”